How to Stay Safe When Summer Temps Get Extreme
Source: Colorado Times Recorder
Shared by WMS: July 26th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Genevieve Hillis
“Heat is the No. 1 killer. We don’t think about it, but it’s true,” said Hillis.
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How UT is Training Doctors to Respond to Heat-Related Incidents on Trails
Source: KSAT
Shared by WMS: July 14th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Chris Moore
The Wilderness and Survival Medicine Fellowship in Texas at UT Health San Antonio — the first fellowship of its kind in Texas — is training doctors to respond to heat-related emergencies at parks and on trails.
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Titan Submersible Tragedy
Source: Doximity
Shared by WMS: July 7th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Christanne Coffey
It was announced yesterday that OceanGate would be suspending all exploration and commercial operations after the Titan implosion. Board member and marine medicine expert Christanne Coffey recently reflected on how rescue operations approached the situation and what the crew would have been prioritizing had the structural integrity of the vessel remained intact.
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Why Do Mosquitoes Like Me So Much?
Source: The New York Times
Shared by WMS: July 5th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Christopher Bazzoli
Life member Christopher Bazzoli weighs in on why mosquitos seem to like some people more than others and provides some tips for preventing those pesky bites.
Staying Safe in Extreme Heat
Source: WYFF4
Shared by WMS: July 3rd, 2023
Members Highlighted: Nathaniel Mann
“We certainly see all of the cases [the in the hospital] from very, very mild to very severe," said Mann. "But luckily, full-on heat stroke is a little less common, but we certainly see it every year. And for some patients, it can have long-lasting effects and in very bad cases can even be fatal.”
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The Titan
Source: Spy
Shared by WMS: June 23rd, 2023
Members Highlighted: Christopher Van Tilburg
In addition to high profile incidents that involve tour companies, including the vanishing of the Titan, experts say there are also far more travelers taking on high-risk travel alone. Often they lack the experience or the equipment to do it safely.
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What to Include in a Field Medicine Emergency Kit, According to an ER Doctor
Source: Spy
Shared by WMS: May 30th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Astrid Haaland
Astrid Haaland is a Utah-based ER doctor who specializes in wilderness medicine and has been doing avalanche rescues and tending to other outdoor emergencies for nearly five years. While Haaland, a professional, travels with a backpack filled with hospital-grade supplies that aren’t necessary for most weekend warriors, she does recommend everyone carry the basics for tending to common injuries, especially if they’re exploring a new area.
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ECU Emergency Health Residents Hone Skills on Wilderness Day
Source: WITN
Shared by WMS: April 18th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Jennifer Parker Cote
ECU Health emergency medicine residents recently attended training in Wildwood Park for Wilderness Day which focuses on common outdoor ailments like altitude sickness, lightning strikes, falls from trees, and more. The residents attended various training sessions and split into small groups to run through simulated emergency scenarios with “patients” from Brody’s Office of Clinical Skills and Assessment and Education.
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Wilderness Medicine App Fills Needed Niche
Source: The Sopris Sun
Shared by WMS: March 10th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Kaen Lapides
As the WMR website describes, the app “is designed mostly for those with a WFA up to WEMT [the next level above WFR] training, but even those with higher level training who do not routinely practice medicine outside will find information of merit inside this app.” But it noted also that those with no wilderness medical training can still benefit from the “Patient Assessment Quick Reference” section.
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Forget the Selfie
Source: The New York Times
Shared by WMS: February 28th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Isabel Algaze, Ian Wedmore
As the number of people spending time outdoors increases, so does the number of injuries. WMS President Ian Wedmore and member Isabel Algaze shared with the New York Times what they've been seeing and how it can best be addressed.
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Love in the Sun
Source: The Conway Daily Sun
Shared by WMS: February 10th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Frank Hubbell
Co-founders of SOLO, the internationally renowned wilderness medicine school located on Tasker Hill Road in Conway, Lee Frizzell and husband Dr. Frank Hubbell have led a life of shared values and teamwork that has made an impact on improving the lives of others.
