Through Base Camp 911, children learn basic life skills that will serve them through their formative years and into their adult lives.
Approximately 60 kids spent all last weekend at Camp Casey, participating in a packed three days of activities that included GPS Capture the Flag, Stranger Danger, water and bike safety, wilderness survival and simple first-aid techniques.
Not all of the weekend is devoted exclusively to edifying the young people. Plenty of fun abounds in the form of swimming and other games. By Sunday the contingent of young experts is exhausted but elated.
“They learn so much and have a lot of fun,” said Deb Crager, paramedic and coordinator for the program that is now in its seventh year.
A second wave of kids, albeit younger troopers ages 4 to 7, filed in Saturday morning for a one-day camp. Employing a team approach, each team of children was connected by a string that kept them together.
The groups gathered on the lawn in anticipation of the arrival of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station’s Search and Rescue helicopter. Each time the aircraft made a pass, an eruption of applause and a wall of waves welcomed the Navy aircraft.
Mark Kuhl, lieutenant with Fire District 7 in Ferndale, donated his time as a counselor Saturday.
“I’m excited to be here,” he said. “This is my first time.”
Kuhl’s 5-year-old daughter Jocelyn was all smiles as she patiently awaited the arrival of the helicopter. Growing up with a firefighter daddy, Jocelyn had a decided advantage coming into the camp.
“She’s pretty good,” Kuhl said. “But my two-year old son is actually the first one out of the house when we have a fire drill. He just slides on his belly down the stairs. It’s great.”
The SAR copter first dropped red smoke to test the wind’s direction.
“It smells like firework smoke,” Jocelyn said, crinkling her nose. And she was right.
“I used to jump out of those in the Marines,” her father said.
After another pass, during which the helicopter dramatically lowered its nose, two members of the crew rappelled to the ground, eliciting more oohs and ahhs from the groups.
“He waved at us,” said 5-year-old Brock Gray of Freeland.
“That’s how they do it,” Kuhl confirmed with a smile.
As the group waited for the helicopter to return, Gray and Nathan Etes had a discourse on the merits of the color pink.
“It’s my favorite color. It’s a boy color too,” Gray insisted. Etes wasn’t convinced.
The helicopter finally landed in the field at Camp Casey, providing the kids an up-close view of the gigantic metal bird. The groups were not disappointed.
“It turned out really well,” Crager said.
The initial Camp 911 program was designed by services in the states of Michigan, Virginia and Illinois. The program was modified in Island County to fit the problems facing rural areas. Members of the Whidbey Island Paramedic Association and the local fire departments held the camp.
A slew of agencies on the island participated in the program, lending their respective knowledge and expertise.
