Problem statement: In the mountains it often takes a long time to get help. What do you do when you have or arrive at an emergency?
Topics covered:
- First Aid — assessment and immediate treatment
- First aid supplies at home and in the neighborhood (see First Aid Kit recommendations)
- How to get up-to-the-minute wildfire updates with Watch Duty
- Calling 911 in our area — presentation and video
- Fire Extinguisher practice
- Meet first responders from Cal Fire — South Skyline Fire and Rescue staff
With the generous assistance of Ari Delay and his team at the La Honda Fire Brigade, SSEPO organized a full day drill — our third in this annual series — with over 40 participants from all over the extended South Skyline area.
We organized the drill into 5 stations and rotated everyone through in 30-minute sessions, keeping groups small enough for hands-on experiences while providing enough detail. The medical trailer was well suited for first aid instruction. Ari’s Stop the Bleed class showed him to be an excellent teacher. Participants gave great reviews — everyone expressed that they learned a lot.
We also distributed vests and first aid kits to all participants. And we had a tasty lunch catered by the Skywood Trading Post!
On the way home, one of our organizers encountered a just-happened traffic accident and was immediately able to apply the training and materials from the course, confirming their value.
This has definitely become an annual tradition.
Special thanks to Bob Smith, David Myrick, Yvette Fitzgerald, Sammy Barker, and Jeremy Word from the Fire Brigade.