Blog : Dance at the wood choppers ball.

532 posts
6/13/2012 7:32 am

Dance at the wood choppers ball.

The who attend Survival Camp are senior cadets and most are "experienced campers". None the less, they attend two weeks of classes on review of equipment. How to use an axe, bow saw, knife, compass, etc. How to find your way in the woods, What what plants you can touch and what you should not touch, what you can eat and what you can not eat. Safety/First Aid(standard). A 101 things to review and remember. When they get out into the woods/forest then they are shown advanced camping that will save your life if you get lost.

Moving on, the are now out in the field with their group instructors. It is day two, so the camp should be established and lessons will start.

0730 (7:30am) A radio message comes in from Yellow group. A male camper has (in their words) almost chopped off his leg and they need the "Doc" to attend their position right away. The casualty has been given first aid and his leg has been elevated.

The only way to them is to hike through the woods, because that is where they are, in the woods at x/x coordinates (all camp site coordinates were worked out before camp started).
So I grab my medical backpack (around 60 to 70lbs), radio and utility belt and wait for a senior staff instructor to meet up with me. Off we go at a good pace down the path. As they say, when you hear hoof beats, think not zebra. Well, I tried to think , but that darn zebra was at the back of my mind.

We arrive at the camp site. are wandering around like nothing has happened, eating their breakfast. By one of the shelters (there are no tents, only ponchos and sheet plastic to make shelters out of) are two instructors sitting with the casualty. His leg has been wrapped with compression bandages that makes his leg look three times it's size. It was elevated on.......a running shoe. So much for elevation, unless his heart is in a hole under his butt.

I unwrap the bandage and remove the dressing to have a peek. A small amount of blood on the dressing, the wound? Well lets just say my wife has taken off more skin shaving her legs than the axe did to the boy's leg. It was a glancing blow, an abrasion to the Tib and what would be called a "bone bruise". Nothing broken and nothing serious. It is going to hurt like heck for a few days, but he can get back to full training. Well we are here I check the rest of the for foot blisters and a quick once over to be sure everyone is OK.

Now a relaxing hike back to main camp. At least I am getting a lot of exercise here.

Abelle2 83F