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Backcountry Rescue Drills Keep Stowe First Responders on Their Toes
Source: WCAX3 News
Shared by WMS: February 4th, 2023
Members Highlighted: Sarah Schlein
Sarah Schlein, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, is leading a course on wilderness medicine. She brought her students and staff to see what Stowe Mountain Rescue is capable of. “The amount of skill and expertise and training and so much that goes into bringing someone from the backcountry, eventually into the doors of the hospital,” she said.
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Signs of Hypothermia
Source: Fox54 News
Shared by WMS: December 23, 2022
Members Highlighted: Walter Schrading
UAB Department of Emergency Medicine Professor and Director of Office of Wilderness Medicine, Dr. Walter Schrading, says, " In urban centers, the primary population of persons who are at risk are people without access to shelter."
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Three VCU Alumni Share a Passion for High-Altitude and Wilderness Medicine
Source: Virginia Commonwealth University
Shared by WMS: December 12, 2022
Members Highlighted: Luanne Freer, Harvey Lankford
We love to share how individuals got into wilderness medicine in our posts, but today, Virginia Commonwealth University did the work for us! WMS members Luanne Freer and Harvey Lankford, along with past speaker N. Stuart Harris, have travelled all around the world while practicing medicine, combining their passion with their profession.
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Mark Waddell Recognized by WVSOM as the 2022 Distinguished Alumni of the Year
Source: WV Daily News
Shared by WMS: December 7, 2022
Members Highlighted: Mark Waddell
Waddell is a WVSOM Class of 1990 alumnus who has worked as a physician in West Virginia throughout his career, including serving for 18 years as medical director for Braxton County Memorial Hospital’s emergency department.
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Dr. Terry O’Connor Recognized for His Work During COVID-19 Pandemic
By Karen Bossick | October 22, 2022
Source: Eye on Sun Valley
Shared by WMS: October 24, 2022
Members Highlighted: Terry O’Connor
Dr. Terry O’Connor has been recognized by the Idaho Hospital Association for work that went above-and-beyond during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
O’Connor, St. Luke’s Wood River Emergency Physician and Blaine County and Sawtooth Regional EMS Director, was awarded the 2022 Excellence in Patient Care Award at the IHA’s recent convention.
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ACHD to establish award in honor of Bill Johnson
Date: October 6, 2022
Source: The Vandalia Leader
Shared by WMS: October 11, 2022
Members Highlighted: Kathleen Weaver
The Audrain County Health Department has announced the recipient of its inaugural William “Bill” Johnson Advocate for Public Health Award. ACHD Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Craig Brace says the award will be presented to current ACHD Board of Health member and former board chair Dr. Kathleen Weaver. Weaver will be presented with the award at a dinner and ceremony at the Presser Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, with a 6 p.m. start time with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. The award ceremony will follow the dinner. The dinner is open to the public and costs $25 per ticket or $200 for a table of eight people. The proceeds from the dinner will go to help support the ACHD Team For Assistance program.
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Seafarers on the shore: issues raised by Australian doctors treating seafarers
By John van Bockxmeer and Nilukshi Ranwala | September 18, 2022
Source: Medical Journal of Australia/Wiley Online LIbrary
Shared by WMS: September 30, 2022
Members Highlighted: John van Bockxmeer
Seafarers have a unique set of health issues severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presentation of seafarers to Australian emergency departments (EDs) is common.1 Across 8 years, we have treated multiple crew members weekly and observed trends relating to seafarers in our ED, situated nearby Australia’s largest bulk export port.2 Seafaring is one of the world’s most dangerous jobs.3 Long hours enduring hazardous working conditions result in injury and death. Access to primary care is limited, and crew members with simple ailments may wait weeks for medical review. Seafarers were found to be 26.2 times more likely to die during their duties.4 In 2005–2012, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau recorded 245 incidents resulting in seafarers being seriously injured or dying.
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CU School of Medicine Names First Endowed Chair in Climate Medicine
By Mark Couch | September 8, 2022
Source: CU Anschutz News
Shared by WMS: September 9, 2022
Members Highlighted: Jay Lemery
The University of Colorado School of Medicine has established an Endowed Chair in Climate Medicine to provide transformational training for physicians to address the health consequences of climate change.
