Medical
Training:
We will be spending some long periods in
remote areas and therefore felt it important to brush up
on our first aid training. To do this we took a two day,
twenty hour wilderness first aid certification course offered
by the Wilderness
Safety Council (WSC) [http://wfa.net]
on Oct 1-2, 2005. As WSC states in its instruction manual, "WFA
is a comprehensive lesson on how to react, respond and save
life in remote, life threatening situations." The
course covers key topics relating to patient assessment,
treatment and evacuation/rescue coordination. Our instructor,
Cathy Cummins, was excellent and taught using a combination
of classroom instruction and real-life role playing scenarios.
I would highly recommend similar training for anyone planning
to lead an overland expedition to remote areas.
Technical Driving and Recovery Training:
We have some off-road driving and recovery experience
both in the US and Ethiopia. That said, our experience
is somewhat limited in scope. To feel more confident tackling
the dunes, rivers, and muddy roads that lay ahead, we decided
to expand our knowledge by taking one-on-one training at
Berkshire 4x4 in Reading, England. Our course took place
on November 13th and 14th and covered everything from differentials
to recovery technique and included hands-on practice driving
in deep mud, ascending and descending hills, crossing ditches,
wading in deep water, and using diff locks. On November
20th we followed up our training with a day of off-roading
with the European Land Cruiser Club. It proved to be an
excellent way to practice what we learned at Berkshire
4x4 and it gave us some additional experience before leaving
for our trip.
Mechanical
Training:
Part of the allure of this expedition is that we’re venturing into remote areas where we’ll need to be completely self-reliant. That means that we’ll need the tools, spare parts, and knowledge to address all vehicle service and maintenance related issues. With only a limited mechanical background I knew that I’d need some serious help to get up to speed.
My approach was simple. From the start I acknowledged that I have neither the time nor the aspiration to become a certified mechanic. That said, I basically addressed the issue on four fronts:
- Select a highly reliable vehicle that reduces the possibility of major mechanical failures (translation: opted for the bullet proof reliability of 4.2L Turbo found in the Toyota Land Cruiser – HDJ 80)
- Fully service the vehicle and replace all consumable parts including everything from belts and hoses to alternators, water-pumps, and tires
- Receive “practical training” focused on three areas:
- Basic vehicle function: An understanding of the basic machine, it’s parts and their function
- Preventative maintenance: How to care for and service the vehicle – care for it so it doesn’t break
- Major Repairs: Hands-on knowledge of how to diagnose and repair/patch the primary issues that can arise (i.e. what to do when a alternator packs up or you hit a stump and crack the differential housing). Basic goal in the event of a mechanical failure is either fix problem or patch it to keep the vehicle moving to point where help is available
- Ensure you have the tools, spares and shop manual needed to service and repair the vehicle
To get up to speed in these areas, I combined one part formal training (two-day training session concentrating on the three “practical training” focus areas listed above) with five parts hands-on experience. The formal training provided the basic foundation (example: what’s a prop-shaft, how does it work, what does is sound/feel like when it’s going wrong, and how do you replace it). The hands-on experience filled in the all-important gaps (i.e. make sure to clean out the radiator after forging deep muddy water to avoid frying the engine). This experience was gained over a four-month period through a variety of channels including off-road driving trips, driver/recover training, and many hours spent at Matt Savage’s shop asking questions and messing about under the bonnet.
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