MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. – Mountaineer Preparedness Weekend is set to run from Oct. 7—Oct. 9. The purpose behind the event is to introduce Boy and Girl Scouts to first aid and emergency preparedness training.
The weekend may even spark the interest of some of the kids to pursue a career in the medical field or as a first responder.
“The seeds of certain careers are planted early,” Monongalia County EMS Executive Director Forest Weyen said. “A lot of folks seeing this stuff at a young age, whether it be learning how to epidemiologically prepare like the health department does or dealing with a virus response. EMS obviously have a vested interest, but even getting into aeromedical or search and rescue, all are very rewarding careers and very impactful and much needed in the community.”
Most of the events will take place on Saturday, with there even being a potential helicopter arrival in the middle of the day. There are other items on display that include interactive components for Scouts to use.
“It’s really going to be an immersive experience for those involved with Scouting,” Weyen said.
Many different groups will be giving demonstrations at the camp such as the Monongalia County EMS, the Monongalia County Health Department, HealthNet Aeromedical Services, Mountaineer Area Rescue Group and Monongalia County Emergency Management.
“It’s a great partnership,” Weyen said. “We’re expecting over 100 participants and we’re hoping to make it an annual thing.”
The event will take place at Camp Mountaineer, located at 187 Camp Mountaineer Rd, Morgantown, WV 26508.