Fort Sherman Academy
David Doss presents compelling reasons for us to boost our security training.
Fort Sherman Academy (FSA) was present at the 2010 IAMA conference this year to provide hostage survival and security training. For those who participated, it was a said to be a powerful event and highly recommended for anyone planning on spending any length of time traveling oversees in potentially hostile environments. David Dose then gave a 45-minute presentation to the rest of the attendees . Having lived oversees myself, I fully recommend the high impact quality training being offered by FSA.
Consider a few statistics:
- 2009 there were 3,000,000 short-term ‘missionaries’, and 20% of them had some sort of crisis.
- Annual increase in crime against Westerners increases roughly15% each year.
- In the event of a kidnapping or detention situation, an organization can plan on spending $50,000 – $100,000. Can your ministry afford that?
Visit www.fortsherman.org for more information.
Survival Training
February 17, 2010 by jlsluiter
Filed under IAMA News, IAMA Spotlight
Missionary Aviation Aircrew Survival School
Course Information
.
Survival Training Extraordinaire
This is as good as it gets, folks. Every once in awhile, a special offer comes along that simply can’t be ignored, and that’s what we have here. Thanks to a cooperative effort between MSI, Moody Aviation, and especially a dedicated team of instructors from Emergency Response International (ERI), some top-notch survival training is being made available to the mission aviation community at an incredibly low price. Trust me, these ERI guys are good. They train many of the world’s best—be it military, special ops, industry executives, or the like—and now they are using their talents to serve the mission aviation world.
The initial training session will be held June 14-18, 2010 at the Moody Aviation facilities at Felts Field in Spokane, WA. By design, this training will be broad spectrum, covering a wide variety of topics and environments. Class size is limited and priority will be given to Safety and Training staff who can multiply the effectiveness of this course by incorporating what they learn into their own organizational training.
The training is being provided at cost with those costs being divided equally among participants. Estimated costs per person for the week are between $250-300.
Course Detail
This is a pilot program specifically designed for mission aviation aircrews that operate in some of the most remote regions of the world. It is presented by Emergency Response International (ERI) in cooperation with Mission Safety International and Moody Aviation.
The course will be held 14 – 18 June 2010 at Moody Aviation, 6719 East Rudder Ave, Spokane, Washington 99212. Classes begin at Moody at 0800 on Monday, 14 June and will conclude by 1700 on Friday, 18 June. Contact information is included at the end of this list.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to Spokane, all meals and lodging, and transportation to and from the field training. Car pooling is recommended.
Training will consist of classroom discussions, field activities including an overnight bivouac, and water training in a swimming pool using the Shallow Water Egress Trainer (SWET). During field students will construct their own shelters and will spend the night in them. Certain materials will be provided to assist with shelter construction. A Survival Handbook will be provided and will be used as the course text, along with numerous handouts.
The following list of clothing and equipment will be needed for the various labs and the field portion of the survival course, adjusted as needed for weather and environment. However, we do not recommend that you buy a lot of new gear for this training. This is an opportunity to try out what you have and to find out what really works and what does not.
Pool Lab
Swim suit and tee shirt are acceptable. Old tennis, beach shoes or dive booties recommended. No leather shoes, boots or belts. Bring a towel and dry clothes to change into after the exercise.
Field Training
The field training will be conducted in a wooded area within an hour’s drive of Spokane. Weather is typically warm and dry with a chance of thunderstorms. The nights may be cool.
Student Clothing and Equipment List
Pack: Large enough for the items on the equipment list. A water proof cover, such as a large trash bag, is recommended.
Clothing: For 1 day and 1 night of field training, suitable for the terrain and anticipated weather conditions
Boots: Suitable for the terrain and anticipated weather conditions
Gloves: Leather recommended for shelter construction and other tasks
Water proof shell layer: Includes jacket with hood and pants, either Gore-tex or coated material.
Head protection: A hat with a brim for sun/rain protection. A large bandana to augment sun and wind protection is recommended and a stocking cap may be appropriate for cool nights…
Personal survival kit: Bring any items that you might normally carry for outdoor activities. This is a good opportunity to try out clothing and equipment
Sunscreen and Chap Stick: Essential!
Sun glasses: Wrap-around for maximum sun protection are recommended.
Base-plate type compass: Basic orienteering style compass such as a Brunton or a Silva. Lensatic compass acceptable but not recommended.
Multi-tool: Gerber, Leatherman, etc
Headlamp and Flashlight: A headlamp for working at night is recommended along with a backup flashlight and extra batteries.
Canteen, water bottle, Camelback, or other water container:
Cup: Metal cup that can be heated over a fire recommended.
550 Line: Also known as parachute cord or para cord, 7-strand, minimum of 50’
Signal Mirror: Glass with aim hole recommended
Whistle: Plastic, not metal
Fixed-blade knife: Durable full-shank utility knife for general use and wood splitting.
Saw: Utility saw such as the Pocket Chain Saw or Gerber or Buck folding saw
Food: Enough for 3 meals (1 day and 1 night) in the field. MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) recommended, or other high carbohydrate foods
Sleeping Bag: A light-weight bag or a bivouac sack should be sufficient.
Sleeping Pad: A closed-cell foam pad or a self-inflating pad such as a Therm-a-Rest recommended.
Applications and course coordination
Stephen Quigg, Mission Safety International
Phone: 717.284.4788
Email: CaptainQuigg@netzero.net
Questions about schedules, activities and equipment
Ralph Wilfong, Director of Operations, Emergency Response International
Office: 509.443.1377
Cell: 509.993.0092
Email: emtspec@comcast.net
Web Site: www.eri-online.com
Questions about Moody and the Spokane area
Allison Pfening, Moody Aviation
Office: 509.535.4051 Ext 256
Email: Allison.Pfening@moody.edu
