Wilderness & environmental medicine
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Wilderness Environ Med · Dec 2015
Epidemiology of Search and Rescue in Baxter State Park: Dangers of Descent and Fatigue.
The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology of injury in Baxter State Park, Maine, and to better tailor search and rescue (SAR) resources, personnel, and training to acute needs in the park. ⋯ Fatigue is a major factor in SAR events, both as a discreet cause and as a contributor to other injuries. Search and rescue need is more likely to occur during mountain descent, and lower extremity injuries are the most common etiology. Efforts should be focused on training rescuers in lower extremity and fatigue treatment, and more rescuers should be available when many are descending.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Dec 2015
ReviewGeneral Medical Considerations for the Wilderness Adventurer: Medical Conditions That May Worsen With or Present Challenges to Coping With Wilderness Exposure.
Participation in wilderness and adventure sports is on the rise, and as such, practitioners will see more athletes seeking clearance to participate in these events. The purpose of this article is to describe specific medical conditions that may worsen or present challenges to the athlete in a wilderness environment.
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Wilderness Environ Med · Dec 2015
Emergency Medical Service in the US National Park Service: A Characterization and Two-Year Review, 2012-2013.
Visitors to US National Park Service (NPS) units have a unique set of needs in terms of emergency medical care. The purpose of this review is to quantify and characterize emergency medical services (EMS) activities in the NPS to elaborate on its unique aspects, establish trends, and benchmark these data against a sample of national EMS data. ⋯ Across the country, the NPS responded to a large number of EMS calls each year, but with a relatively low frequency, considering the large number of visitors. This is a challenging setting in which to provide consistent EMS care throughout various NPS administered areas. The typical NPS EMS response provided basic life support level care to visitors with traumatic injuries. The NPS caregivers must be prepared, however, to respond to a varied and diverse range of EMS calls.