These past two weekends I (Crystal, BBC founder) took part in Remote First Aid and CPR with Back 40 Wilderness Training.
I knew having more safety and preparation skills in my back pocket was essential to have, especially as Being Brave Club grows and we go on more adventures in the great out doors.
The greatest piece of knowledge that came out of this course was to stay inside, remove all sharp objects from your home, always wear a helmet and bubble wrap.
KIDDING!
I found the course intense, for sure It was all outdoors, in the winter elements where we learned how to assess environment, injury, level of consciousness, moving injured persons safely, CPR, splinting, bandaging wounds– so much. But most importantly, what you need to be prepared before you even head out into the wilderness. The things that will keep you alive if sh*t hits the fan and rescue isn’t coming for a very long time.
And not to scare you, but it sh*t can hit the fan, even just 10 minutes out of the city and you might be stuck for the night outside. Do you know what you would do?
I have to say, for myself, I never considered this as a possibility – even in the back country of B.C.
I feel like I came out if it so much more prepared of how to take care of the people who come on our adventures (which was the point) and I’d love to share just a few things that might help you when you hit the trails yourself.
- Always make sure someone knows where you are going and when to expect you back.
- Make it a habit to have a plan in place: “If I had to spend the night, do I have the basics with me/accessible to me to do so?” Shelter, food, water, heat, etc. These things may vary depending on your excursion, but even a walk at the dog park can go south – or you can find someone in trouble. The kinda dark reality is, that even if you’re where you can call 911, it might be hours before they get to you. Just always have a plan in place.
- Ditch the flip flops and wear real shoes.
- Even in the hottest heat of summer, bring some extra layers.
After completing this course, I would highly recommend that if you’re someone who spends any time hiking or paddle boarding, camping, etc that you invest in this knowledge as well.
Rebecca at Back 40 is an excellent instructor and you know we love supporting bad ass women in business! Keep your eyes peeled, even if you can’t commit for her full training we will be teaming up for mini sessions to get you covered on some basics!
