Public Safety Training

The latest and greatest training segment hit us the past two weeks. The subjects varied from marine navigation and rescue, land search and rescue, and minor bits of ropework that may be needed in all incidences. The training culminated in our being divided into 5 different groups of 5 people, then placed on call for 48 hours.

During the 48 hours, we were called out at all hours, whether it was the middle of the night or in the middle of a meal, and expected to handle the emergency accordingly with, in some cases, limited resources.

It was interesting waking up in at midnight to find out there was a mtn-biker in the woods, ~1km along a trail, with a broken leg, ribs, and possible head/neck injury. The only option is to shake the cobwebs and do the best that you can...locate, package, extricate, transfer to EHS. Pretty fun exercise, all in all!

Other scenarios had missing persons (involving a search), stuck hikers on steep hillsides, forest fires threatening to obliterate an entire island park (evacuate!!!), and a missing kayaker that was located under an ice floe... It was a very real introduction into what you will expect to face as a warden in a national park. In my case, a lot of these scenarios were similar to things that I had seen with BC Parks or with Whistler Ski Patrol. Gotta love previous training to give you a bit of an insight to what to do in an emergency!

Not much is left to do in Jasper. We'll be writing an exam tomorrow, then packing up and shipping off to Chilliwack to resume our law enforcement modules. Unfortunately, there will not be many photos of the training in 'wack as it is in the RCMP training grounds and pictures are not allowed.

Not related to the training, but related to my well-being, Jen was able to make it out from Squamish for St Paddy's Day. We met up in Banff, along with brother Jeff and friend Dan, and worked the Irish pubs. There were sightings of Tom Cruise, as well as Captain Saskatchewan.

There will be pics attached to this story, as soon as Matt can provide assistance...thanks, Matt!

Hope everyone is doing well and I'll see you along my travels!

Chris

Pepper Spray

We were hosed down with OC (pepper) spray today. Everyone took turns looking ridiculous, then pained, and finally, red-eyed and puffy faced. It was like painting the insides of your eyelids with sand, having someone rub them hard into your eyeballs, then restricting your breathing with 5 litres of snot so only air could be taken in through the mouth. Not a pleasant experience and one that has encouraged us not to use OC spray unless there is no other option.


Christ, it's nasty! However, it doesn't end there...have a shower, repeat the process. Yes, the rinsing effect drains the capsicum oil residue into the nether regions and you're burning where you'd prefer not to burn. Thankfully, we had been forewarned of this effect so most people, including myself, tried rinsing the face/head first before jumping into a shower. It still burns like the worst sunburn you've ever had. A funny, yet disturbing scene at the Palisades this afternoon.

Thankfully, we didn't do it yesterday so I was able to enjoy my birthday in peace and quiet. We all headed into Jasper for the evening, which turned into a little later than perhaps it should have been, and the net result was a tired, pepperized recruit group.

Early night tonight.

Cuffing

4 hours of take-downs, cuffing, and generally being thrown about has left a few recruits, myself included, a bit sore. Throw in an RCMP trainer who is built like Hulk Hogan, reefing hard on your arm, telling you that you aren't that flexible in the shoulders, and you feel like crying for your mother. Sorry mom, this isn't entirely what I was expecting!

Once I figure out how I can download video onto this blog (ugh), I can send some lovely footage of our suffering!

Thanks for setting this up, Matt. Once I figure out how to change my profile I'll be removing the lies that I want to be like you. Bastard!

Training in Jasper

Well, you knew at some point there would be an update on what I'm doing, switching agencies and all. It has been an adventure thus far, and some fairly intensive training which looks like it'll continue to ramp up as we head towards Chilliwack and the RCMP recruit camp.

I started this new path by questioning the CEO of Parks Canada, via conference call in our orientation training, day one. I asked him about the possibility of privatization of Parks Canada services. Everyone in the room (~80 people) was a little shocked about the question that wasn't a straight-forward, "feel-good" one. It was afterwards when Al (we're on first-name basis now!) thanked me for the difficult question and moved on to the next one that I realized that I had been grilling the Deputy Minister of Environment in Ottawa. Nothing like trying to keep a low profile...

Next up was a week-long session of Ecosystem management which culminated in a 30 minute presentation for a panel made up of the Director General of Parks Canada, the Superintendent of Jasper NP, the mayor of Jasper, and a list of high dignitaries that grilled our presentation on woodland caribou vs Marmot Basin expansion. Stressful, but handled with a professional demeanor.

Today, the real goods started. We began our lessons on take-downs, handcuffing, and dealing with resistant "clients". Delightful. Coming up soon....full-on boxing, the RCMP driving course, and 7 hours of grappling on the floor with someone who is trying to rip your eyes out.

What the hell am I doing? I thought I was a pacifist!

Oh, need I forget mentioning the aerobics class 3 times a week and yoga at 6am.

This is an experience! Hope all is well amongst you folks and that you're missing me as much as I'm missing you guys! Take care and I'll keep you posted.

Chris