If you are a mountaineer, hiker, athlete, oil rig / construction site worker or even simply an outdoors loving person, undergoing an outdoor first aid course canturn out to be extremely useful in times of medical emergencies. Such courses are specifically designed for handling outdoor emergencies and the Red Cross website, particularly, features many such specialized courses on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or external defibrillation training.

In fact, such is the importance of first aid courses for outdoor emergencies that it has now become mandatory by law for construction and oil companies to train their employees on such procedures. Again, this assumes significance particularly for those who are designated as emergency responders in their work place, sports coaches or even the head of a family who loves travelling and spends a great deal of time outdoors.

The following procedures are taught in an outdoor first aid course:

– Through a series of lectures, hands-on training and interactive videos, you are taught to identify and care for scrapes and cuts, sudden illnesses, back and neck injuries and burns that can turn fatal. Head trauma and temperature-related emergencies are common outdoors and CPR training is also specifically given in these courses. These help in learning CPR techniques to take care of respiratory and cardiac problems till professional help comes to your rescue. More importantly, these courses are conducted according to guidelines set by OSHA Doctrine Guidelines Manuals, the Wilderness First Aid Curriculum and the Boy Scouts of America.

– The trainees are taught to identify and assess injuries in order to understand the injury type and degree of damage.

– The curriculum also includes learning stabilization techniques used in case of spinal and head Injuries; emergency treatment of shock conditions brought about by hypothermia or hyperthermia caused by extreme climatic changes or water-induced incidents; and procedures to identify and record fluctuations in body temperature.

– Methods to control altitude sickness common to mountaineers and solutions to respiratory problems in high altitude areas

– First aid for burns that cause body salt imbalances and to prevent cardiac arrest in the patient induced by sudden shock.

– Uses of splints to tackle fractures, ligament tears, dislocations and sprains and other assorted orthopaedic injuries.

– Procedures to stop profuse bleeding and to transfuse blood if it’s readily available; or to at least stabilize the patient till fresh supplies arrive.

In sum, if you get a Wilderness First Aid certification, you can practice first aid for two years. This certificate is acknowledged by a number of noted outdoors organizations like the American Camp Association. These courses also train individuals to handle emergencies brought about by lightning strikes, snake and insect bites as well as plant toxins.

Then there are advanced courses designed specifically for river guides, mountaineers and persons involved in rescue missions in remote locations. The best part is that these courses teach you to use material available on hand to tackle emergencies since elaborate first aid apparatus is rarely found in the wilderness. Snowshoes, backpack straps, skis, and padding used in clothing and packs can be effectively converted into braces and splints, should the need arise.

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