[Ansteorra] Story from Crown Tourney

[Patrick R]

Normally when my inbox is inundated with a topic that does not apply to me I hit delete. This is an exception and I feel compelled to comment. I am posting it behind this post because it is the one I agree with most. 
 
While I do not fight I did spend over 20 years as a military officer and a lot of that time as a safety officer. It is the most important thing you can do is place safety first. It is an individual as well as a group responsibility. I have never liked how we treat the fighters like children and bring them water, it should be available and they should have the sense to drink it and take care of themselves. If you want the best to be the King, part of that is to be conditioned to the elements. War is not cancelled because of the heat (training can be limited). If a ‘lesser’ fighter wins because they are in better condition are they really the lesser fighter? Train as you fight and if you fight in hot weather then you should be training in it as well. Before every military exercise we did a risk analysis (if that has changed please let me know I retired years ago) and we can use that logic with our activities as well. If the heat index exceeds a set
 temp we can make modifications, a minimum time between rounds, a set time limit within a fight before a mandated break are some of the things we can do and not lose the intent of the event. 
 
There are compromises that can make this work. We have trained personnel to assist and evaluate a person’s condition and they should have the final say. If you do not like that then get in better condition and be less likely to suffer a heat injury. Make their decision final and if they determine you are unable to continue then do the honorable thing and follow their decision. While I feel hydration is a personal responsibility these are our friends we are dealing with and everyone should be on the lookout for people who may be possibly suffering from heat exhaustion. I doubt anyone with honor would accuse someone of becoming a heat casualty just to get them out of a competition. 
 
As a precaution we should have a space available to treat heat casualties. Hopefully somewhere air conditioning and a cot. Even a tent with a portable ac will do. As I tell people on the archery range, if you see someone who you think is suffering from heat you are obligated to bring it to their attention and then tell me about it so I can see them. 
 
For the spectators, make sure you have a place in the shade to sit and watch. When you consider what you want to wear take into account we live in the southwest with the weather to match. Dressing like you are in the winter in Northern Europe  is your choice so plan accordingly. Make sure there is a place for them to cool down just as you do for the fighters. 
 
Living in Texas does not make us immune to heat exhaustion. Since moving here I have seen more heat injury when the temperatures start to heat up. We need to work on becoming acclimated every spring and not expect it to carry over from the last summer. 
 
I would not like to see SCA members treated like Army trainees with someone telling you what to do and monitoring your every move but we must be realistic. These are our friends and we need to look out for them. Make someone responsible to evaluate the fighters between rounds and observe them like a marshal on the field. Let their evaluation be the law. 
 
Dante
 

--- On Mon, 7/12/10, Liam Gordon <cenliamgordon2005 at gmail.com> wrote:


From: Liam Gordon <cenliamgordon2005 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Story from Crown Tourney
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Date: Monday, July 12, 2010, 11:24 AM


Greetings Garreth,

I would like to address a few of the things you brought up in your email.
And I will be pulling from both SCA and Mundane experiences.

"Arguably I guess safety is a seconary consideration to most who fight. I
> don't want someone else telling me if I am able to fight. Or I am not
> calling my shots. Or my armor is unsafe."
>

I am a Ground Safety officer for the U.S. Army mundanely, and Hellsgate's
Knights Marshall.  In both those positions, safety is NOT "a seconary
consideration."  It is at the forefront of everything I do.  I do not allow
my Soldiers to get onto a vehicle, motorcycle, or even use a weed-whacker at
drill without the proper safety equipment.  Nor, do I allow folks to fight
on my practice field if they do not have the proper equipment.  Most of the
time, we have some source of water at the field.  When I help a new fighter
into armour, I ensure they have everything, to the point of sending someone
to the store to get a cup...

>
> "Whatever insanity that compels us to strap it on one more day. Is the same
> insanity that pushes us to continue to fight past the point that a sane
> person would have given up long ago."


I have pulled myself off the field because I was fast approaching an unsafe
condition.  I have to watch out for myself because I am a heat casualty.  If
I feel that I'm getting light headed or can't see straight, I come off the
field.


> " And the fathers of ansteorra whos bodies have been broken by this sport
> are proof of this. We say this won't happen to me or whatever to override
> the fear of disability or death. We give our bodies up to the dream perhaps
> when we should be on the sidelines."
>

For those of us who are younger fighters, yes, we learn from those who are
more experienced than us, who have been around a heck of a lot longer than
us.  And we learn what NOT to do, from those who have been broken by this
sport.


>
> "I don't see us letting those with broken legs take the field because it is
> unsafe."


Earl John Peregrine, back before he was Knighted, fought in a tourney with a
broken arm.  He took the nessecary precautions to protect his arm and hand.
The MIC checked him out and let him fight.  He even went to win the tourny.


> "Sadly, the only thing that motivates people to exact change is when
> tragedy strikes."
>

Unfortunately, your are correct.

In Service to this Dream We Share,

Centurion Liam Gordon


-- 
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit
materiari?
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