While KISAR’s normal meeting and training schedules have been suspended during the current coronavirus crisis, we can still stay abreast of the most current and relevant information facing our community and mission. There is plenty of news out there and much of it is highly stress inducing. But real, objective knowledge can be empowering and a means to ground yourself in the midst of what can otherwise feel like information chaos.
To this end I would recommend the following lecture on the novel coronavirus and the resulting pathology, called COVID-19. The epidemiology (the first third of the video) and virology/pathology (second third) are very instructive for those of us who have enjoyed and benefited from Deb Ajango’s wilderness first aid classes and her explainers at the whiteboard. The final third (laboratory/clinical analysis) is rich with medical jargon and somewhat outside the normal scope of most of our training, but nonetheless very interesting.
Youtube: Coronavirus: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnostics
Closer to home, I would also like to recommend watching Dr Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, update Alaskans on the statewide COVID-19 situation as part of Governor Dunleavy’s weekday press conferences. Her contributions are incredibly smart, accessible, direct, information rich, utterly topical, plainly and succinctly delivered, and filled with humility and empathy.
State of Alaska Vimeo (click “watch again”): daily COVID-19 Press Briefing
You have probably heard this a thousand times, but finally, please redouble your efforts to protect yourself, your immediate social network, and the greater community. Don’t grow complacent thinking, “there are no reported cases in Kodiak and relatively few across the state.” No community touched by this virus ever lamented having prepared too much. To the contrary, they all regretted not having done more. Kindness and generosity (and social distancing) are a sign of strength. So stay strong, Kodiak! And give a gentle but firm reminder to those not showing social responsibility: it could literally save a life. But please, take care of yourself too. We are incredibly blessed with wild open spaces right outside our doors where we can get fresh air and exercise- so important to mental health and also immune function- and use these resources with no danger to our community. And please give thanks to the selfless and dedicated healthcare professionals standing between us and catastrophe. Help them to help us: venerate from a safe distance.
Be well, and stay well.
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About kisar1986
Kodiak Island Search & Rescue (KISAR) is a non-profit organization whose objectives are exclusively charitable, scientific or educational. Specifically, our purposes are:
To furnish highly trained volunteers and dog teams for search and rescue for the benefit and welfare of the community
To organize and support the continuing education and training of volunteers, dog teams and support personnel in accepted search and rescue methods.
To increase public awareness of search and rescue trained volunteers and dog teams and provide informational and educational programs and demonstrations to institutions, agencies and community organizations.
Kodiak Island Search & Rescue 