[at-l] an awesome wilderness first aid resource, and some related personal memories

[Clark Wright]

In thinking and posting on the dilemmas of how to protect yet allow our
children and ourselves to be exposed to some adversity in order to grow, I
was reminded of my first summer camp wilderness hero, Steve Longenecker, who
taught everything from wilderness first aid, to rock climbing, to nature
courses, to knot tying to us wide-eyed summer camp guys at Camp Sequoyah,
located in the rugged NC mountains north of Asheville, just east of
Weaverville.  Last fall, I was blessed with the chance to revisit Sequoyah
and assist in the dream of reopening it, after 30 years of benign neglect.
Sequoyah operated for about 50 years, and now it looks like it will reopen.
For those interested, there is an awesome website of memories and new
information available at:  HYPERLINK
"http://www.campsequoyah.org/navpage.html"http://www.campsequoyah.org/navpag
e.html  - take the time to scroll down a page or two to the red block
entitled “Sequoyah Renewed!” where you can click on a pdf file showing the
potential renewal of this awesome camp that so adroitly walked the line
between safety and protection and allowing us to be exposed to the maximum
possible variety of real challenges, adversity and wild, natural beauty . .
. but, I digress a bit (as usual!).  On the issue of wilderness safety and
first aid, Steve Longenecker (who remains my wilderness heros!) has written
an incredible little book that teaches kids about how to help adults in
serious accident situations.  While that may strike you as a bit backwards,
I think Steve has hit upon an incredible teaching tool; I for one will never
forget his VERy realistic safety classes at Sequoyah, whether dealing with
fake blood and fake open fractures, or trying to tie a bowline with one
hand, blindfolded, while standing under a 40 degree temp. waterfall, Steve
had an amazing way of pushing us kids to accept whatever the world threw at
us, armed with basic knowledge as to what to do and not do in emergency
situations.  The incredible side-effect of such knowledge was that even
geeky, black thick glasses wearing kids like me got the chance to be our own
heros, armed with renewed self-confidence that we could do just about
anything, and could respond intelligently, calmly and constructively to just
about any emergency situation . . . talk about priceless lessons for life!
Anyhow, I wanted to relate those experiences as a more personal means of
trying to express the concepts mentioned in my prior posts, and to
shamelessly plug Steve’s book, which you can check out (and hopefully buy
for yourself, your scout troop, your classroom, etc) at:  HYPERLINK
"http://www.amazon.com/Longeneckers-Wilderness-Emergency-Medical-Adults/dp/1
889596183"http://www.amazon.com/Longeneckers-Wilderness-Emergency-Medical-Ad
ults/dp/1889596183

 

Hike on, Adventure on, and LIVE life large!

 

Thru-Thinker

 

I. Clark Wright, Jr.

Ward and Davis, LLP

409 Pollock Street

New Bern, NC 28560

252-633-1101

252-633-9400 (fax)

252-229-5900 (cell)

 


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