Jay Lemery, MD, professor of emergency medicine, chief of the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, and co-founder of the School of Medicine’s Program on Climate & Health, has been named the inaugural Endowed Chair in Climate Medicine. The CU School of Medicine’s Endowed Chair in Climate Medicine is the first of its kind in the country.
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Lyme Disease: What to Know About Symptoms, Vaccine Status and More
By Jessica Rendall | August 11, 2022
Source: CNET
Shared by WMS: August 23, 2022
Members Highlighted: James Marvel
Lyme disease is an illness caused primarily by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria transmitted to humans through the bites of certain species of ticks (deer or black-legged ticks in the US), and it's been notoriously misunderstood and underdiagnosed. But it's a growing problem in the US -- especially in New England, where research published in March found that 11% of people have antibodies against b. burgdorferi.
Dr. James Marvel, an emergency medicine doctor at Stanford Health Care and wilderness medicine expert, has researched the contributing factors to the spread of Lyme disease in the US. In an interview with CNET last year, he said that data over the last few decades shows that Lyme disease has "blossomed" in a number of US states and counties, particularly in the Northeast.
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Rattlesnake myths, truths and medical discussion with Wyoming Game and Fish and Dr. Brian Gee on the County 10 Podcast
By Charene Herrera | July 25, 2022
Source: County 10 News
Shared by WMS: July 30, 2022
Members Highlighted: Brian Gee
Rattlesnakes are a concern for folks in Wyoming, so this County 10 podcast is very topical. We have multiple angles and knowledge bases discussing the habits of rattlesnakes, questions from unknowing outdoor enthusiasts and the medical side of what to do if you receive a bite from a rattlesnake. Plus more insight into rattlesnakes and their bites.
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Can We “Hack” Our Bodies to Resist Heat Waves?
By Maddie Bender | July 27, 2022
Source: Daily Beast
Shared by WMS: July 29, 2022
Members Highlighted: Patrick Fink
Heat waves are undulating across swaths of the U.S. and around the world, bringing record-breaking temperatures and causing thousands of deaths. Scientists predict that climate change will only make these waves more frequent and dangerous, particularly in regions where cooling infrastructure like air conditioning isn’t widespread.
Well, luckily (or unluckily), there is a contingent of biohackers who have a solution that doesn’t involve addressing the ongoing climate crisis. Their approach lies in raising our own tolerance to heat. Or, to poorly paraphrase Shakespeare: What if the fault were not in the sun, but in ourselves?
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How to stay cool and safe during deadly, record-shattering heat waves
By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon | July 20, 2022
Source: UCHealth Today
Shared by WMS: July 22, 2022
Members Highlighted: Genevieve Hillis
Heat is the No. 1 cause of weather-related fatalities in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service.
As temperatures soar and smash records around the world, older people and babies who can’t easily regulate their body temperatures are most vulnerable to the dangers of extreme heat.
How can you stay cool during a heat wave and fight heat exhaustion and heat stroke?
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Extreme heat is bad for everyone’s health – and it’s getting worse
By Jen Christensen | Updated July 20, 2022
Source: CNN
Shared by WMS: June 17, 2022
Members Highlighted: Stephanie Lareau
Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital in Rocky Mount, Virginia, is full. It’s managing its share of Covid-19 cases, as well as more typical problems for this time of year, like boating accidents. But staffers have also had to care for people who are sick because of something that’s deceptively dangerous: extreme heat.
High temperatures in the area this week are in the 90s, but when you factor in humidity, the heat index climbs as high as 104.
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Wilderness medicine expert’s tips for staying safe while hiking or camping (Video)
Date: June 8, 2022
Source: WXII 12 News (YouTube)
Shared by WMS: June 9, 2022
Members Highlighted: Christopher Davis
Wilderness medicine expert's tips for staying safe while hiking or camping
Watch here
Expert offers 10 outdoor safety tips to keep summer from turning into bummer
By Shannon Andrea & Josh Meyer | June 7, 2022
Source: Virginia Tech News
Shared by WMS: June 8, 2022
Members Highlighted: Stephanie Lareau
Planning your summer activity bucket list? Before doing so, Stephanie Lareau, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, said a little common sense and the right preparation will go a long way in keeping your summer plans safe and fun.
1. Wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing.
While it’s important year-round, it’s very important during the summer to wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing such as sun shirts and hats when outdoors. Not only is sunburn uncomfortable, but can also increase risk of skin cancer and predispose you to heat-related illnesses. With sunscreen it’s important to re-apply every two hours, or more often if you're in the water. About 1 oz, which is a shot glass full, is recommended.
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Why Are So Many Climbers in Trouble on Mount Hood This Year?
By Christopher Van Tilburg | May 29, 2022
Source: Outside Online
Shared by WMS: May 31, 2022
Members Highlighted: Christopher Van Tilburg
At 5:38 p.m. on January 26, 72 cell phones from Portland Mountain Rescue (PMR) and 67 from the Hood River Crag Rats mountain rescue team rattled and hummed. “Fallen climber, Devils Kitchen,” read the messages. I cringed with consternation and frustration. Someone was in trouble again on the mountain, and my evening, night’s sleep, and next day of work would be trashed.
The most popular route up Oregon’s Mount Hood, an 11,249-foot active volcano, passes by two giant cavities that exhaust lethal sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The Devils Kitchen fumarole sits just climber’s right of Hogsback, a steep snow ridge that runs from 10,500 feet up to the Pearly Gates, the final chute to the summit. The Hot Rocks fumarole, where the heat from the earth never allows snow to accumulate, is just climber’s left. On a clear, windless day your eyes water and your nose stings from the sulfur that wafts across the flank of the most frequented area—collectively called the South Side Routes—on one of the most climbed glaciated peaks in America.
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Bug bites and stings: UAB’s tips for summer outdoors
By WBRC Staff | May 18, 2022
Source: WTVY News 4
Shared by WMS: May 19, 2022
Members Highlighted: Walter Schrading
Warm weather moves many of us outdoors to explore our yards, work in our gardens, or hike in Alabama’s beautiful parks. But with the great outdoors comes the not-so-great bites and stings from insects and animals.
Walter Schrading, M.D., professor of emergency medicine and director of the Office of Wilderness Medicine in the Heersink School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, recommends using an approved insect repellant while wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts if you’re going to be outside in buggy areas.
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Virtual Tour of Everest (Video)
Date: April 26, 2022
Source: Wilderness Medical Society (YouTube)
Shared by WMS: April 29, 2022
Members Highlighted: Sanjeeb Bhandari & Pawan Karki
VTC Wilderness Medicine Fellowship hosted colleagues from Nepal as they shared their expertise and experiences from their work at high altitude.
Watch Here
Doctor feels the call of the wild
Date: April 16, 2022
Source: Stuff.co.nz
Shared by WMS: April 18, 2022
Members Highlighted: Dinesh Deonarain
When asked what 50 days at Everest base camp looks like, Dinesh Deonarain laughs.
“Uncontrolled weight loss.
“Because your body is in a heightened metabolic state you’re digesting yourself, so it’s pretty much a licence to eat whatever you want.
“Not that I would advocate that.”
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Return to Alaska | X Overland’s The Last Frontier Series (Video)
Date: January 20, 2022
Source: Expedition Overland (YouTube)
Shared by WMS: April 5, 2022
Members Highlighted: Jon Solberg
The last frontier draws Expedition Overland back to discover what’s within as the seven-man team overlands and adventures through the wild landscapes of Alaska. Two newly built Tacomas and a 5th gen 4Runner, lead the convoy with a crew of the young and the "young-at-heart."
The return to this vast and breathtakingly beautiful landscape fulfills a long-time goal for Clay Croft, made even sweeter as his 16-year-old son, Cyrus, is part of the crew. Along with Cyrus, @Epic Family Road Trip Dan and Peter join this crew as well along with Tanner, Ryan Connelly, and a new face with some stories and skills to share. It’s safe to say that no expedition member will come back from this one the same!
