Ridge Wilderness Adventures Blog

Hello Ridge Wilderness First Aid:

 I took the Ridge Wilderness First Aid course in Cumberland, BC with Chelsea Kennedy. What an excellent instructor! Apart from knowing her subject matter through and through, she was able to impart her knowledge with good humour and still make her point clearly and without minimizing the gravity of the situation. I loved her method of teaching, along with the 'props' (the raining blood bits were hilarious for example), red markers used to indicate an injury, a 'modified' BBQ tool mounted on a small block of wood with red marker marks to indicate bleeding of course and then stuffed into a pocket. What a great idea. Not too much imagination required to see that this was a 'puncture wound'. In other cases, photos of the real deal, plasticized, and held in place to indicate 3rd degree burns on a hand for another example. Pretty plain to see that without immediate hospital care, the patient could loose the use of her hand.

I also liked a couple of other things too. Chelsea would review previous points in her summaries. I remember one situation where I just didn't know what to do (she had just told us). "I don't know what to do for this one", I said. She quietly gave me a clue... And it all came back. I was able to perform what I needed to do.

I've taken many first aid courses, and some of them more advanced than this one, although long ago. When I asked about a particular situation, she would kindly give the explanation in a matter of fact way: That's beyond the level of this course, for example). It was done tactfully, firmly, and yet kindly. This is without a doubt the best first aid course I have ever taken, and it is your instructor Chelsea who made it so.

To polish it all off, she followed up the course with an email, in her usual light-hearted style relating to some of the more humorous moments in the course. I truly can't think of one change I would make. Thank you Chelsea for being you:)

Thank you for a great course. And I especially like the first aid book. Small enough for my back back, easy to find what you need, water resistant pages. A true wilderness first aid book:). Thank you.

Sincerely,

Louise Osborn