PD Week 2019 – Part 2

The course kicked into high gear on the second day.

            

We started the second day with a quick review of what we reviewed on the first day.  Then we moved on to our first scenario: safely removing an injured person from a vehicle.  We used one of the teacher’s vehicle in the parking lot for practice.  The scenario was kept simple; the car was not overturned.  There are too many possibilities & positions of how an occupant inside a vehicle may end up after an accident.  As long as the basics are practiced & mastered, then everything should be okay.  The main things we learned were: don’t break the neck, don’t puncture the heart, and don’t cause excessive bleeding.

            

Dragonfly stove.

We moved to the back of the building where Arctic Response stores all of its training equipment.  There we learned how light & operate dragonfly stoves.  They’re like Coleman stoves but much smaller and more compact.  These stoves are also used during field training exercises in the Canadian cadet program.  Everyone got the chance to light & turn off a dragonfly stove.

            

The next lesson was how to wrap and keep an injured person warm while waiting and or transporting them to safety.  This involved a tarp, sleeping bag, and lots of rope.  Basically, the tarp is laid down on the ground, followed by the sleeping bag.  The injured person is carefully placed inside and then wrapped in a cocoon of warmth.  The ropes are tied across to keep everything together.  Additional ropes can be added for pulling.

            

We moved outside to practice.  I was glad I brought my heavy winter clothing.  We were split into groups of three: one would act as the injured person while the other two would be the rescuers.  The exercise was a “wrap & drag.”  The two rescuers had to pull the injured person for a determined length after wrapping them.  Unfortunately, I was a rescuer.  The total distance was about 200 metres.  Pulling a wrapped person is no easy task, even with two people.  And if your out on the arctic ice with no working skidoo, it’s the only way to close the distance between you & help.  I learned that there will be a lot of stopping-to-catch-your-breath moments but there’s no avoiding that.  Everyone was tired at the end.

            

After lunch, we learned how to administer oxygen from an oxygen tank.  To make a long story short, we just have to remember to watch where we’re pointing the oxygen tank, and to be careful when working the metal regulator.  If you’re not careful, the tank may turn into a rocket, fly away, and injure someone.

            

The last lesson of the day was learning to use disposable resuscitators and oral airway tubes.  These would most likely be included in emergency kits out on the land because they’re easier to use than oxygen tanks.  They’re made out of plastic and are designed to keep a person alive and breathing.  The oral tubes are designed to create a breathing path in the mouth.  We practiced on dummies. 

           

I felt like a first-time student by the end of the second day.  The instructor informed us that the field of emergency response continual evolves and changes with every passing year. 

Me practicing administering oxygen.

On the third day of the course we were introduced to the first aid and medical supply company Sands Canada.  The instructor showed us their website and what we could purchase from them.  In short, everything & anything.  I wrote the website down for safe keeping.

            

We practiced administering oxygen again.  I had someone take a picture of me practicing on a dummy.  I needed proof that I was learning and doing things correctly.

            

Stethoscope

Measuring blood pressure.

We moved on to finding & checking pulses, how to use a stethoscope, and manually check blood pressure.  I’ve always had difficulty finding a pulse on someone.  Not sure why?  Practice makes perfect, I guess.  Using the stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and sphygmomanometer were much easier.  Now I just have to work on my pronunciation of the word sphygmomanometer.  It’s quite a tongue twister.

The 4^th & 5^th days of the course were all about: wrapping exposed wounds, making splints, using stretchers with head blocks, safely removing objects, and administering liquids.  The instructors showed us the proper procedures and then we practiced in pairs. 

The instructors showing us how to wrap an exposed wound.

Orange splint.

I was amazed by how much gauze was needed to secure & wrap an exposed wound and tie a splint around a leg.  They’re easy to use but easy to waste.  Pack a lot of spare rolls when travelling in groups.  The “high-tech” stretcher with the spider straps and head blocks was really impressive.  The cadet corps in Arctic Bay only has the basic military stretchers and I’m not sure about Inuujaq School.  The spider straps securely attach the body to the stretcher and the head blocks immobilize the head to prevent further injury.

Stretcher with spider straps & head blocks.

