Wilderness Medicine Tip of the Week

While great media attention is devoted to victims of avalanches, the Everest death zone, and shark attacks, it is easy to lose sight of more broadly useful wilderness medicine information.

This winter, several parties of skiers got lost near our regional ski areas. At the time of this writing, two snowboarders have not been found and are presumed to have perished on the mountain. Another group included a wilderness medicine trained physician. They ultimately survived after building a snow cave and calling for help.

Training and appropriate gear are paramount when trying to survive the unexpected night out in the snow. To that end, we will be posting several entries on the wilderness medical kit.

Our medical kit changes depending on whether we are traversing glaciers in the Alps, diving in the Caribbean, or hiking in the Rockies. However, the medical kit should always contain personal protective gear such as sunglasses, sunscreen, and gloves. Medications should include OTCs like ibuprofen, antihistamines, as well as prescription analgesics and antibiotics. Wound care and dressing supplies are important. Finally, survival gear is essential. We are not talking about shark-repellants and grizzly stun-guns here.

Wilderness Medicine Tip of the Week:

Bring a signaling device in the backcountry.

Survival gear includes a communication device. This could be as simple as bringing a cell phone or radio to call for help. (One should bear in mind that cell phone reception is spotty at best in much of the backcountry - but the "pings" between cell towers and the phone can aid in finding victims even when the signal is too weak to make a call). Some authors recommend bringing extra cell phone batteries on a backcountry trip. Don't forget about signal mirrors. Signal mirrors are effective when the sun is shining. Commercial products are available at your sporting goods store. Alternatively signal mirrors may be improvised from a compact disk, the inside of a soda can, or anything shiny. You should also bring a whistle. Some backpacks have an integrated whistle in the chest strap. Even if your backpack doesn't have that feature, whistles are lightweight and are very helpful in a rescue scenario. Other options include visible signals, such as bright clothing, a smoky fire (assuming you are not going to cause the biggest forest fire in the history of Arizona!) and nighttime strobe lights. Divers can carry whistles that attach to their supplemental air supply. Aviators sometimes carry dyes that stain the water if they have to parachute into the ocean. While diving, I carry an inflatable "safety sausage" balloon-like device that is visible from a distance. So while circumstances matter, the concept of a communication device is of utmost importance!

Refer back for more. Soon we will post examples of lightweight and comprehensive medical kits at our websites.

Thanks go to Stephen Guine for providing the classic in wilderness medicine literature: "How it Feels to Be Attacked by a Shark"

Joe Alcock MD