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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
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Schooled in rescue techniques
Mock emergency educates students, rescuers in challenges at Windy Peak Outdoor Lab By Barbara Ford Staff Writer
It was a convincing emergency scenario: A victim’s cries echoed down the valley near Windy Peak Outdoor Education Lab near Bailey, and rescue teams scrambled through snow and mud to save the injured hiker. The scenario tested the response skills of Jeffco Public Schools staff, the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office, and of firefighters and emergency medical personnel from the North Fork Fire Protection District. Windy Peak principal Rob Gneiser said the drill was an important step toward readiness for emergencies at the isolated school. “We’ve never done a drill like this before,” Gneiser said. “We’re going to make this as realistic as possible.” Two staff members pretended to be hikers who ventured onto a steep rock outcropping, and one of them “fell” 30 feet to a snowcovered ledge below. He pretended to suffer a compound leg fracture. Roderick Macaulay, 19, had fun portraying one of the hikers but said he understood how important the drill was. “This was a great opportunity to help out with the drill and have fun, too,” Macaulay said. “We tried to make it all look real.” Macaulay, of Conifer, used some interesting items to make his pretend injuries look real. A short piece of antler simulated a broken bone, and a piece of deer meat stood in for exposed muscle. He mixed ketchup, corn syrup, flour, red food coloring and coffee to make a sticky blood-like concoc-
tion. Joseph Story, 17, an intern at the camp, was Macaulay’s climbing companion and through a school radio helped rescue crews find their way to the pair. “It’ll take a lot for them to find us up here,” Story said with pride. Along with the pair was Josh DeBell, 25, a North Fork volunteer paramedic who was part of the evaluation team that critiqued the rescuers’ techniques. “My job is to watch and evaluate the rescue and the medical instruction given to the hikers,” DeBell said, “and keep them safe while they wait.” DeBell said that if someone fell from the height in the simulation, the injuries would could be life threatening. DeBell said the pair were prepared; they had water, snacks, and waterproof and warm clothing. Many victims’ injuries are complicated because they develop hypothermia.
‘People react differently’
Gneiser believes in the value of outdoor education, especially when it comes to practicing drills that keep students safe and response times to emergencies quick. “My team came together and did a fantastic job,” Gneiser said. “This is a different situation from other schools, and we have to be flexible and cover multiple roles.” School staff and emergency responders discussed their experiences after the drill to highlight areas that needed improvement and identify things that went well. A few problems plagued the event: The hikers found such a great place to have a realistic
Participants and responders pose next to the Air Life helicopter after the completion of the Oct. 27 emergency preparedness drill at Windy Peak Outdoor Lab near Bailey.
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Photos by Barbara Ford | The Times
Roderick Macaulay, 19, portrays an injured hiker while Joseph Story, 17, radios for help during an emergency drill at Windy Peak Outdoor Lab school on Oct. 27. The drill was to test the emergency preparedness of staff at the school and local responders. simulation that responders were up against snow and mud that made bringing the injured hiker out on a backboard dangerous for rescuers personnel, who could have slipped and fallen down the steep sides of the mountain. North Fork Fire Chief Curt Rogers agreed that carrying the victim out as originally planned could have been dangerous, but he was pleased with the overall performance during the drill. “I think it went pretty well, and with a scenario like that, people react differently,” Rogers said. “We wanted to see how the school would respond, and they provided us with good information when someone is stuck on a trail.” Rogers said five members of North Fork’s team participated. He was also surprised by how determined the hikers were to find
their way to a remote section of the school’s property. “If we would have been required to get them out, it would have been a difficult extraction,” Rogers said. “But that’s part of the drill.”
Drill response
John McDonald, executive director of safety, security and emergency planning for Jeffco schools, attended the drill and said the school’s isolated location means it takes longer for first responders to arrive. “At this school, they have to be more self-sufficient than anyone else in the district,” McDonald said. “This was a great opportunity to test the emergency preparedness of the staff and responders.” McDonald said Jeffco schools use the Standard Response Protocol, which was developed by
John-Michael and Ellen Stoddard Keyes, the parents of Emily Keyes. Emily was killed by a gunman at Platte Canyon High School in 2006. John-Michael Keyes was present at the drill and serves as a consultant for Jeffco schools, teaching kids the importance of the emergency protocol. According to McDonald, Jeffco schools spent $2 million for a communication system that includes a state-of-the-art radio system that allows staff to communicate with state law enforcement and emergency response management. “Communication is cheap, and we should spend a lot of money on it,” McDonald said. Contact Barbara Ford at barbara@evergreenco.com or 303-3501043. Check www.HighTimberTimes .com for updates.
“Communication is cheap, and we should spend a lot of money on it.”
—John McDonald, executive director of safety, security and emergency planning for Jeffco schools