People who take first aid classes are usually taught to never remove a protruding foreign object from an injured person because it may lead to further problems.  In this course, we were told that that way of thinking can actually be bad for the person in distress because help is many hours and possibly days away.  To increase chances of survival, we need to carefully & properly remove such foreign objects from the body and then wrap the exposed wound.  The instructors showed us how to remove some common objects, such as, fish hooks, small knives, and harpoon heads.

      

Me practicing administering liquids.

If an injured person is unable to swallow and/or the stomach can’t handle foods & liquids, then the only way to administer liquids is to go through the back.  When I say “the back”, I mean a certain place where the “sun doesn’t shine”.  The process involves using a tube, and a large plastic syringe full of water.  We practiced using cups of water and wore latex gloves.  Graphic?  Yes.  Uncomfortable?  Definitely.  But it’s a last resort procedure to keep a patient alive.  If I ever have to do this in real life, I hope I don’t pass out.

            

I should point out that the instructor showed us photographs of various types of injuries that we may encounter when out in the wilderness.  The photographs were not pretty to look at.  We saw cuts, bruises, burns, broken limbs, blood, death by carbon monoxide poisoning, and scalped heads from bear attacks.  The images briefly made me question why I was taking the course.  Emergency response is never pretty; you have to be prepared to see & deal with some serious situations.  I commend everyone in the medical fields for doing what they do.        

All the stuff we used during the course.

We had a final practical test & written test on the fifth and final day of the course.  The practical test occurred outside and was a simulated accident.  We had to triage and use everything we had learned over the course of the week.  The written test was multiple choice and we needed to score at least 75% to pass.  I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out I had passed both tests.  Our results would be recorded and we would receive our cards in the mail in about a month.  Our certifications would be valid for 3 years.

We thanked the lead instructor for being our instructor.  We were free to go after completing the feedback form.  We were also allowed to keep the red textbook. 

To Be Continued . . .

PD Week 2019 – Part 1

In Nunavut, the middle of February is Professional Development (PD) Week for all teachers.  (It’s also been called Professional Improvement (PI) Week).  Students get a week off school while teachers improve and/or learn new teaching skills & abilities to use in their classrooms.  Your PD may be completed in or outside the community you teach.  Teachers must complete an online application process in order to receive permission to pursue what they want.  The process is more detailed and scrutinized if you want to do PD outside your community, territory, and country.  For me this year, I was travelling to another territory.

            

In the fall of 2018, I was going through my work emails and came across a PD message saying that a teacher was in contact with Arctic Response in Yellowknife and was looking to find several interested teachers to sign up for their Advanced Wilderness First Aid course.  I had previously taken a basic wilderness first aid course in 2017.  I did some research on the company and exchanged several emails with the liaison teacher before deciding to submit my name.  My first aid & wilderness survival skills could definitely use an upgrade considering I go out camping with cadets & the school.  Luck was on my side; my application was accepted. 

            

The cost of this trip would be a lot.  I did receive the maximum allotted money from the PD Fund, but it was not enough to cover the entire trip.  I already knew this but that wouldn’t stop me.  I had yet to visit Yellowknife and step foot in the Northwest Territories.  (The community you teach in determines your maximum PD money allotment).  The three largest expenditures would be: course fee, plane ticket, and hotel.  I would be in Yellowknife for a week.

            

I was the only teacher from the school travelling outside the community this year.  Everyone else would be completing their PD at the school.  My PD workload was substantially less this time because I was no longer the school’s PD Coordinator.  I had done my three years.  Now it was time for someone else to take over.

            

Yellowknife Airport

I flew down to Iqaluit for the night on February 16.  Flying to Yellowknife began in the early evening of February 17.  I spent most of the day exploring Iqaluit & eating a shawarma before heading over to the airport.  The plane was a Summit Air AVRO RJ85 jet, designed to transport 90 passengers.  The plane landed in Rankin Inlet before continuing on to Yellowknife.  The time was 8:45pm when I walked into the Yellowknife terminal.

            

Wild Republic gift store at the Yellowknife
Airport.

A large stuffed polar bear chasing a seal diving into an ice hole greeted me.  The large display sat in the middle of the terminal on top of the baggage carousel.  There was also a large mural of an inuksuk hanging on a wall.  I grabbed my luggage and hailed a taxi to my hotel.  I would be staying at Capital Suites. 

