It was the best of times. Period.

Hope you enjoyed the sunny day. It is sad to see you go-we've all had a marvelous time together saving mannequins, testing improvisational ideas, inititing IV's, stoking fires, catching water, sinking in snow, rescuing comrades on the rocks, shooting up the town, petting fish, and releasing blisters. Mixed in with a little uncertainty where the last trip was to be, make sure you have fun tomorrow. By the way, I have an extra pair of women's New Balance tennis shoes, a silver water bottle and backpack cover. I need my firestarters and compasses (someone made of wit my Rock and Ice, but no biggie). Tomorrow, be ready to par-tay! If you have grade forms, please give them to me tomorrow. Au revoir...
d

Here is the roll out for the final exam teams. It looks like it will be a clear and sunny day, but we will be at 10,000 feet and there will be a lot of snow and ice so be prepared for full winter conditions. You will be hiking about 2.5 miles over various terrain, some terrain that is hazardous, so get ready.

Team 1 Team 2

Rescue Leader: Charlotte Rescue Leader: Gabriel

Jaclyn Sam

Jonathan Lynn

Jason Nate

Natasha Iris

Team 3 Team 4

Rescue Leader: Erin Rescue Leader: Ben

Seth Clay

Lena Cuoghi

Linda Kari

Dave John K.

Antonia Cory

I anticipate that we will be done with the final exam by 3 or 4pm. The end of the rotation party will kick off at 6:30pm. Map to my house posted below. Please feel free to bring friends/family. I will provide some drinks. If you guys want food I will let you all coordinate that. If you have been working on a creative project and would like to present it I will have a projector and a computer. There is limited parking around my house but a lot of spots at the park across the street. From Tramway and Paseo Del Note head North. Turn Right, east, onto Cedar Hill. Take the second left onto Cedar Hill Ct. 727-12. See you all there, call 505-249-0170 if you get lost.

Jason View Larger Map

Tomorrow and final exam info!

Hey everyone. I just talked to Joe and we have decided to cancel tomorrow's mountain biking trip due to the impending weather tomorrow. If you have already rented a mountain bike we will reimburse you. As of now there is a slight possibility of mountain biking on Thursday morning and that will be discussed at the aquarium tomorrow evening.

On thursday we will be meeting at the EMS Academy / Center for Disaster Medicine at 11am for the snake bite lecture. This an awesome opportunity to learn about snakes and snake bites and also see live rattlesnakes....

Moving on to the next and sadly the final event. So, Get ready for the Primal Quest of Rescue! This coming Friday we will be meeting at the Sandia Peak Tramway at 8:30am to begin your final exam. Please do not be late, as the tram will leave at 9am with or without you...

Once on top of the Sandia Crest we will break into our 4 rescue strike teams, which will be listed on the blog tomorrow, and your first scenario will be given. Medical equipment will be provided for you. Please bring your RESCUE ORIENTED day pack and be prepared for a long day on the mountain. If for some reason the tram shuts down, most likely due to wind, we will be hiking 8 miles down the La Luz trail. Check the weather…. http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=87122&wuSelect=WEATHER. Below is a list of skills that will be assessed throughout the day. The Strike Team that is most proficient in the skill sets based off of the instructors recommendations will be awarded the "Golden Carabiner" at the party.

Movement over terrain

Land Navigation

Patient Packaging

Improvised Patient Transport

Improvised Splinting

ACLS

Hypothermia Treatment

Survival Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Group Leadership Dynamics

Stress Tolerance

If you own a harness and a helmet please bring it with you. For the rest of the class harnesses will be provided for you. Strike Teams listed below:

If any questions or concerns arise feel free to call. Map and directions below. See you all on Friday!

-Jason

505-249-0170

From Tramway Blvd. and Paseo Del Norte head North. You will come to a stop sign, Tramway Rd., head West. You will come to a gate house where at 8:30am there may or may not be a guard. If there is he will want one dollar for parking... tell him you are with Albuquerque Mountain Rescue going to a training and he will let you proceed. Note: Google Map takes you a different way... Click on view larger map for the directions

View Larger Map

Mountain Biking

Tomorrow:

UPDATE: MOUNTAIN BIKING IS CANCELED FOR TOMORROW - GONNA RAIN! TAKE THE MORNING OFF :) WE WILL RECONVENE TOMORROW AT THE AQUARIUM.

1) The aquarium date is happening for sure. Meet at the Albuquerque Biopark Aquarium (on central just east of the Rio Grande) at 4:45pm. We are going in after everybody else leaves, through the back entrance, so don't be late or you won't be able to get in!

2) Mountain biking. Weather dependent. There is a good chance of rain tomorrow and we are going to cancel if it is a downpour. So stay tuned.

