Author: Branch of Wildland Fire Management
The Standing Rock Agency Fire Management Program hosted a Bureau of Indian Affairs Wilderness First Responder course February 29 through February 4th, 2016, at the Grand River Casino in Mobridge, South Dakota. Twenty students attended the training, representing Tribes and Agencies from throughout the Northern Plains and Great Lakes area.
This Wilderness First Responder Training provides Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal employees the instruction to perform skills, procedures, and administer medication for injury or sudden illness in remote locations. While initially developed to increase and improve the initial care response of wildland fire crews; this training benefits any BIA or Tribal employees that work in remote locations with limited equipment, extreme weather, and/or rugged terrain.
This training uses a Wilderness Medicine Curriculum Model developed for non-medical professionals for whom first aid delivery is a secondary responsibility. It is focused on logistical transport, prolonged patient care, extreme environmental conditions, improvised equipment, and interfacing with local EMS responders.
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) is not always available in isolated locations; many areas are inaccessible to ambulance ground transportation. It is not the intent of this training to replace state licensed EMS providers; rather it is to provide immediate emergency first aid and ensure the person is safely transported to definitive care.
This well presented and interactive class provides wildland firefighters and other resource staff with the tools to make a life-saving difference. Three additional training classes will be presented this year at Southern Ute Agency, Mescalero Agency and Warm Springs Agency. Space is available for personnel attending the Warm Spring Agency session this year. If interested in hosting this outstanding training, or want to learn more about it contact Michelle Moore, Fire Program Specialist, at mmoore@blm.gov or call 208-387-5811. You can also learn more at: bia.gov/nifc/safety/firstresponder/index.htm.
For Immediate Release: February 1, 2016