Watch Here
UIW Great Graduate goes to infinity and beyond, aspires to be a physician in space (Video)
Date: May 7, 2021
Source: KSAT12 (YouTube)
Shared by WMS: March 21, 2022
Members Highlighted: Ste’Von Voice
UIW graduate, Ste'von Voice, is working towards becoming a physician for astronauts.
Watch Here
Three Winter Wilderness Survival Myths
Date: March 16, 2022
Source: University of Utah Health Communications
Shared by WMS: March 18, 2022
Members Highlighted: Graham Brant-Zawadzki
You’ve been cooped up inside your house and need some fresh air, so you decide to brave the winter elements and explore the outdoors. But sometimes your adventure may not turn out the way you had planned. The wilderness can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared as much as possible.
Here are three myths and what you can do if you get caught in one of these situations:
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National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members
Date: October 18, 2021
Source: National Academy of Medicine
Shared by WMS: March 16, 2022
Members Highlighted: Jay Lemery
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) today announced the election of 90 regular members and 10 international members during its annual meeting. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.
“It is my privilege to welcome this extraordinary class of new members. Their contributions to health and medicine are unmatched – they’ve made groundbreaking discoveries, taken bold action against social inequities, and led the response to some of the greatest public health challenges of our time,” said National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau. “This is also the NAM’s most diverse class of new members to date, composed of approximately 50% women and 50% racial and ethnic minorities. This class represents many identities and experiences – all of which are absolutely necessary to address the existential threats facing humanity. I look forward to working with all of our new members in the years ahead.”
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He Could Barely Walk, and He Was Seeing Double. What Was Wrong?
By Lisa Sanders, MD | February 16, 2022
Source: New York Times
Shared by WMS: February 21, 2022
Member Highlighted: Roople Unia
“OK, I give up,” said the 74-year-old man. “I’ll go to the hospital.” His wife of 46 years gave an inner sigh of relief. Her husband was stubborn, a seventh-generation Mainer, not given to complaining. But a few weeks earlier, she noticed that he was parking his tractor next to the back porch so he could get on it without pulling himself up. Then he needed help getting out of his big chair. Now he could barely walk. It happened so suddenly it scared her.
She eased the car right next to the porch. He needed both hands on the railing to get down, grunting with each step. His legs moved awkwardly, as if they had somehow forgotten what to do.
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New fellowship aims to prepare future flight surgeons to deal with medical challenges in space
By Emily Henderson, BSc | February 12, 2022
Source: News Medical Life Sciences
Shared by WMS: February 14, 2022
Member Highlighted: Jo Feldman
A newly launched UCLA Space Medicine Fellowship, the first of its kind in the U.S., aims to develop the next generation of flight surgeons who will support the health, safety, and well-being of human space flight and planetary expeditions.
The two-year program will include rotations at SpaceX and a specialized engineering curriculum with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is managed by Caltech. Under UCLA, fellows will train in biomechanical engineering with the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, undergo austere medical training in a polar climate, participate in Mars analog missions in Utah and conduct research with the Exploration Medical Capability Element of NASA's Human Research Program.
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They save skiers and hikers in the wilderness. Here’s how they think about resilience.
By Christopher Tedeschi | February 11, 2022
Source: Vox
Shared by WMS: February 15, 2022
Member Highlighted: Christopher Tedeschi (author)
In June 2018, a hiker fell to his death in the rugged, forested backcountry near Pratt Lake, about 50 miles east of Seattle. A 22-year-old first responder named Alexis Leader helped recover his body, which lay at the bottom of a cliff, wedged in a snow moat — the gap between a rock face and the snowpack. Leader had been a search-and-rescue volunteer for three years, and while she had assisted with recoveries in the past, this was her first time coming face to face with a dead person.
Leader’s team stayed with the body through the wet and snowy night. Leader cried as she drove out of the woods the next morning.
