Search & Rescue seminar for the candidates
Py isn't involved, but I've put this up here for the candidates' reference.



Candidate Barracks
Serviceable, this low-ceiling'd room runs right and left from the heavy canvas curtains that function as a door: relatively bare of ornamentation, tidy glows light the few worn tapestries that adorn the walls and depict a variety of dragons in flight or at rest. But it is the cots, lots and lots of cots, that distinguish this room from the others, their blue or black coverlets tucked neatly over relatively fresh rushes.
Candidate's haven, this is their escape from the bustling world of chores and Weyr; visitors are welcome if invited.
Perched on a few empty cots are eleven firelizards.
You see Name Board, Cheyanna's Cot, Xayna's Cot, Micail's Cot, Khalylai's Little Shop of Horrors, Nissa's Cot, Iliad's Cot, Jaryyd's Cot, Cailyn's Cot, Lairae's Cot, Meerak's Cot, Airam's Cot, Stitch's Cot, Ryan's Cot, Jillriel's Cot, Cam's Comfy Cot, and Sneakyfeet here.
You notice Jillriel, Cameron, Meerak, Nissa, Jaryyd, Stitch, Khalylai, Micail, and Ryan asleep here.
Cailyn, Airam, Cheyanna, Lairae, Iliad, and Xayna are here.
Obvious exits:
Caverns

A light knock at the door to the room precedes the entrance of a not very tall woman with fading red hair. Green eyes sparkle with curiousity, "Hello," no hesitation in the voice, "I'm Mailli, from Dolphin Hall," she looks round the barracks and takes a silent count, "I take it this is all that could get time off from chores?"

Xayna blinks awake. "Huh? What?" A look around room reveals there is a newcomer. "Oh, hello again. I...suppose so." She looks embarassed at having fallen asleep and sits up straighter on her cot.

"Oh, hey," Iliad greets, without titles, of course. If she doesn't give one, he's not about to entitle her to it. And charms? Foreign. Slowly, he peels himself up into a seated position on his cot, using the heel of his hand to rub away the fatigue. "Some'll pop in later if you let them, I'm sure."

Lairae wasn't asleep, just relaxing, but she sits up very straight also. "I tried to remind everyone to get here on time," she says, laughing lightly. "Sometimes it's hard to keep track, I'm sure."

Sprawled out on her stomach, Cailyn peers up from writing some sort of letter as Mailli enters. Knowing that personal time is officially over now, the hide and stylus are shoved under her cot before Cate pushes herself to sit, folding her hands on her lap as she awaits for it all to begin.

Cheyanna is seated on her cot, crosslegged, when Mailli comes in. She offers the Dolphineer a brief smile, recognizing the woman. She doesn't say anything, though, just rests her hands on her knees.

Mailli nods as she chuckles softly. Yeah, Mailli is easily amused, "Very well," is her reply, "Let me start by asking what you know about Search and Rescue?" after all, some of these candidates will Impress and as riders they may be called on to help in search and rescue. See, the question wasn't so random after all.

Xayna gets into her thinking stance, with her hand near her mouth. "Very little. I heard tales about dolphins saving people from shipwrecks, but that's about it." A slight smile and she looks around to see what everyone else knows.

"We've touched base with it in the guard," Iliad says, tossing Cheyanna a quick look for confirmation. "Pretty much a broad focus. We did a lot of first aid... uh, carrying techniques once you find a victim. Just stuff like that. Not so much actually searching for people, though."

Cheyanna nods back to Iliad. "Usually, they get dragons involved with finding people from here, so with us, it's just knowing roughly the kinds of patterns to fly and how to handle things once you get there -- securing the site, first aid, things like that."

Lairae nods. "I'm with Xayna. You can assume a certain amount from the name," she says, smiling in chagrin. "But other than that, I don't know anything about going about it, particularly."

Cailyn simply shakes her head in response to the question, eyes looking around to see if anyone else has any idea as to what it is. Iliad and Cheyanna's answers gets a headbob out of Cate, starting to get a feel for what it is exactly. It's better to give no answer than a wrong answer.

