Wilderness First Aid Training in the OrthoCarolina Living Room

This is part of our OrthoCarolina Living Room Series where we feature local groups using the space. Stay tuned to learn about another group that used the OrthoCarolina Living Room on our blog next week.

Hygge may not be located in a forest, far from it, but the OrthoCarolina Living Room hosted a Wilderness & Remote First Aid Certification class for the Charlotte chapter of the American Alpine Club.

Charlotte’s AAC chapter was born in 2015. Its mission is to support members’ shared passion for climbing, as well as the places they climb.

Caila Gorniewicz is a member of AAC. She works for the Lupus Foundation and was introduced to the OrthoCarolina Living Room through the Illuminate Series. So when it was time to find a location for AAC’s event, she emailed Garrett about using the space.

“I knew I could benefit from this course and many others in our community could benefit from it as well,” Caila says.

The two-day, 16-hour course included both lecture and practical exercises that covered patient assessment, urgent first aid techniques, patient care and the evacuation decision process.

Here, the team is practicing a hypothermia wrap.

So much room for activities!

Participants learned how to make splints from resources one would typically have in their hiking backpacks.

Looks like fun! Probably not so much when you’re actually stranded in the wilderness, but you know what I mean.

AAC’s class was done in conjunction with the American Red Cross. After successful completion of the course, participants got a two-year certification from the Red Cross.

The response was so good that Caila says AAC is planning another class. Can’t wait!

Are you doing awesome things in the community, but don’t have a spot for your next meeting? Contact us about using the OrthoCarolina Living Room.