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Confronting Health Care’s Climate Crisis Conundrum: The Federal Government as Catalyst for Change
By Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH; Kari Christine Nadeau, MD, PhD | January 31, 2022
Source: JAMA Network
Shared by WMS: February 7, 2022
Member Highlighted: Ken Kizer (author)
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently reported that Earth’s global surface temperature increased 1.1 °C since 1900 and warned that it will unalterably reach 1.5 °C above 1900 levels in less than 20 years, posing the risk of catastrophic harm to humanity.1 The plethora of recent extreme weather events—including heat waves, droughts, wildfires, torrential rains, floods, ice storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes—makes clear that climate change is an evolving crisis that is already harming human health, especially that of vulnerable populations. These harms will inexorably increase in coming years.1-3 Colloquially speaking, humanity has reached a perilous precipice and must now find the will to change if it is to avoid devastating consequences.
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Is it Possible to Exercise Too Much?
By Christie Aschwanden | January 4, 2022
Source: New York Times
Shared by WMS: January 5, 2022
Member Highlighted: Benjamin Levine
Q: I hike seven miles per day, spend five to six hours per week in vigorous fitness exercise, and about four hours per week performing heavy resistance training. Is it possible to exercise too much? And how much is too much?
You’ve probably been told countless times that exercise is good for your health and fitness, and it’s tempting to assume that more is automatically better. But as with so many other good things in life, there comes a point of diminishing returns, and it’s possible to overdo it.
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This Study Predicts Who is Most Likely to Get Hurt in the Wilderness
By Dan Hu | December 17, 2021
Source: Backpacker
Shared by WMS: January 1, 2022
Member Highlighted: Sue Spano
A long trail is just that—long—and a lot can happen on it. Hikers can twist their ankles, slowing them down or stranding them. They can contract waterborne illnesses, leaving them shuttling between their tent and the privy (or a cathole if they’re unlucky). A run of bad luck might leave them limping; really bad luck could end their hike. Suffer a serious accident, and a person might end up on an express flight to the emergency room—or worse.
Backpackers come in all shapes and sizes, and with a variety of backgrounds and physical situations comes a variety of different risks. Thanks to a 2018 survey of more than 700 hikers on the John Muir Trail, we have an idea of how some of those factors play into who is most likely to get hurt or sick or needs to be evacuated on the trail, and how we can reduce—or at least prepare for—those risks.
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Obituary: Michael John Saddleton (1943-2021)
Source: Billow’s Funeral Homes & Crematory
Shared by WMS: December 13, 2021
Member Highlighted: Michael John Saddleton
"If a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing well." Words to live by - and Michael did. He lived his life abundantly and did everything with his whole heart. Michael John Saddleton was born in Bournemouth, England on June 21, 1943, to John and Margaret Saddleton. After World War II ended, his father joined the British Colonial Service, and the family moved to the Colony of Aden (now part of Yemen) on the Arabian Sea. At the age of 7, Michael returned to England to be educated at Taunton School in Somerset, where he was a good student and a competitive swimmer, and where he made lifelong friends. He had great memories of his early childhood in Aden, and of horseback riding and sailing on long holidays with his parents.
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Indian-Origin Anil Menon Among 10 New Astronaut Candidates Selected for Future Moon Mission by NASA
By IANS | December 7, 2021
Source: The Weather Channel
Shared by WMS: December 8, 2021
Member Highlighted: Anil Menon
Indian-origin Anil Menon, a lieutenant colonel with the US Air Force and SpaceX's first flight surgeon, has been selected by NASA among the 10 new astronauts who could fly to the Moon someday.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Menon helped launch the Elon Musk-run SpaceX's first humans to space during the 'Demo-2' mission and built a medical organisation to support the human system during future missions.
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Dr. Peter Hackett - Think You Have What it Takes to Climb Everest? A Conversation with the Doctor of the Death Zone
By Thom Pollard | August 25, 2021
Source: The Happiness Quotient
Shared by WMS: December 2, 2021
Member Highlighted: Peter Hackett
Do you think you have what it takes to climb Mount Everest? Did you ever think about what it might be like, and if you did it, would you kill a bunch of brain cells and come home…..different? Or, maybe not at all….?
Fact is, today’s guest feels that a person of moderate physical capacity could take on The Big E given the right conditions, with the use of bottled oxygen....
