Potsdam Volunteer Rescue Squad

PVRS members Calvin Faber, Dan Frederick, Coreen Bohl, Doug Bohl and Jessica Shumway were joined by CPH ED Doc’s Ryan Coates and Jason Lorenc at the 1st Lake Placid Half Iron Man on Sunday September 10. The late summer Half Iron Man is a new event for Lake Placid this year and drew approximately 2200 athletes from around the world. Athletes in the event swam 1.2 miles, biked 56 miles and ran 13.1 miles on the challenging Lake Placid Triathlon course.

Members volunteered as finish line medics supporting the athletes who needed a “little help” after completing the 70.3 mile event. Medical volunteers were stationed at the finish line to perform rapid assessment and transport to the medical tent. Other volunteers were stationed in the medical tent which was set-up to act as a temporary ED to treat the athletes who experienced medical issues after finishing the race.

Last weekend PVRS EMT Doug Bohl volunteered as medical support for the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race in Leadville Colorado. The Leadville Trail 100 is know as the “Race Across the Sky” as it takes place in the high mountains of Colorado. The race is a 104 mile mountain bike race with the lowest altitude being 9,200 ft and the highest point occurring at 12,600 ft, well above the tree line. Doug served as a volunteer medic at one of the neutral aid stations and treated everything from hypothermia to altitude sickness to cardiac related issues during his 12 hour “stand-by” shift.

The weather for the day was highly variable with sunny highs in the 60’s and rainy (and snowy) lows in the 40’s.

The remote medical station was well stocked to deal with environmental, trauma and medical emergencies.

Doug is a 2013 Leadville finisher…..

who probably could have used an EMT or Paramedic himself when he finished his race….