Wilderness First Aid prepares participants to manage injuries and illnesses in the backcountry, where help may be hours away. The course combined classroom instruction with realistic, hands-on scenarios. Each participant took turns serving as the lead responder or acting as a patient, complete with moulage (mock injuries, make-up, and fake blood). The final exam pushed their skills to the limit: treating a simulated rock-climbing accident victim, “Joe,” a practice dummy with head injuries, broken limbs, cuts, and even a punctured lung. Using only a basic first aid kit and what they carried in their packs, the team stabilized Joe for evacuation. Beryl hauled both her own pack and the 200-pound “patient” back inside after the exercise was complete!
Opportunities like this remind us that Girl Scouts isn’t just about earning badges—it’s about building real-world skills that empower youth members to take on any challenge. Whether it’s scaling mountains, leading in STEM, or caring for others in the outdoors, Girl Scouts equips members with the training and confidence to succeed.
We’re proud of Beryl, Heather, and Matt for investing in their skills and bringing that knowledge back to our Girl Scout community! For more information about the National Wilderness Leadership Institute and their Wilderness First Aid Training, visit https://www.nwli.org/wilderness-first-aid/.
