Safety is Spot On for Big Bend Ultra Run
To date, there never has been a serious injury or medical emergency at any Big Bend Ultra Run.
To help maintain that record, one group of volunteers has stepped up to provide an extra layer of safety in 2011.
Race Director Carroll Voss, Course Director James Glascock, Volunteer At-Large Lois Brown and Volunteer Coordinator Michael Garcia all successfully completed the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI) Wilderness First Aid course. The 16-hour class includes instruction on patient assessment, bandaging and splinting, wound management and environmental hazards. There is a balance of lecture and hands -on skill practice that cumulate in a realistic scenario that test the students’ abilities.
“They all did exceptional!” said Kirk Scheel, owner and senior instructor of Spot-On Wilderness Training. “I’ll have you all know that you can safely push yourselves in your extreme adventures, because you are protected. “
Big Bend Ultra Run organizers always have safety as their number one priority. The race works closely with the National Park Service at Big Bend National Park to insure compliance with rules and regulations and to coordinate patrol activities. Rangers are standing by at all times before, during and after the event to pitch in as needed for any emergency.
Mobile phone service in the desert is sketchy at best and land lines are few and far 
between. Organizers turn to a dedicated group to solve the communication problem – volunteer amateur radio operators from The Big Bend Amateur Radio Club, Hill Country REACT and San Antonio Repeater Organization.
These amateur radio operators (ham’s) are at every aid station, the start, the finish, camp headquarters and roaming the course. They keep tabs on runners as they progress, and can call for help the minute a problem is reported.
Spot-On Wilderness Medicine is a small instructional group that specializes in wilderness first aid and medical guides. The motto, “First aid instruction tailored for your next adventure” sums it up. Mr. Scheel, tries to take the general theme of the group interested in a course and designs the program around it.
“Whether you are a runner, climber, kayaker, or mountaineer, we can make a class that works around your gear and environment,” Mr. Scheel says.
Spot-On offers three levels of “thinking outside the box” instruction in wilderness medicine. There is an eight-hour basic wilderness first aid course, a 16 hour wilderness first aid (WFA) course, and the 80 hour wilderness first responder (WFR) course. If you are interested in a course for you or your friends please contact Spot-On. Kirk Scheel kirk@owa.com
Hill Country REACT, San Antonio Repeater Organization and the Big Bend Amateur Radio Club are part of vital network of amateur radio operators around the world. They provide emergency communication in times of disaster and trained eyes on the ground as weather spotters during severe storms. In many disasters, ham operators are the first and most trusted links to the outside
world. The hams who participate in the Big Bend Ultra are there to keep the race as safe as possible and to train for future events where their help may be needed. These amateur radio groups have websites. They offer training, support, activities and a host of other services for amateur radio operators and those interested in becoming a ham.
Safety is the first priority of the Big Bend Ultra Run and scores of people work on the front lines and in the background to keep the event safe and fun.
