This journal is brought to you by…
Bill, our sea ice safety guide, holding your flags. Photo credit: Alex Eilers
- Mrs. Paschall’s 3rd grade class at Lakewood Elementary
- Sharon Taylor and her Kindergarten class at Riverwood Elementary
- Ellie Wilson – 2nd grader
In the first McMurdo Station journal we covered the places I visit on a daily basis. Today I’d like to ‘show off’ a bit more of our ‘town.’ Let’s visit the clinic, the fire station and the ‘Skua’ store.
Clinic
Unfortunately, most of us here at McMurdo have visited the clinic at least once. That probably doesn’t surprise you! Since we live and work in such tight quarters, when one of us gets sick, we usually all get sick! The clinic here is not unlike what you’d see at home. I’ve been lucky so far and I hope I don’t need to make a trip to the clinic this year!
Clean bill of health, so far. Photo credit: Alex Eilers
Fire Department
Like any other ‘town,’ McMurdo has a fire department.
McMurdo fire truck. Photo credit: Alex Eilers
There are 2 stations, one in the middle of McMurdo and the other near the air field. Here are a few of the firefighter’s responsibilities:
- Conduct fire safety training (remember my firewoman training exercise last year?)
- Routinely check all of the buildings to ensure they are safe
- Drive the ambulances when there is an emergency
- Search and rescue
- Give medical attention. In fact, most of the firefighters here in McMurdo are trained paramedics or emergency medical technicians (EMTs)
- Receive hazmat-training, which means they can handle dangerous chemicals
I’m glad they are here to help keep us safe!
Skua Store
Everyone who flies to and from Antarctica has limited space (and weight) in their luggage. I had to weigh myself with my luggage before I got on the plane to McMurdo? We have to be very choosey about what we bring.
Everything is recycled! Anything that can be reused by someone else – leftover shampoo, socks that are too heavy for life in the States or anything that won’t fit in our bags – goes to the Skua store. This store is another way we reduce the amount of stuff that would normally go to waste.
I love to go ‘shopping’ here because I don’t have to watch my budget – it’s FREE! Photo credit: Alex Eilers
That’s a funny name for a store, huh? A Skua is a bird that lives in Antarctica. They are scavengers, eating all sorts of things that other animals, including humans, leave behind.
When we run out of something, we check the Skua store!
What’s the best part about the Skua store? Everything there is free!
Thank you for joining me on a tour of McMurdo. How does it compare to where you live?