Mailli nods as she makes a mental note, "Yes, dolphineers work closely with dolphins to rescue people lost at sea. However, we also find that sometimes we need to rescue people from cave-ins, or rock slides," Mailli works hard to surpress a shudder unfortunately for her she can't quite keep the brief flicker of fear out of her eyes for all her voice is calm. Mailli looks round the room again before she continues, "There will probably be times when a search and rescue will be required and the only person that can get in to the area safely is a rider. Does anyone have questions?"

"Nope," is Iliad's quick response as he bends over to scoot up his boots, if only to slip them on his feet.

Xayna shakes her head, resting her head on her hands, elbows on her thighs. For now, she is content to just sit and listen.
Lairae indicates that she does with a flick of her hand. "So would riders doing this need a lot of strength? If we're going to be shifting rocks off people or pulling them out from under anywhere or anything?"

A nod is given as Mailli sits down and gets into the nitty gritty theory, "To actually conduct a search and rescue, you need to know the approximate number of people missing, and how long they have been missing. Ages are good to know," she looks at Iliad and then at Cheyanna, "Does anyone know why?"

Cailyn shakes her head at Mailli's questioning, clearly feeling like the dunce in the class. She knows nothing.
"Different age groups present different health problems. The young and elderly are more prone to illness," Iliad suggests as he leans his hands back behind him and stretches his legs out in front before crossing them at the ankles.

Cheyanna is being singled out. Ack. She glances at Iliad, nodding in response to his words. "Children are also more likely to get panicky and not trust rescuers, so they need a different strategy sometimes," she puts in.

"Well, but they wouldn't really be lost long enough to get sick," Lairae replies to Iliad's answer. "Wouldn't it be that they're the ones you can't trust to get up and climb out on their own, barring injuries, so you have to take into account injuries /and/ ages?" She nods at Cheyanna. "Because of panic and frailty and such?"

"Yes, also there is the concern for hypothermia and dehydration. Children are going to dehydrate much quicker than adults, and both children and elderly people are going to go into hypothermia much more quickly," Mailli nods, "Yes, that's correct too," Mailli says to Lairae's answer. A quick peek is given to the other candidates as Mailli looks round the room.

"Should we be taking notes?" Iliad asks quickly, already starting to rummage around in his rucksack for some form of book to scribble down in.

Mailli laughs at that question, "That might not hurt," she's feeling rather lost herself since she is present sans her own rather copious notes, "So obviously a search and rescue by sea is going to be conducted differently than one adragonback," Mailli is now thinking rapidly, "We usually sector the search area and search the area by sections. This is so that we can be sure not to miss anything," after all even the smallest clue on where to look should not be over looked, "The last search and rescue I was on took us nearly a sevenday to complete. It was the stuffed llama that gave us the clue where to find the child," the 'phincrafter smiles at that memory, "She was cold, hungry, and slightly dehydrated, but otherwise fine," those are the best rescues.

Xayna watches as some others pull out stuff to take notes, so sighs and pulls out her scrap hides and stylus to take notes as well. Scribbling furiously to write down all she knows, though whether anyone will be able to read it later is another question entirely. "What are the most common types of rescues?"

Lairae looks impressed. "She was still all right after a sevenday?" She bends her head back to taking notes, though hers look fairly short and to the point.

"Are we actually going to be doing these rescues? Like practice or...?" Iliad asks, shifting on the cot to get more comfortable.

Going along with the rest of the group, a clean hide is pulled out and some random notes are scribbled down on it. Since everyone else seems to be asking the questions that she would ask, Cailyn remains oddly quiet, concentrating on listening and taking notes.

Mailli nods at Lairae, "She was mostly alright. The nearest we could figure out was that she managed to find some berries to eat," Mailli then looks at Iliad, "I could probably arrange a mock search and rescue," then Xayna's question is answered, "I've actually helped the most with cave ins," which stands to reason considering where she lives, "Though I have also helped with shipwrecks. My specialty is making and repairing charts and maps, but I have working knowledge of all the specialties in my craft," brief? Probably not, but it does answer the question.