           

           

I woke up bright and early on February 18.  The course was set to begin at 9am so I needed to be there on time.  I thought about getting a taxi but I decided to get some exercise by walking.  I left the hotel at 8am and walked along Franklin Avenue and then turned right onto Old Airport Road.  Walking to Arctic Response gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with my surroundings.  I mentally noted the locations of various stores, Tim Hortons, and the old Stanton Hospital.  I arrived at 9am.

            

Arctic Response has many training locations in the territories and a few in the provinces.  They offer a variety of safety courses in first aid, in the field, industry, and driver.  They are also certified to train new instructors.

           

I took my seat in a large classroom.  There were five other teachers in the room.  They were based in: Yellowknife, Cambridge Bay, Iqaluit, and Arviat.  The instructor walked in and introduced himself.  We all did the same.  The course officially began.

            

Our course textbook was the Outdoor Medical Emergency Handbook: Second Edition.  We were advised to take notes and pay attention because there would be a final exam at the end and we would be graded through various simulated scenarios.  I’m glad I came prepared.

            

The first day of the course was a review of what we already knew.  All of us had taken a first aid course of some kind but the instructor wanted everyone to be on the same level before starting the new material.  We reviewed the first several chapters of the red book and practiced CPR on dummies.  We also learned & discussed what kind of emergency supplies to bring while out on the land.  Obviously, these depended on the terrain and if you knew how to use the equipment.  As the instructor put it, “If you don’t know how to use something, why bring it?  It’s just a waste of space.”

            

Class finished at 4pm.  The timings would remain the same until Friday.  Classes would be taught in two blocks with a one-hour lunch break in between.  I took my time walking back to the hotel, taking pictures of the surrounding landscape.  A brand-new hospital was being built to replace the old Stanton Hospital and Frame Lake was completely frozen.  A full moon hung in the cloudy sky.  I stopped by the large Co-op store to buy something for dinner.  I reviewed my notes when I got back to the hotel.  

Downtown Yellowknife.

To Be Continued . . .

February Parents Night

Cupcakes for reception.

I only had a day to rest before putting on my military uniform again.  The time had come for 3045 RCACC to host the first Parents Night parade of 2019.  There were enough awards & announcements to warrant the parade, especially after what occurred in Whitehorse.  The parade occurred on February 13.  I was glad I had local Arctic Bay resident Frank to organize everything in my absence.

            

Following usual procedures, the cadets & I arrived at the school’s gym about an hour early.  We transformed the gym into a parade square using chairs, tables, flags, and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.  Everything was ready by 6:30pm.  I got the corps’ newest recruit to take photographs.

The Guest Reviewing Officer (GRO) was the community’s Senior Administration Officer (SAO).  The cadet parade commander escorted her through the open ranks while I welcomed and addressed the audience.  (If we had a cadet band, they would play music during the inspection to keep the crowd entertained).  The cadets did a March Past after the inspection to showcase their drill.

            

March Past.

I handed out a few marksmanship and PT badges.  (PT stands for physical training).  There weren’t that many recipients this time around but that’s alright.  There’s always the next parade. 

            

2019 Marksmanship Team

The first big announcement on the program concerned the corps’ marksmanship team.  At the beginning of the month, the team competed in the Stage II Postal Shoot, shooting authorized competition paper targets sent from Winnipeg.  The targets were then returned to Winnipeg to be scored and ranked among the other northern corps.  All northern cadet corps do this because the government doesn’t have the money to fly everyone to one location to carry out the shoot.  The best scoring teams would move onward to the Stage III competition in April.  I called out the six cadets to be publicly recognized for their efforts and to say they would be advancing to Stage III.

Actually, only five of them would be going because the sixth cadet was an alternative.  Of course, if one of the original five happened to fall ill or not be at the airport on the day of departure, then the alternate would take their place.  The location of the Stage III competition for the Northwest Region would be Gimli, Manitoba. 

Promotions to Lance Corporal.

Five junior cadets were promoted to the rank of Lance-Corporal.  The rank consists of one chevron.  It’s the second rank in the chain but the first rank with a visible symbol.  Naturally, they were all smiles when their names were called out and when they received their promotions in hand.

The time had come to formally announce the results of the Territorial Biathlon Competition held in Whitehorse, Yukon.  Even though I had posted the results on the corps’ Facebook page, announcing them at a parents night parade made them more “official”.

