wilderness emergencies
DESCRIPTION
Wilderness Emergencies. More than one hour from medical care Refer to other texts dealing with “First Aid in the Wilderness”. Be Prepared For All Types Of Weather And Circumstances. Carry a variety of clothing. Bike ride to Vail. Know Your Physical Limits. Bike ride – tiger road. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Wilderness Emergencies
More than one hour from medical care Refer to other texts dealing with “First Aid
in the Wilderness”
Be Prepared For All Types Of Weather And Circumstances
Carry a variety of clothing
– Bike ride to Vail
Know Your Physical Limits
Bike ride – tiger road
Wilderness Prevention #2 Carry first aid kit Carry cell phone Hiking in hunting season?
– Orange vest Wear a whistle Carry a mirror Let others know where you are going
– Notes– Sign in at trail head– Back country permits
Wilderness: Prevention #3
Maps - Sometimes trail maps not accurate Lost in the wilderness?
– 3 fires– Stone formations– Create straight line formations
Survival in snow situations– Snow cave, sleeping surface if appropriate
Attend wilderness training sessions
Cardiac Arrest Guidelines For Special Circumstances
Start and continue CPR for more than 30 minutes in the following situations– Cold water immersion– Avalanche burial– Hypothermia– Lightning strike
Do Not Start CPR
Core temperature less than 60 degrees Frozen chest Submerged more than 60 minutes Rescuer at risk Lethal injury is evident
Dislocations in the Wilderness
Described in test p. 394-398
Avalanche Burial
Altitude Sickness
AMS (acute mountain sickness)
Altitude Sickness #2
Affects more than 70% who are from lower elevations and visit areas of 6,000 to 12,000 feet above sea level.
Altitude illnesses stem from a single problem: Hypoxia
Occurs due to less oxygen at higher altitude coupled with lower air pressure at higher altitudes
Altitude Illnesses
Acute mountain sickness:– Headache– Sleeplessness– Fatigue– Shortness of breath– Dizziness– Loss of appetite, vomiting
HAPE: High altitude pulmonary edema HACE: High altitude cerebral edema
Factors That Determine Altitude Sickness
Speed of ascent (Pike’s Peak) Altitude reached Health status (father-in-law) Individual and genetic differences
Prevention Of Altitude Illness
Allow time to acclimatize Diamox Rx Hydrate Avoid alcohol the first few days Avoid taking sleeping pills
Lightning Injuries
(Lightning strikes occur 20 million times, annually, in the U.S.)
Direct strike Splash Contact from holding object Ground current Blast effect
Causes Of Injury And Death
Cardiac arrest Impairment to the central nervous system
– Memory loss, seizures, paralysis– Sometimes permanent changes in the thought
processes– Entrance and exit burns are rare– Internal injuries are more common
Lightning: What To Do
ABC’s Stabilize spine Treat for shock (raise legs if appropriate
and keep warm)
To Avoid Lightning Strikes
Avoid:– Open water– Tractors, metal equipment– Pipes, fences, golf clubs, tennis racquets– Small isolated buildings in open areas
Do not lay flat on the ground Stay low (ravine or gully)
Avoiding Lightning Strikes
In the woods?– Seek overgrown low area– Avoid getting under a large tree– If in a group, spread out
• (Scouts in Colorado)
A car is one of the safest places– Current travels around the metal, down to the
ground (rubber tires are not the safety factor)
Avoiding Lightning Strikes
In the house:– Avoid open windows, doors, sinks, appliances,
telephone, bath– Strike can be outside with lightning traveling
along the lines
Wild Animal Attacks
Joggers on mountain trail
Wild Animal Attacks: Prevention
Make noise Carry a walking stick “Bear spray” Properly store food
– Food on bike ride– Kids camping in Col.
Stay in groups (child who ran ahead) Do not approach cubs Sleep in provided outdoor “shelters” if available
What To Do If You Encounter A Wild Animal
Don’t approach animal Don’t turn and run Back away slowly Talk loudly (esp. mountain lions)
Wild Animal Encounters #2
Make yourself as large as possible– Don’t bend over or crouch down
Pick up any small children Throw anything you can find (no food) Fight back except for grizzly and bear with
cubs
Beware Of Humans In Wilderness Areas
Extremist (Alma), Sally Barber Mine Tent along road side on bike ride