Register today [1] for the 17th Wilderness Risk Management Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado on October 14-16, 2010.
SCA is pleased to take the lead in presenting an all-day, pre-conference workshop at this year's WRMC. It has been specially designed to engage a wide range of conservation corps staff in discussions that stem from examining actual incident scenarios and risk management trends in team-based programming. Collaborating presenters include Jill Baum (SCA Conservation Teams), David Critton (Southwest Conservation Corps), Lee Gault (Montana Conservation Corps), Dave McEvoy (Aerie Backcountry Medicine), Jay Satz (SCA Northwest Region) and Mark Vermeal (SCA Risk Management).
During our planning sessions over the past year, this small panel has taken full advantage of the opportunity to share best practices and focus on issues from which we all can learn. These topics will serve as the keystones of the day's agenda and include: workplace hazard mitigation, industry standards & incident trends, developing leadership judgment, actual case study review, and crisis planning and response. As industry leaders, it's our hope to both share what we've figured out over our collective many decades of programming as well as create a forum for new best practices. Furthermore, we see the value in encouraging collaborative networks - both to avoid repeating mistakes as well as to increase the effectiveness of team-based programming overall. In the long run, this will enable as many future conservation leaders as possible to have safe, productive and life-changing experiences out in the field.
From the Conference Program: Join other corps programs in discussing how to do what we know we need to do. Continue to build a culture of safety within your programs. Examine industry standards and risk management trends that are specific to team-based programming. Build a stronger sense of corps community by sharing your own experience, questions and best practices.
Brief agenda of topics for the day (includes a networking lunch!)
Why corps? What are the key risk management concerns?
Overview of corps-specific injury and incident trends
A sampling of risk management tools and their uses (includes: leadership training curriculum, Job Hazard Assessment, Take 5 for Safety, Power to Positively Care, corps-specific wilderness medicine teaching methods, using role-play scenarios for training)
Hands-on incident case study analysis and decision-making discussions
Goals for afternoon case studies:
- Play out actual incidents and discuss key topics and decision-making points.
- Examine holes in own systems with stop-action discussion moments.
- Practice internal/organizational communication.
- Practice external communication with parties outside of organization.
- Test out actual tools (need to list...).
- Share own experiences and best practices.
Wrap-up, Action steps (including recommended conference sessions), Networking opportunities
Join us! Participation by a wide variety of organizations has exceeded our registration expectations and we anticipate more to continue roll to in. Cost for the day is $75 (includes a box lunch).
Presenter Mark Vermeal is SCA’s National Director of Risk Management and Safety, responsible for developing and implementing strategies that enhance a culture and climate for effective risk management for nearly 4300 SCA members and staff nationwide. Committed to assuring SCA is a leader in risk management best practices, he will be presenting at WRMC for the fourth consecutive year.
Sharing in Safety, Risk Management for Corps, is a workshop designed specifically to meet the wide ranging risk management needs of Conservation Corps. SCA is very pleased to present this day long pre-conference workshop in collaboration with Montana Conservation Corps, Southwest Conservation Corps and Aerie Backcountry Medicine.
Co-presenter Jill Baum, is SCA’s Assistant National Director overseeing all western corps programs and is responsible for programming as diverse as desert restoration and invasive plant removal to hard core trail work. Managing field programs for nearly two decades, Jill has led the team in developing this workshop.
Co-presenter Dave McEvoy is co-founder and Director of Aerie Backcountry Medicine (SCA’s preferred provider for wilderness medicine certification and instruction). Dave has been working professionally as an EMT/ paramedic since 1990 and as a teacher in wilderness medicine and risk management since launching Aerie as a company in 1995. An SCA alumni and winner of the Spirit of SCA award, Dave is also a past presenter at WRMC.
Mark Vermeal will also co-present.
Risk Management and Technology, is a workshop that will explore both the opportunities and pitfalls that technology offers in effective risk management.
Co-presenter Pete DeRego currently serves as Assistant Director of Risk Management at SCA, where he manages the systems and processes related to the risk management program. Pete currently trainings field leaders and staff in SCA risk management protocols, methodologies and practices, and leads several working groups at SCA in implementing new technology.
Co-presenter Hannah Burgard is SCA’s Technology and Training Coordinator for western corps programs, working out of SCA’s Boise office. Hannah is responsible for outfitting and training SCA conservation teams with technological equipment necessary to successfully complete their fieldwork.
Urban Programs Risk Management Intensive, is a workshop focusing on the challenges of developing outdoor programs for urban populations. SCA is pleased to be co-presenting this work shop with REI.
Co-presenter Jamie Ford is the Program Manager for SCA Community Programs in Houston and Dallas, Texas where she manages a variety of the unique challenges encountered in introducing urban populations to outdoor programming.
Your Participant Agreement – What’s Going On? Charles (Reb) Gregg
Ask The Lawyers, Reb Gregg and other lawyers present
What the Courts Want You to Know Reb Gregg and Cathy Hansen-Stamp
Charles (Reb) Gregg is the Chair of the Risk Management Committee of SCA’s national Board of Director’s. He is a long standing member of the Wilderness Risk Management Conference Steering Committee, an annual WRMC and AEE presenter and a nationally renowned attorney specializing in outdoor adventure and education law. Last year Reb was honored by the establishment of an award for excellence in risk management at WRMC in his name.
Land Management Panel: There is no Risk to Manage Without Connection to the Land is a panel discussion with senior Washington, DC based Land Managers with the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. SCA is pleased to be co-facilitating this panel with NOLS.
Jay A. Satz is Vice President for SCA Northwest and served as SCA’s senior risk management/safety officer for over 12 years. In his current role Jay works closely with senior agency officials developing programs and partnerships that further SCA’s mission and meet the critical needs of the agencies themselves. Jay will be co-facilitating with Jennifer Lamb, Director of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability for NOLS.
Accidents in Outdoor Pursuits – Their Causes and Cures is a presentation that provides a time tested matrix and other examples of the issues and situations that lead to accidents in the outdoors.
John E. (Jed) Williamsonhemes/advanced/langs/en.js?X" type="text/javascript">strong>, is a current member and past Chair of SCA’s national Board of Director’s Risk Management Committee. He has served as a NOLS Trustee, been an instructor and administrator for Outward Bound and has been an annual presenter at every WRMC. Known for his wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of experiential and outdoor programs, Jed is also the first recipient of the Charles (Reb) Gregg Excellence in Wilderness Risk Management Award. Jed will co-present this workshop with Aram Attarian.
Internal and External Critical Incident Reviews is a session that will examine a process for conducting internal incident investigations, the decision to launch an external review, the role and make-up of the external review team and, finally, the "ground rules" for the external review team. Jed Williamson and Jay Satz will co-present. Register now! [1]