Oyster Radio: Wilderness First Aid Course:Training for More Resilient Coastal Communities

The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve's Coastal Training Program is excited to offer a 2-day Wilderness First Aid course. A summary of the course topics is pasted below. We need your help to select the best dates for those in the region who want to take this class. Space will be very limited, so if you would like to take the course, please respond to the survey at the link below by January 7th. If demand is large enough we will offer two sessions in the same week.

Please complete the short survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QWSZXX9

This two-day course was developed by Outward Bound and is led by EMTs certified in wilderness medicine. Details about the training are provided below.

Wilderness First Aid:

Training for more Resilient Coastal Communities

Overview

Community resilience to disasters includes the knowledge that key personnel have the skills necessary to react quickly to adverse situations. This workshop for first responders will teach skills needed to provide care when access to medical resources is limited. Participants will be taught the skills to provide patient care in the initial aftermath of a coastal natural or other disasters.

This course is developed and taught by Outward Bound Wilderness Medicine. Outward Bound Wilderness Medicine is lead by Dr. Lynn Yonge, Executive Director of the Alabama Outward Bound School. Dr. Yonge is a member of the Wilderness Medical Society and a Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. The course will be instructed by experienced wilderness guides. The instructors hold certifications in wilderness medicine and are NR-EMTs.

Course Topics

Instructors will stress improvisation techniques for emergency personnel that can be used when emergency supplies are unavailable or exhausted. The course will address self care options when public access to emergency rooms is hampered by hurricane conditions.

· Medical legal considerations of rescue volunteers.

· Patient assessment, physical exam, documentation, and extended patient care.

· Trauma management for common hurricane injuries: crush injuries, lacerations, head injuries and blunt force trauma.

· Outside exposure injuries: Heat exhaustion, dehydration, insects, lightning

· Evacuation emergencies: Cardiac care, acute abdomen, anaphylaxis.

· Risk reduction for: communicable diseases, water purification, and safe food.

· Common Wilderness problems: Animal contact, sunburn, dehydration, splinters and rashes.

· Improvisational bandaging and patient packaging,

· Wilderness First Aid Kits and improvisation with available materials

· Spine injury management

Prerequisites: CPR certification and some first aid background.

Rosalyn F. Kilcollins