What is “Wilderness First Aid” and why should you care?
Well, if you go camping in the woods (or hell, even take a long walk!) any real distance from emergency care, you NEED to know what to do if there’s an emergency.
An injury due to a bad slip and fall, or a natural – cause health related issue is a big deal when medical help can’t reach you quickly. Right?
So, a situation like this requires specialized knowledge in order to manage the injured person before help can arrive.
Below, Bill Brock brings you the ABCDE of Wilderess First Aid. Watch it… it may save you, a friend, or a loved one’s life.
There’s plenty of excellent Wilderness First Aid courses available. They’ll teach you things like handling:
- Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction impairing breathing)
- Frostbite
- Animal (esp. snake) bites
- Heat Exhaustion
- Bug Bites
- Tic Removal
- Hypothermia
… and more that could keep you or a friend alive if things go bad.
If you HAVEN’T received any wilderness first aid training, at the very least, I suggest you:
1 – Always have a partner with you in the wilderness.
2 – Do a little research BEFORE you go out in the wild to see what type of poisonous snakes and plants exist, and other dangerous animals that are lurking in the area. This will help you avoid, or at least be prepared, if there’s a problem.
3 – Take a lightweight First Aid Kit or Trauma Bag. It should contain the basics, as well as some pain medication, fever reducers, Quikclot, activated charcoal, syrup of ipecac, and an Epipen.
