A large part of survival is knowing what to do when plans go wrong. So when an injury occurs to you or someone else around you, do you know what to do? Would you know how to treat common injuries or traumas so that you can help in an emergency medical situation?
In order to be well-prepared for medical emergencies, it is a good idea to be certified in basic first aid and/or CPR. More specifically, if you plan to be outdoors in a remote area, consider getting certified in wilderness first aid. It is particularly important to have at least one person certified in wilderness first aid when participating in outdoor recreation activities as part of a group.
Basic First Aid
Basic first aid classes are enough to get you started with the knowledge and skills to deal with medical emergencies or injuries. Some of these include choking, problems with breathing, fainting, heart attack, stroke, seizures, and shock. It is probably more common, especially when outside, to deal with injuries such as sprains and broken bones, bleeding wounds, and possibly head and neck injuries depending on the severity of the accident.
First aid classes also cover many environmental emergencies that can happen in nature such as hypothermia, frost bite, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and bites and stings. Organizations that provide first aid classes include the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, and even your local fire department.
Wilderness First Aid
Wilderness first aid (WFA) is a step up from a basic first aid class to cover how to deal with emergency medical situations in isolated areas where advanced care is not readily accessible. These situations could occur in any type of outdoor recreation including backpacking, camping, rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, and so forth.
Wilderness first aid covers many situations that a basic first aid class does not with a focus on what to do in situations specific to the outdoors. On top of the basics, a wilderness first aid class covers circumstances like altitude illnesses, injuries due to lightning, snow blindness, poisonings, and submersion accidents. There is also special attention on fastening splints and tourniquets and carrying individuals to safety in the backwoods.
Consider being certified in wilderness first aid if you spend a lot of time in outdoor recreation. Organizations that provide WFA courses include the American Red Cross, the Emergency Care and Safety Institute, and the National Ski Patrol among others.
First Aid Kit
Of course, always remember your first aid kit when heading outdoors. A good first aid kit includes items such as:
- Gloves
- Athletic tape
- Gauze/wound dressings
- Band-Aids
- Moleskin
- Tweezers
- A foam splint
- Compression wraps
- Pain reliever medications
- Antibiotic cream
- Antihistamine medications
Other items to consider bringing include sunscreen, insect repellant, waterproof zip bags, and even a field guide to wilderness medication.
