Devin Littlefield joined FSAR as a 'student member' when he was in high school. Recently Devin returned to the area after his graduation from Alaska Pacific University. The team was reacquainted with Devin on Wednesday when he attended the monthly FSAR meeting.
I recently had a chance to interview Devin about his time in AK.
Hi Devin, welcome back! What was your major at APU?
I majored in Outdoor Studies with a minor in Business Administration and Management. Through the OS program, I've been able to learn the skills necessary for different activities in the outdoors and how to be an effective leader of those activities. Having a background in business has allowed me to look into the big picture and future plans involving business and the outdoors.
What kinds of classes did you take in the program?
Some of my basic classes were: Introduction to Wilderness Skills, Intro. to Winter Wilderness, Wilderness First Responder, Intro. to Rope Systems, Intro to Ice Climbing, Swiftwater Rescue and Expedition Leadership to name a few. Some of my business courses were: Intro. to Business, Marketing, Financial Accounting and other similar courses.
What kinds of wilderness experiences did you have in the program?
I've had a wide variety of experiences. From multi-day winter camping to a 22-day backpacking trip, I've gotten many opportunities to explore Alaska and really experience everything that it had to offer.
What did you do for outdoor recreation while in Alaska?
I did a little bit of everything! I did some backcountry skiing, nordic skiing in town, mountain and road biking, various climbing trips and countless number of hikes. These were all during my off time when I wasn't in class or work.
Did you participate in any SAR calls, or training, if so can you share some cases?
I unfortunately did not get the opportunity to join a SAR team while I was in Alaska. They have a very different way of operating their organization, with a requirement of being a resident of Alaska in order to join, which I was not able to do.
Can you share a memorable wilderness experience you had during your time in AK?
Two of the craziest experiences had to have been either sleeping in a floor-less tent during a winter camping trip when it was -15 below or almost skiing into a moose while ski-jouring. While these were both interesting experiences, the one that takes the cake was being surrounded by wolves during a backpacking trip.
What are you doing now?
I am now working for Maine Huts & Trails as the Marketing & Merchandise Associate, focusing on generating new Digital Media for online consumption with an emphasis on photography and videography.
Looking ahead, what goals have you set for yourself in the future?
I have a few goals in mind: my first is to learn as much as I can about search and rescue as an active member of FSAR, continue to grow in my career path of Digital Media and to start my own eco-tourist business, to name a few.
 Thanks Devin, It's great to have you back in the area and back on the team! -Mit |
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