Outdoor enthusiasts to gain experience, vital first aid skills in upcoming class

By Palmetto Conservation Foundation

GLENDALE - How do you fix a broken leg in the backcountry? What happens if you suffer heat stroke, or a concussion, while camping? The newest Wilderness First Aid Class at the Glendale Outdoor Leadership School will address these questions and more in an upcoming course in May.

The 16-hour WFA class is designed for the outdoor enthusiast or trip leader who wants a basic level of first aid training for short trips with family, friends and outdoor groups. The course covers topics ranging from injury preparation and prevention to assessment and treatment. A comprehensive list of topics covered in the course is available at https://bit.ly/2Wc55tN.

Course topics will include injury response and assessment, musculoskeletal injuries, environmental emergencies, survival skills and soft tissue injuries and medical emergencies. American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR is an optional extra that can be taken on the evening of day one.

The course will be taught by a certified instructor for wilderness and remote first aid, basic first aid, CPR/AED and auto-injector epinephrine through the American Red Cross. This class is made available in partnership with SOLO Southeast.

The Wilderness and Remote First Aid course is designed to provide you with valuable first aid skills and experience to help you better handle a medical emergency in a wilderness setting. This course is ideal for scout groups, summer camp counselors and those who enjoy outdoor activities. These are skills we hope you'll never need, but they can save a life if you do.

The cost of this class is $200, which includes all instruction and materials. For an additional $40, ASHI CPR and AED will be offered on the first evening.

The course will be held at the Palmetto Conservation Foundation Headquarters in Columbia on May 23-24. Lessons will take place indoors and out, so participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

Class space is limited. To register, contact Rachel Price, program director for the Palmetto Conservation Corps, at (803) 771-0870 or via email at rprice@palmettoconservation.org.

Palmetto Conservation Foundation was founded in 1989 and exists to conserve South Carolina's natural and cultural resources, preserve historic landmarks and promote outdoor recreation on the Palmetto Trail and other greenways.

The Palmetto Conservation Corps began in 2016. The corps completes service work on the Palmetto Trail, through public lands, in communities and with various organizations throughout the state.

To learn more about PCF, the Palmetto Trail and the Palmetto Conservation Corps, visit www.palmettoconservation.org and Facebook/palmettoconservation, or call (803) 771-0870.