If it is a go:

The bosque ride is a fun, winding singletrack ride through cottonwood trees in flat terrain down by the river. You can go fast or slow on this one. You will see Canada geese and maybe sandhill cranes, possibly porcupines, while whizzing by on your bike. There is a didactic component to this, so be prepared to learn something about biking injuries!

Directions: Go to the Alameda Trailhead at 9:00am. Directions: take I-25 north to Alameda, go left. Just before you cross the river, turn left into the parking lot. Contact me if you need help with your bike, etc. Tentative plan for now is to meet at 10:00am. I am going to check the weather again later and confer with Dr. Rimple, who may be joining us. This blog will be updated soon.

JA

Gila and Bataan Trip March 19!

Hope all goes well for you that are matching! Pay attention to this information for the trip!

ITINERARY
Friday 3/19 Day 1-meet at UNM Continuing Ed Center to pack into vans at noon. We will head to the Three Rivers Campground near White Sands. We will take a day hike, so carry a daypack for this.
Saturday 3/20 Day 2-leave White Sands for Las Cruces-sorry for the backtracking; we are meeting up with the Disaster Med Teams at 1600, then going to the White Sands Missile Range. No helmets needed! Will sleep at clinic on range (cots)-sorry, not "roughing it."
Sunday 3/21 Day 3-Bataan Death March marathon-we will be divided into teams manning tents on various rest stops along the course. Hope to leave by 2000 at night to head to the Scorpion Campground near Middle Fork Gila River (42 miles north of Silver City-gonna be a long drive?)
Monday 3/22 Day 4-Overnight in Middle Fork area where there are also hot springs. We are working on hiking groups-for now, water levels may be high, and cold-be ready for adventure!
Tuesday 3/23 Day 5-Complete the hike and head for Abq (around 2300 at night).
In all, an experimental trip-sorry for the short overnighters, but should be fun!

WHAT TO BRING
This will consist of mini trips: White Sands hikes and sand surfing, Bataan (medical), and Gila backpack. For the Bataan, bring:
1. Govt issued photo ID
2. Extra work shirt for Sunday, stethoscope (the ortho guys just said "Yeah, right!"); trauma shears if you have; hand sanitizer, pen, whatever other med essential kits you would like to bring; and an IPOD prn. My understanding is that we might wake up early (5am )and have a nice long day. BY THE WAY-NO SHORTS OR OPEN TOED SHOES ON WORK DAY! I will have a pair of BDUs-all this stuff we will van store while in the Gila-don't want to lug this stuff on a 26 mile hike!

For Gila, do not bring too much. Check the weather and plan accordingly. Think of your food needs. Should have plenty of water. Maybe can have small fires down there-not Cabezon fires tho. No trash pickup, so pack everything out. Maybe an extra pair of shoes or even neoprene booties (fly fishing stuff). Let Jason or myself know if this poses problems. TRY to pack no more than around 35 pounds. If interested, see the You Tube video I made for the disaster team for the Haiti deployment under WildernationalMed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Md62LlFz3o

It was a quickie video-oh well! Skip the helmet, and adapt the ideas for you. And you can take "personal valuables." Mosquitoes no problem, and think about a small stove. I took my down jacket that is compact. If concerned about bulky sleeping bags, think about a smaller bag with a vapor barrier liner, if you have this. Tents: one or 2 person, or tarps, especially for those going on the longer trips. LASTLY, PLEASE CARRY YOUR OWN PERSONAL MEDS! And blister stuff!

Good luck!
d

Ballistics Day March 16

For the Shooting Range Day, meet at 8am at the UNM Continuing Ed Center. Dr. Albert De La Garza will lead the carpool to toe APD shooting range near the airport. You can bring your guns, unloaded of course. Bring ammo if you have some. BUT YOU MUST BRING EARPLUGS and safety glasses!
At 2:30 pm, we will reconvene at the CDM for the animal lab (vet lab) portion of the day. Hope all goes well with you all-sorry not to be there; I will be "saving" lives in the ED.
dario

Helicopter Operations

Tomorrow we will be meeting at the NM National Guard hanger in Santa Fe at 10am. Plan on leaving ABQ by 9 to make it to the hanger by 10. It looks like it will mostly be inside lectures and scenarios, but as always come prepared to be active.

Directions: Head out of ABQ on I-25 North. Get off on exit 599 (The Santa Fe relief route) and head West. You will come to Airport Rd./Paseo Real where you will make a Left. Then make your next Left onto Huey Rd. where there will be a security gate. Tell the guard that you are with UNM Wilderness Medicine and are traveling to the Guard Hanger. They will direct you to its location.

If you have any questions feel free to call: 505-249-0170

-Jason

Note: Click on "view larger map" below to see the correct arrow on HUEY RD, which is right of the arrow shown in the map below.

View Larger Map