Last weekend, more than 100 high school students from across Minnesota gathered at Camp Ripley to participate in an Emergency Medical Response Camp. The camp was hosted by the Minnesota Behavioral Health Medical Reserve Corps and the Health Occupations Students of America Medical Reserve Corps. Students were able to get hands-on experience in learning how to care for critically injured victims after a natural disaster or emergency.

Students received hands-on instruction in first aid, CPR, and even medical evacuation by helicopter. One segment of the camp involved students meeting with organizations that specialized in emergency preparedness. Meeting with these professionals gave students an opportunity to get insight on emergency response information that they wouldn’t normally receive in high school.

“It’s really nice to talk to professionals in the area because they kind of have an insight out of the area that nobody else does, so it’s really a unique experience for us,” said 2019-2020 Minnesota HOSA President Gautham Nair.

“We are training these students to prep them to join the Medical Reserve Corps and you actually join this Corps at any age, they just want you to have certain skills that will help you be an asset in the event of an emergency,” said 2019-2020 Minnesota HOSA President-Elect Dawson Clifton. “By prepping them and certificating in these different groups, they are better to be an asset to their team when an emergency occurs.”

The Emergency Medical Response Camp was also sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota National Guard.

By — Chaz Mootz