From: fritz@cs.caltech.edu (Fritz Nordby)
Subject: First Aid Classes
Reply-To: fritz@gumby.cs.caltech.edu
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Distribution: ca
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 23:56:22 GMT

Several people have mentioned a "hiker-oriented advanced first aid" class
offered by the American Red Cross.  As I know a little something of the
class, I thought I might shed some light.

The class of which I am aware is called "Advanced First Aid: Mountaineering
Oriented"; it is offered under the auspices of the American Red Cross.
It is offered in one place only, to the best of my knowledge: the ARC
Los Angeles Chapter, Valley District, on Sherman Way in Van Nuys, CA.

This is an unusual course.  It has been offered for quite some time --
more than a decade, with two runs of the class per year.  If you are
interested in taking this class, be warned:
	THIS IS A  * HUGE *  TIME COMMITMENT!
The class meets for four (4) hours every Tuesday and Thursday evening
for about 3.5 months.  In addition to this time, there are a number of
Monday classes (usually about 2), a flock of Saturdays (about 6), and
as many Monday and Wednesday workshops as you care to attend.  Beyond
this, there is optional clinical time in a trauma center emergency room,
plus many class members and graduates (such as myself) become involved
as first aid volunteers with the ARC, and end up involved in working
parades, festivals, walk-a-thons, etc.

You can figure the class alone will occupy more than two hundred (200)
hours of your time during the course of the class.

As I said, the class is unusual.  It is (or will soon be) the only ARC
Advanced First Aid class offered anywhere, since the ARC is phasing out
AFA in favour of the new "First Responder" classes.  The class is special:
its curriculum was originally based on the "white book," but it has been
significantly updated and expanded over the years, through the efforts of
the instructors under the guidance of the ARC at the national level.

The textbook for the class is something you will accumulate over the
course of the class.  It is a collection of typed notes and handouts
which, collectively, fill a 3 inch thick 3-ring binder.  Of particular
interest to the readers of this newsgroup, the class places considerable
attention on the management of first-aid type situations in a delayed
care scenario -- i.e., what do you do if you can't call 911 for help,
or if the 911 operator tells you it'll be >1 hour until you will receive
help.  This is what the course instructors mean by "Mountaineering
Oriented."

I think the class was very much worth the time and effort -- enough so
that I'll be back soon for a refresher.  If you want more information on
the class, I suggest you call the American Red Cross Valley District in
Van Nuys, CA (call information at 818-555-1212 for the number).  If you
want impressions from someone who has taken the class, ... well send me
e-mail, I'm rather busy these days, but I'll try to respond.

Oh, yes, one other thing: Usually the class is held twice each year,
once beginning the last Tuesday in February, once beginning the last
Tuesday in August.  If things stay true to their norms, that means the
next class should be starting in 11 days, on Tuesday, August 25, 1992.

		Fritz Nordby.	fritz@gumby.cs.caltech.edu
Newsgroups: ca.earthquakes