About 67 students in fifth and sixth grade participated in the free camp Tuesday and Wednesday at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds in Norway.

“This is the most I’ve every had. I usually cut it off at 35 to 40,” said Renee Stanchina, Camp 911 coordinator for Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson. “We used to do it at City Park. I’m glad the fair board is letting us come here. There’s so much room.”

The camp also had help from 18 high school volunteers — including her granddaughter, Kara Stanchina, who took part as a child — along with several adult volunteers and representatives from the Michigan State Police, Norway Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department, the Dickinson County Dive Team, the Norway Volunteer Fire Department, the Breitung Township Fire Department, North Alert Ambulance and Integrity EMS.

With the additional space, they were able to land a Guardian Flight helicopter at a safe distance and demonstrate fire hoses and other emergency equipment. Other presentations included the Critical Incident Response Team team, fire departments and, new this year, the dive team speaking on water safety. Another new session discussed the use of Narcan, or naloxone, for an opioid overdose and EpiPens to provide epinephrine for severe allergic reactions.

Lydia Johnson sits in the Guardian Flight helicopter at Camp 911 at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds. (Casey Mclaughlin photo)

Campers attended sessions on safe practices for themselves and those around them, such as calling or texting 911, personal safety, bike safety, ATV safety and gun safety. Attendees learned to perform CPR, how to stop bleeding, assess and stabilize sports injuries and what to do if lost in the woods. They also received instruction on choking and airway assessments and recognizing allergic reactions.

“We give them scenarios. With this being a rural area — how do kids protect themselves for the first 90 seconds until help arrives? Sometimes it can take as long as 30 minutes,” Stanchina said, adding that 10 of the kids were from North Central Schools in Powers in Menominee County.

During a session on wilderness safety, Karla Lehmann, victim advocate for the Michigan State Police, urged campers to let people know where they are going, bring a whistle to blow and answer if people call for them.

“I think it’s great. They’re learning things and it’s planting the seeds for potential futures,” Lehman said.

Cheyenne Moyer, a registered nurse, demonstrated ways to stop bleeding and showed students how to apply a tourniquet using a bandana.

Cheyenne Moyer, a registered nurse, assists 12-year-old Xirabel Dominguez-Pineda, right, with placing a tourniquet, during a demonstration on how to stop bleeding at Camp 911 at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds in Norway. Watching is Xirianna Dominguez-Pineda. They are students at Norway-Vulcan Area School. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

“This is a great thing for the community,” said Moyer, a first-year volunteer.

Xirabel Dominguez-Pineda, a 12-year-old from Norway, said she was enjoying the camp.

“When I saw it, I always want to learn this stuff, so I asked my mom,” she said.

At the end, each camper receives certificate of completion along with a Camp 911 T-shirt, a fanny pack with first aid supplies and a pack of safety information. Campers also learned about possible careers in related fields.

Stanchina worked as a change nurse in the emergency department at the hospital from 1981 to 2004 before switching to education.

Cali Brew learned how to put on a splint at Camp 911 at the Dickinson County Fairgrounds this week. (Casey Mclaughlin photo)

“I like the education part, promoting education. And the kids — they want to be here, no one is forcing them to. They want to learn. All the volunteers, it helps to better our community,” Stanchina said.

She added that after 10 years of Camp 911 she was already hearing success stories of attendees using what they learned. One member of the Breitung Township Volunteer Fire Department credited taking part in the first Camp 911 with inspiring his career as a firefighter.

“It’s a great experience, because being a part of it at a young age, you learn all the safety stuff that you want to be a part of, but when you get older you get to help and watch kids learn,” her granddaughter, Kara, said.

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Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.