Biathlon Team.

Boyle Barracks cadet receives his
3rd Place Male Competitor certificate.

I started by awarding bronze pins to the four cadets who trained at Boyle Barracks.  I then called out the four cadets who competed at Grey Mountain to receive their silver pins.  Three of the four Boyle Barracks cadets were called out again to receive their skiing competition certificates.  The awards were: 3^rd Place Female Competitor, 3^rd Place Male Competitor, and 2^nd Place Male Competitor.  I did the same for three of the four Grey Mountain cadets.  Between them, they received certificates for: 3^rd Place Individual Junior Female, 3^rd Place Individual Senior Female, 3^rd Place Senior Female Sprint, 2^nd Place Individual Senior Male, and 2^nd Place Senior Male Sprint.  The certificates were handed out in Whitehorse, but I convinced my cadets to let me laminate the certificates before the parade.

Our Grey Mountain cadets moving on to the National Biathlon Competition in March.

The second big announcement was that three of our four Grey Mountain cadets would be advancing to the national biathlon competition in early March!  The competition would take place in Prince Edward Island.

Our cadet warrant officer selected for
the Alpine Tour.

The third big announcement was that the corps’ most senior cadet was selected to participate in the upcoming Northwest Region Alpine Tour in the Rocky Mountains in late March.  The tour is an intensive camping expedition where cadets hike, snowshoe, ice climb, and receive training in navigation, wilderness survival, and avalanche survival/rescue.  She would be the third cadet from 3045 to attend this expedition.

Near the end of the parade, I was informed by a parent that it was their son’s birthday.  To celebrate his big day, I had the cadet come up to the front where he was surprised by his mom with a birthday cake.  Everyone sang him Happy Birthday and he blew out the candles.  The cake would later be served at the reception.

Marksmanship Team.

When the parade was over, the cadets formed up at the back of the gym for a group photo.  I then took separate photographs of the Biathlon & Marksmanship teams in front of the Royal Regiment flag.  The best taken photographs would be featured in a photo album on the corps’ Facebook page.  The cadets were dismissed to enjoy the reception.  Cleanup began after 25 minutes.  Everyone was out by 8:15pm.    

National Biathlon Team.

Biathlon Competition – Part 3

Everyone was awake and having breakfast at the mess hall at 0700 hours.  Sunday’s breakfast was the same as Saturday’s breakfast.  The officers-in-charge instructed everyone to pack up their belongings after they finished eating and bring everything to the mess hall.  Personal luggage would be stored here until the end of the competition.  Beddings also had to be removed and returned to Supply.  Finally, all garbage inside the barracks cabins needed to be collected and properly disposed of before the buses arrived to take the Grey Mountain competitors.  If it’s one thing I like about cadets & military, they teach the value of getting things done ahead of time.

            

My cadets were done all their morning duties earlier than everyone else.  They waited in the mess hall for some time.  The Grey Mountain buses arrived at 0845.  I boarded the bus with four of my cadets.  The other four would stay behind and continue their biathlon training at Boyle Barracks.

            

Sunday’s schedule was pretty much the same as Saturday’s, except the relays would be combined.  Junior Male & Female cadets would compete as one and the Senior Male & Female cadets would compete together.  The Juniors would be first.  The weather was colder.  A large thermometer on a building displayed -12˚C, though it felt colder because there was a light breeze blowing through the area.  One of the officers started a small fire in a metal fire pit for people to sit around and warmup while watching the competition.  The venue does have several heated buildings but watching the races from inside are challenging.

            

My junior female cadet competed first.  She used the thirty-given minutes to “zero-in” her .22 rifle and ski one lap.  Her number this time was 28.  I did the same coaching duties as before.  She shot prone & standing.  My three senior cadets & I cheered as she crossed the Finish Line.

            

Took me four tries, but I finally took a
good selfie with my four Grey Mountain
cadets.

My three senior cadets competed after lunch.  Lunch was again provided by Home Sweet Home Baking.  My junior cadet would assist me with handling the rifles & bullets.  I just had a feeling that all three of them would arrive at the shooting lanes at the same time.

