Karin's time with Mercy Ships

Basic Training  This past week our volunteer crew have been completing 'Basic Training' for being able to respond to emergency situations on board the Africa Mercy. The week started with two days of fire fighting training, learning the theory of fires, different types of fires and how to put them out, as well as how to respond to a fire on board. Our practical tasks involved putting out different classes of fires, saving 'Buck' (an 85kg mannekin) from a burning shipping container, while in 15kg worth of steaming, sweaty firefighting kit, working as part of a fire crew etc.  Another set of skills to learn was responding to Marine emergencies - man overboard, flooding, entering a life raft, flipping a raft (if it deploys upside down), responsibilities in an emergency etc. Note the flattering gumby suits...:D Other skills we learned were CPR, basic first aid and using an AED (defibrillator). Emergency? Call me:D Wo...

The long awaited journey to join the Africa Mercy has begun! The first 5 weeks we will be in Texas (at the International Support Centre for Mercy Ships) completing Basic Training and an On Boarding. As long term volunteers, it's important for us to know how to respond in emergency situations, as well as to have a really good grasp on the foundations of Mercy Ships, not only the What but the How and the Why too. What I've learned so far in Texas:  1) It's hot. 2) It's humid. 3) Texas is trying to kill you (don't worry, there are only 4 kinds of poisonous snakes on the campus, the rest are harmless...) 4) Yes, there are grammatical rules around using y'all (don't throw it around indiscriminately). 5) I am a Ma'am! If you think of a good sign-off for my blog entries, let me know.