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January 30, 2010

Better to be on safe side than be sorry

By ELIZABETH LEE, Living With Wilderness

Two weeks ago in the Press-Republican's Cornell Ag Connection, Richard Gast wrote about the management of hypothermia and frostbite. As he pointed out, all of us in the North Country, either through our occupations or recreations, are vulnerable to exposure to adverse weather.

Say your hunting partner tells you on the radio he's twisted his ankle. He's two miles from you, and more than a mile from camp. He doesn't know if it's sprained or broken. Your husband dislocates a shoulder two days into a six-day paddle. Your daughter complains of nausea and a headache and then collapses on what you thought would be a nice summer hike. An insect bite on your neck gets infected and starts to swell up. What do you do first? When do you stay? When do you go?

As a guide, a lot of my trips are to low elevations, over calm water and within distances I can cover in a few hours. By most standards my trips are low risk. But then again, a friend of mine broke her ankle stepping off the front porch. Things happen all the time.

I am frequently in the woods alone, as are many North Country men and women who cherish their freedom to roam. So last week I took a Wilderness First Responder class. Much of first aid is based on common sense knowledge of the body. It's not hard to understand even if you aren't inclined toward biology or medicine. Lots of things you know from solving problems in your own family. I had taken a basic first aid course but this course went into much more depth about a wide range of potential scenarios.

Even though my town is fortunate enough to have a few amazing, committed volunteer EMTs on the emergency squad, there aren't enough to traipse after me and cover the day-to-day needs in town. And even if my local EMTs were called immediately, it would take a long time to get someone into most places I go, even on day hikes. The role of the first responder to the scene is critical. You can alleviate a lot of suffering and make the work of the EMT much more effective. And, because EMTs use technology and equipment they can't get into the backcountry, your knowledge of how to improvise a splint or apply a sterile pressure dressing out of gear in your backpack can keep a bad situation from becoming an expensive and lengthy rescue operation.

The barbed wire fence that once spanned trees in a pasture can give you a deadly infection when an unnoticed coil of it springs through your hand. Post holes and widow-makers are common hazards but the woodsman who is prepared with some first-aid knowledge has a better chance of a good outcome. If you are a guide or an adventurer, a hunting camp owner or a hiker with your family, think about taking a wilderness first-aid course.

Basic First Aid is offered regularly by the American Red Cross and the New York State Department of Health. Wilderness first-aid courses are offered by several nationally recognized organizations that periodically run classes in the Adirondack region. Recently, SOLO (Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities) offered a class held at Plattsburgh State. The winter semester course was held over nine days and included 30 participants from the college and surrounding communities.

Elizabeth Lee is a licensed guide who lives in Westport. She leads recreational and educational programs focused in the Champlain Valley throughout the year. Contact her at lakeside5047@gmail.com.

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