            

The three senior cadets began at different times.  They stood in line, waiting with anxious looks on their faces.  When the command was given, they were off, pushing hard with their poles and skis.  For most of the race, they shot alone, but there was one moment when all three of them skied into the shooting lanes at the same time.  I’m glad I had my junior cadet as an assistant.  All three of them were very tired at the end of the race.

            

Everyone from Grey Mountain were back at Boyle Barracks by 4pm.  My four first-time cadets were in high spirits but also looked tired.  I assembled the entire team in the mess hall to take a group photograph.  I took a picture of them before the start of the competition; now it was time to take a picture of them after the competition.

            

Dinner was held at 4:30pm.  There must have been a lot of money left in the budget because the officers-in-charge ordered Domino’s Pizza.  Many, many pizza boxes were carried into the mess hall kitchen by volunteers.  In short, everyone dined like kings & queens.  The coaches received printouts of the final results of the relays held at Grey Mountain.  We were allowed to show them to our cadets.  I found my cadets after dinner and laid the results on the table.  I told them I needed the results back.

            

Team 3045.

The awards ceremony was held outside the mess hall at 5:30pm.  I stood at the back to take pictures and short videos.  I was happy to hear & see several of my cadets win certificates.  A mini skiing competition was held for the Boyle Barracks cadets.  Three of my cadets won 3^rd place & 2^nd place respectively.  As for my Grey Mountain cadets, three of them won five medals between them.  Three 3^rd places and two 2^nd places.  Even more surprising, those same three cadets were selected to represent the northern territories at the upcoming National Biathlon Competition in March.  I was glad to be present when this announcement was made.

            

Two of my Boyle Barracks cadets (centre, right) winning 2nd & 3rd Place.

I posted the awards our cadets received on the corps’ Facebook page.  The positive responses from parents & friends were almost immediate.

            

Departure operations for the out-of-town cadets began at 6:30pm.  Cadets exchanged ‘tearful’ goodbyes before boarding the school buses with their luggage and skiing equipment.  Our bus left Boyle Barracks at 7pm and drove towards the Whitehorse Airport.  It was dark outside.

            

Flying home was an adventure on its own.  We were flying home with the Naujaat & Rankin Inlet cadets.  Our chartered flight was scheduled to leave at 8pm but there was a two-hour delay.  The chartered planes ahead of us needed more time to get ready.  Sitting on a school bus full of cadets wanting to go home for two hours is no easy task.  However, being stuck on the tarmac wasn’t all that bad.

            

As luck would have it, Joe Savikataaq, the Premier of Nunavut, happened to be in town and stopped by the airport to say hello to all the cadets from Nunavut.  Former Nunavut MLA & Arctic Bay resident Ron Elliott was also in attendance.  Both men were in Whitehorse for the Northern Premiers Meeting and the Arctic Inspiration Prize.  They came onboard the bus to greet the cadets and say a few words of encouragement.  I got off the bus with one of my cadets to have our pictures taken with the Premier & Ron.  Ron handed me a plastic bag filled with Kiwi shoe polish & cloths.  I thanked them for their surprise visit and wished them the best in the Yukon capital.      

Everyone breathed sighs of relief when the plane was finally in the air at 10pm.  I was expecting everyone to sleep on the plane, but surprisingly, many stayed awake for the first leg of the journey.   

            

The pilot landed the plane in Kugluktuk for fuel.  My watch read 12:18am.  The day was now Monday, February 11.  I was glad to be in Kugluktuk for two reasons: this was my first time seeing the airport and the kids needed to get off the plane to stretch their legs.  We all waited inside the terminal while the plane was getting refueled.  My cadets & I were really tired.  We stayed in the terminal for about 30 minutes and then boarded the plane.

            

We landed in Arctic Bay close to 7am, two hours after our scheduled arrival.  I suppose that was a good thing for the parents & guardians because they got a little extra sleep before having to drive out to the airport.  Frank was also there to greet us and drive me home.  Everyone was impressed by the cadets’ achievements.

            

Even though Monday was a school day and school had yet to begin, I had the day as approved leave.  I spent most of the day unpacking, doing laundry, showering, and sleeping.

            

Overall, I enjoyed experience my first Biathlon Competition in Whitehorse.  It was a great way for me to visit the city after a long absence.  I’m already looking forward to the next year’s biathlon competition.

End of Biathlon Competition mini-series.