CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Carrabassett Valley Academy students Francesca Divilli, Grant Erickson and Liam Bechtel participated in Sugarloaf’s recent critical incident training exercise.

Just days before the exercise, the students were certified as Wilderness First Responders as part of their curriculum in CVA’s Big Mountain program, aka A.L.P.S: Adventure Leadership Pursuits for Skiers/Snowboarders. The students completed an 80-hour training course to prepare them for scenarios such as the ones staged at the training exercise.

After being evacuated from Sugarloaf’s Sawduster lift, the students reported to the First Aid Station where simulated patients were being treated, stabilized and eventually transported to appropriate medical facilities.

Upon stating their credentials to a supervising medical professional, the students were immediately asked to help by gathering essential information from the patients awaiting transport.

Organizers of the training exercise said the event was a huge success due to the effort of the emergency medial personnel in place that day.