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The first concept in survival thought is prevention.
In other words, try to avoid situations that can alter the course of your safety in the wilderness.
Sometimes that thought and principle can not be followed and accidents do occur.
Are you prepared?
First one must always be familiar with basic first aid.The Red Cross offers some wonderful programs for basic life support and first aid and I would suggest to anyone that they first, before venturing into the wilderness take these courses. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
So your on the trail and problems arise. What do you do?
If your prepared, instinct will kick in and all you have learned from your first aid courses will come to you easily. First you must be able to identify the problem in order to apply what you have learned.
Here are some wise and common sense First Aid practices that deal with the basics.
SHOCK:
SYMPTOMS:Paleness, trembling, sweating and thirst accompanying any injury indicate shock.
In the exreme case it can include unconsciousness.
TREATMENT: Think Clearly and Act Quickly.
Unless the victim has a head injury or breathing difficulties, raise the feet above the head.
If unconscious,keep the victim on his belly to prevent choking.
In all cases, keep the victim well sheltered and warm for at least 24 hours. Give beverages frequently and as tolerated.
BLEEDING:
Keep the wounded area above the heart if possible.Apply pressure to the area with a gauze pad, seaweed, or even tree moss.
If bleeding continues apply pressure at the pulse points between the injury and the heart.
If these two methods fail, or if an amputation is being treated then apply a tourniquet between the wound and the heart and in the area closest to the wound as possible.
Keep in mind that a tourniquet is an extremely drastic measure to take and should only be used in such a situation, DRASTIC. Once it is applied, DO NOT remove it.
Wait until medical personel arrive and let them deal with it.
With simple bleeding, once the bleeding has stopped, wash the wound as best as possible and apply a bandage . Replace frequently and keep the area clean.
EXHAUSTION:
SYMPTOMS: headache, fatigue, Dizziness, Confusion, and Physical Weakness.
TREATMENT: Treat like Shock and Give Fluids, add salt in small ammounts to water given to replace the water and salt lost.
HEAT STROKE:
SYMPTOMS: Dry and Flushed Skin.The person will suddenly collapse due to overheating and because of the overheating of the body the body heat regualtor in the brain malfunctions and can not cool the body properly.Light and Fair Skinned people and children and elderly are most suseptible.
TREATMENT: Lower the body temperature immediately by whatever means possible.These means may mean immersing the body in water, Stripping of clothing, Fanning the body or even wiping the body with a cold water rag.
Once the body has cooled treat as you would for shock and replace the fluids and salts lost.
SNOWBLINDNESS:
Snowblindness is a burn that is aquired on the cornea caused by intense ultraviolet radiationwhich is generated by the sun and the reflection off the surface of fallen snow.
SYMPTOMS:The eyes will fel scratchy often with a burning sensation.You may notice more tearing than usual and you will become more sensitive to light.You may begin to see halos around lights and then headaches will develope and ultimately loss of vision will occur.Once you have had snowblindness once, your suseptibility increases in the future.
TREATMENT:Since one is basically blind the remedy of total darkness should not be additionally disabling.You should bandage the eyes as not to let any more light filter in to the area. Cold compresses and aspirin can be used for pain.If no aspirin is available you can also make broth from any part of the willow tree. Treatment should commence at the first sign of injury.
Most cases of snowblindness will recover in 12 to 18 hours without the treatment of a doctor.
ALWAYS wear your goggles or dark sunglasses for eye protection in the snowy high country.
HYPOTHERMIA:
SYMPTOMS: Loss of body heat due to exposure of the elements or being wet in lower temptures.Symptoms are shivering ,a slow development of rigid muscles,fatigue, weakness,loss of awareness, rationality,swollen extermities dilated pupils and labored breathing.
TREATMENT: As soon as symptoms are recognised, no matter how early the stages take action.
Heat loss must be curbed immediately.
get the victim out of the elements if possible and get the victim into dry clothing or sleeping bag. Buld a fire for warmth if time allows .Increase the body heat of the victim by rubbing the body, heat by the fire, but the best way in a time crunch is to get into thew sleeping bag with the victim and huddling with the victim as a means of adding heat to the person. If more than one sleeping bag is available wrap it around the both of you for added warmth.
Once you have restored heat to the victims body have the victim drink hot fluids like heated water to help facilitate extra warmth to the victim and also to replenish fluids.
SNAKEBITE:
TREATMENT:
Relax and keep a cool head.
Identify the snake and if non poisonous treat as a puncture wound , clean the area then bandage.
if the snake was poisonous soon you will feel a burning pain in the area and it will move into your joints.
There are 2 methods of retarding snake bite venom.
One is chilling the other is cut and suction. In the chilling method, you use ice or snow to chill the area of the bite. Chill the area by applying directly to th bite area ice or snow and continue for at least 2 hours.
Beware that chilling can cause excessive tissue damage but if this is the only method it does slow the swelling and also the toxin flow.
The cut and suction methodis more traditional but thought to be less effective,but can become more effective with a lymph constrictor in place.
A lymph restrictor are tourniquets placed on both sides of the bite area only left loose enough to still be able to see a pulse in the area. You are not in this procedure cutting off the blood flow, only the lymph flow in which the toxins run through.
Cut one eighth to one fourth deep over the fang holes and suction applied to the holes for one hour.The lymph constrictor should be released every fifteen minutes and retightened a little closer to the heart than before.
TIC BITE:
The tic is a rather innocent looking brown insect with a hard shell and is usually no bigger than a match head.It likes to burrow with its poiny head so it can there by get and suck your blood.
TREATMENT:
Remove the tic. If the tic is still alive it can be flushed out by using a hot match head on the area where the tic is to urge it out.
Other methods are to apply bug repellant or even shaving lotion applied to the area will make him come out.
If the tic is dead you must remove him. Use tweezers and try to get the head and all. If you have not gotten the head out then you can remove it by using a sterilized needle or a sterilized knife blade. Once the whole tic has been removed, apply suction for one full hour and apply antiseptic and a clean dressing.
Hopefully one you many trips to the wilderness you will never have to use any of these life saving tips but again be prepared and be a survivor.
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