Xayna nods and scribbles down the answers, then holds her stylus ready for more note-taking.
"Sweet. That'd be pretty neat if we got to actually do something," Iliad says, setting the notebook down for a moment, if only to pick dirt from underneath his short nails.

"How much specialized training would it take to start doing it?" Lairae asks, tapping idly with her stylus rather than writing with it. "Or is it something you only do so occasionally you just get a little basic training?"

Mailli ponders the question just asked for a moment, "On average there are somewhere between two to three ships that go missing for various reasons each Turn," Mailli thinks a moment, "The last big cave in at Seacliffs was just over a Turn back, then there are the various caves and ruins that have been found at Windcrest Island that have been known to be affected by quakes," Mailli's voice holds steady as she continues, "We arrange mock search and rescues on average once every two sevendays. Or whenever we have the worst storm," she thinks a bit more before she adds, "It's important to have the most distractions possible, and the worst conditions possible because the rescuer does no one any good if she or he in turn need to be rescued," Mailli gives each candidate a steady look.

Xayna nods and continues writing. "So, it isn't all that uncommon then, though big rescues are. I suppose it would be the riders that would do searching for lost people in the mountains? Of course ground crews from the weyrs." A nod is given to Iliad and Cheyanna.

Mailli nods, "And in the mountains you have snow that you need to know how to search in," something Mailli has little experience with, "The extremes of Ista are quite different from what would be found here. You'd have a completely different training parameter as you'd have to keep in mind that the two biggest risks for someone lost or in trouble would not be dehydration and hypothermia. You'd have hypothermia and frostbite," she thinks a moment, before she nods, "Yeah, frostbite and hypothermia," ah the joys of working from notes one does not have present. Mailli's actually amazed she's remembered as much as she has on what she had prepared for the presentation.

Xayna nods and writes that down, along with a few extra comments.

"Snow. Yeah, I'd say we get plenty of snow up here," Iliad comments from the peanut gallery as he sprawls out on his cot now, rolling onto his stomach.

Mailli stands and looks round, "So here's the scenario, word has come in that there is a family of traders that has lost control of their draft animals. It's midwinter, the father has made it to the weyr safely, however he has a pregnant wife, a small child and his aging mother that he has no idea where they are. Who is most at risk and why?"

"I'd say all of them are at high risk, but if we have to pick one, the pregnant wife, maybe?" Iliad replies, tapping his stylus against his cheek for a moment, if only to make a popping noise.

Xayna thinks. "The aging mother and small child because they will both be more susceptible to the cold, though the mother would be more at risk." Her voice is shaky as she says it, as she is not really sure about her answer.

"Uhm, the pregnant wife?" Cailyn speaks up, shrugging a shoulder as she looks around to see what everyone else guesses.

Cheyanna wrinkles her nose. "How small a child?" she asks. "I'm guessing them."

Lairae considers hard. She ticks off the people off the people on her fingers. "Child, mother, and then the wife. Because the child is frail and confused and panicky, the mother's frail, and then the wife's...slightly less frail?" Lairae shakes her head. "How much is a pregnant woman suceptible to the cold?"

Mailli is impressed with the answers so far, "The child and then the mother. The pregnant woman is least at risk unless she's at the end of her pregnancy," though it has been Mailli's experience that few woman travel while at the end of their pregnancy, "The wife is less susceptable to cold if only because she's likely wearing loose layers of clothing," ah the memory of cold winters speakes up, "So which would you rescue if you know you can only rescue one?" yeah, Mailli's had to make that call, fortunately only once.

"I'd say the pregnant woman. You'd be saying two lives with her instead of just one." And that's Cailyn's logic. "And if not her, then the child."

Lairae grimaces. "Well...Yeah. Maybe the pregnant woman, then the child, because of who's most likely to make it anyway and who has the most of their life ahead of them."

Xayna nods. "I agree with Cailyn in part. I'd choose between the pregnant woman or the young child."

"Only rescue one? Couldn't we---why? I mean, does that actually -happen-? Chances are we wouldn't be rescuing people by ourselves, right? But, if that's the case, I'd say the pregnant woman too, if only because there're two lives at risk, not just one." And now he's just repeating what everyone else just said.

