Safety as Number One Concern of SUWS and SUWS Parents Too

By Cliff Stockton, Program Director

All parents worry about their children's safety: SUWS parents are no different. A parent may like the idea of using nature as a challenge and healing agent for his troubled teen, but he wants his child to come home in one piece. SUWS parents have concerns such as: What happens if my child gets hurt in the wilderness? What about lightning? Mountain lions? Snowstorms? Desert heat?

The good news is that teens are as safe, if not safer, in an Aspen Educational Group wilderness program than they are at home. The Aspen programs have achieved a remarkable safety record in over twenty years of working with teens. Safety takes precedence over every other consideration. In fact, there is a lot of redundancy built into the Aspen system to ensure safety through staff training, support structure and back-up mechanisms.

In a scholarly study entitled "How Big Is the Risk in Wilderness Treatment of Adolescents?" Dr. Robert Cooley writes that the Aspen wilderness programs are as safe as cross-country skiing, and half as risky as overnight backpacking in general. Because of the frequency of fatal teen automobile accidents, teens are more likely to die at home than during a wilderness treatment program. Many troubled teens who may enroll in SUWS are already engaging in high-risk behaviors at home such as running away, abusing substances, sexual promiscuity, etc.

Parents who want to enroll their teen in SUWS check out and compare health and safety standards to other programs, only to discover that SUWS standards are among the best in the nation. For one thing, every teen remains in a group eight or less, with two highly trained field instructors with a Field Supervisor providing treatment oversight. This is a superior ratio of one trained adult per four students or less.

The SUWS staff does a careful screening of each teen's mental health and behavior before allowing him to participate in the wilderness experience. Teens who are suicidal and self-destructive do not qualify. Jeff Derry, SUWS Clinical Director, said, "We look at every application as an individual. We look at situations around it, how and if we can make this kid safe. We wouldn't take a kid who really wouldn't be safe."

While therapists often allow teens to learn from the natural consequences of their behaviors, they use common sense in the wilderness. For example, no SUWS staff member will allow a teen to experience frostbite because she is defiantly refusing to wear boots. Again, safety always takes precedence.

Throughout the year the SUWS Seasonal Safety Committee addresses concerns about diet, clothing, shelter, wood, water supplies, and safety equipment, etc. Cliff Stockton, SUWS Program Director, said, "We plan every week. We proactively deal with each issue. We do this very conscientiously."

Stockton is a certified Wilderness First Responder, a national ski patrol member, and a certified instructor in wilderness medicine. He personally guides staff members through the Wilderness First Responder course, an intensive seven- to ten-day program in back-country medicine and emergency response required by the most challenging outdoor program providers in the United States. Instructors carry special first aid kits with bandages, splints, cold compresses and so forth. The kits are so massive that they are called "Big Berthas." SUWS teens themselves take lessons in safety and learn precautions to protect themselves against wildlife and other dangers.

Stockton and other safety staff members are in constant radio contact with every group at all times. Groups must check in twice a day at a minimum. Stockton says. "We know their hiking routes, we know where they are. We don't wait to hear from them - we go get them." SUWS maintains a fleet of snow cats, snowmobiles and quads that can make it through all kinds of weather conditions, including bad storms. If necessary, emergency helicopters are available through the "Life Flight" service. There are contingency plans for every emergency, even a large-scale evacuation. Experienced, quick response search and rescue teams that include EMTS and Wilderness First Responders are always available to access any group in the field. Every group is never more than a day's hike from the base, which has 24-hour access to physicians, registered nurses and nutritionists.

While parents may worry about mountain lions and snow avalanches, such dramatic occurrences are extremely rare. Stockton's staff is ready for anything, but there are usually more mundane safety issues. For example, teens must use insect repellant and sunscreen. Since SUWS groups do a lot of hiking, children's feet must remain warm, dry and blister-free. Participants may need supplies such as special stockings and footwear, thermal underwear, raingear and warm gloves to keep them comfortable in winter weather. Their instructors insist that they drink several quarts of water every day. They check the teens for ticks and teach them how to avoid black widow spiders and other insects.

SUWS has a proud record of helping teenagers work through their problems and go on to productive lives at home and school. Nature is their teacher; the wilderness is a dynamic environment where they can find themselves and become whole. Every day SUWS staff members rise to the challenge of keeping each teen's experience not only healing and fulfilling, but as completely safe as possible.