Course Packing List

Your Train NEK course consists of different learning environments:

Lectures where you’ll be sitting in a chair in our outdoor classroom.

Practical Sessions and Scenarios where you’ll be kneeling and rolling around on wet, muddy, rocky ground in all but extreme weather conditions, pretending to be hurt and practicing your rescue skills.

Mock Rescue (WFRs only): At some point toward the end of the class you might be traveling / hiking as a group to perform a mock patient rescue.

It’s Vermont! Expect a mix of bright sun, strong winds, rain, hail and/or snow. The more prepared you are to stay warm and comfortable, the more you’ll get out of the course.

Your course begins BEFORE you arrive! It begins with you tracking down and packing the below things outdoor professionals use to treat patients in the backcountry. We know you don’t usually bring all these things on your trips. There are no fashion points. We encourage you to borrow items or check out secondhand stores for any items you’re missing. The course will cover why these things are needed. But please trust us: It is important that you bring the things on this list to get the most out of this class.

WHAT TO PACK FOR YOU

Clothing Layers: Warm and comfortable layers you don’t mind getting dirty
Food and Water enough for long days
Face Mask to use during scenarios
Wristwatch (ideally): Easy and practical way to count seconds while taking vital signs (although your phone will work too of course)
Paper and Writing Implement (pencils work in the rain)
Participants should either bring their own patient or be willing to work with one or two other students at their own risk

WHAT TO PACK FOR SCENARIOS

Please bring the below items to class in any weather to practice stabilizing patient injuries and to supplement what you bring for yourself. For ex. if you don’t want to get your sleeping bag wet because you’ll be camping, bring an additional one. NOTE: Your patient won’t actually be putting these items ON so it doesn’t matter what size they are.

Warm Socks, Hat, and Mittens or Gloves
Long Underwear, ideally Top and Bottom
Sweater or Jacket (Fleece, Wool, Acrylic, etc.)
Waterproof Layer, ideally Jacket and Pants
Sleeping Pad
Sleeping Bag or Non-Cotton Blanket
One of the following options: Tarp, Rain Fly, Bivy, Lightweight Plastic Sheet (roughly 4-6′ x 6-8′), or two large Trash Bags or Contractor Bags
10-12 Ties for securing splints, 4′-5′ or so in length (scarves, cravats, shoelaces, p-cord, webbing, etc. – but NOT zip ties)
Backpack or other bag to carry the above

Trust us, we don’t care what your socks / fingernails / feet look like! But some people appreciate a heads up that we will be checking each other’s extremities on a daily basis as part of performing patient exams.

OPTIONAL BUT USEFUL ADDITIONAL ITEMS

Anything else you want to practice treating patients with (pfd, paddle, trekking poles, SAM splints, etc)
First aid kit, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug repellent, and ball cap