Mailli nods, "You'd be right. As difficult as it is to make that kind of a choice there are times when one must do just that," Mailli nods again as she listens to the answers, "Yes, that does actually happen, though that is extremely rare to see happen," something that Mailli's tone and expression state very clearly she is glad of, "I've only seen that once in my entire time with Dolphincraft," unfortunately she was the one that had to make that call, "The mother is going to want her child saved. Most often you're going to be able to successfully rescue everyone. Occassionally you arrive too late and the rescue becomes recovery," and she's seen that too.

Xayna nods and scribbles all of it down. "I'm glad it's a rare occurrance." As to what part is not spoken. Her head is down as more notes and comments are added in the corners.

"I bet it's hard to do when you actually have to do it, rather than just sitting here talking about it," Lairae says, frowning at the floor. "Choosing between people, I mean."

A light tap and a dark haired head peeks into the barracks, "Master Mailli?" Mailli looks up and rolls her eyes and sighs, "Give me another five minutes and I'll be out, Vera," the 'phincrafter truly does detest that particular rider, though her dragon is actually very sweet and makes up for the surliness or her rider, "Yes, it's very difficult. It's actually a situation I hope never to see again," and so far Mailli has been very fortunate in that one wish, "The best rule of thumb is to assess the situation and the people. Those who are in the most need of care are rescued first. Someone that is unconscious, has a broken limb, or incoherent as they could have taken a blow to the head; these are the critical care and need a healer the fastest. If you get to a scene and you have one or more people trying to make others comfortable, they can wait."

"That's pretty intense." Well, it's something to say. It makes Iliad active in the discussion, doesn't it? By now, he's sketched a little doodle onto the back of his hand.

Xayna leans back against the wall and pulls her legs up to sit cross-legged. "Sometimes decisions have to be made. At least now we know why certain ones are made they way they do."

Mailli nods as she stands and heads for the door as Vera coughs outside the barracks, "It is very intense. It's one of the reasons we train so intensely. The first rule of search and rescue is to stay calm. If you panic in a situation where you are already dealing with people in varying states of panic then you're only going to make the matter worse," a decisive nod is given, "Exactly, sometimes you have to make a choice and hope that you've made the right one. In the situation that I touched on, the situation was a ship alight. There was a girl making passage to Southern when the incident happened. Most of the crew had managed to get off, there was a deckhand trapped under a boom while the girl was simply behind a rather small wall of flame," Mailli closes her eyes and shakes her head slowly, "I had to make a choice. I knew I could only save one of them, the deckhand was trapped with no way to get at her without risking being trapped myself. The girl was the most logical choice," though Mailli still has nightmares.

Xayna smiles sympathically but has no words. "Thank for the information Master Mailli. I learned a lot." The notes are now put away with the rest of her personal hides.

"Yes, thank you! Especially for the stuff from personal experience," Lairae says, nodding to Mailli.

"Thaaaanks. I hope we can do that practical--thing. You know, the mock session. That'd be fun," Iliad says, finally rolling onto his back.

"Not to rush you, Craftmaster, but I do have a sweep to ride," Vera's tone is cold, her gaze even colder, "Then leave, Vera. I'm certain I can get a ride back when I'm finished here," the greenrider glares and storms from the barracks, "That woman gets worse every time I see her," Mailli shakes her head sadly, "Please tell me no one here was coerced," of course not, but Mailli's heard rumors concerning Vera; and of course the crafter is completely unaware of having spoken aloud, "Well, now that my ride has left, I think I should wrap this up and go see if I can scrounge a ride home. Any last questions?" Mailli nods, "I'll see what I can do. I know a boy that's very good at finding very obscure hiding places," if there's a space big enough to hide in, Mailli's son will find it regardless of how well he knows the area, "He's not very big either, so he'd be perfect."

"Sounds like fun," Lairae says. "Thank you for your time."

Xayna shakes her head. "No more questions for now, but if I have any later I'll be sure to ask you."

Mailli nods before she steps out of the door, "It was good to get away from the hall for a time," even if it was a short time, and with that Mailli ducks out of the room.