He also says to climb Everest it really helps to have been born with what he calls The Stupid Gene...the quality of being able to suffer for long periods of time, even willingly, in order to achieve a goal.
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These Wilderness Medicine Myths Need to Disappear
By Christopher Tedeschi | November 23, 2021
Source: Backpacker
Shared by WMS: November 22, 2021
Member Highlighted: Christopher Tedeschi (author)
Not long ago in my favorite outdoor store, I eavesdropped on a sales rep pitching a pricey water filter. He eagerly explained that at high altitude, his customer would have to boil water for 10 minutes or more for it to be disinfected, and that would take way too much fuel. He closed the sale. I bit my tongue and didn’t tell the prospective customer that they were being fed a falsehood.
So much of wilderness medicine is experience-based rather than evidence-based, or even worse, the unproven propagation of someone’s clever idea from decades ago. Here are a few of my favorites:
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Walk with a Doc: Emergency Healthcare in Nontraditional Environments
By UT Health | September 13, 2021
Shared by WMS: September 29, 2021
Member Highlighted: Glenn Barnes
Glenn Barnes, DNP, RN EMT-P, NHDP-BC - associate professor of Nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler - discusses what to do if an emergency occurs in a nontraditional healthcare environment in the September 2021 installment of our virtual "Walk with a Doc" video series.
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Wound Care for Cyclists: How to Bounce Back from Abrasions
By David Maver | September 29, 2021
Source: CyclingTips.com
Shared by WMS: September 30, 2021
Member Highlighted: David Maver (author)
While most riders will never need to give thought to carrying any wound care supplies, gravel, mountain, and adventure cyclists traveling far away from civilization should give this serious thought and include a first aid kit in their gear. The further away you are riding from outside help, the more prepared you need to be to help yourself.
Before leaving for an adventure like this, consider asking questions like, “What can go wrong? How will I get help? What will I bring with me to help myself?”
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Michigan Wilderness Medicine Assists National Park Service with Emergency Training
By Michigan Medicine | August 23, 2021
Source: Michigan Medicine
Member Highlighted: Brendan Byrne, Erika Kokkinas
Earlier this summer, members of the Department of Emergency Medicine’s Wilderness Medicine Program traveled to the Upper Peninsula to assist the National Park Service with its annual emergency training requirements for personnel.
Two faculty members and a senior resident drove nine hours from Ann Arbor to Houghton, Michigan, to board the National Park Service’s Ranger III vessel for a six-hour ferry ride due north to Isle Royale. The pristine archipelago of approximately 400 islands measures over 45 miles long and is surrounded by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Superior.
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Drowning is one of the backcountry’s worst dangers – but this essential skill could help you save a life.
By Christopher Tedeschi | August 17, 2021
Source: Backpacker
Member Highlighted: Christopher Tedeschi (Author)
During an ill-conceived packrafting trip in the Wind River Range a few years ago, a buddy of mine got strained under a fallen log. His raft flipped and wedged itself against the debris, and he went under. I saw his panicked face clearly as he emerged for a moment, took a huge gulp of air, and quickly slipped away. Miraculously, he fought his way to the surface and scrambled to safety. In the midst of that remote emptiness, the risk of sudden, deadly events in the water became instantly real.
Drowning has been the leading cause of death in US National Parks since 2007, representing about a third of unintentional fatalities. That number could grow as increasing numbers of new visitors head outdoors. While 85 percent of Americans say they can swim, only 56 percent can do it well enough to self-rescue themselves if their boat flips or a river sweeps them off their feet. For generations, the opportunity to learn how to swim has been skewed along racial, social, and economic lines.
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The Ultimate World Travel Safety Kit
By Global Rescue | August 5, 2021
Source: Global Rescue
Member Highlighted: Edward (Mel) Otten, Dave Keaveny
Every day, Global Rescue's travel health and security experts provide travel, health, safety, and security information for outdoor adventurers, families with children, students, and business travelers. Going into the backcountry? Be sure to bring your wilderness first aid kit. Taking a fishing trip? Make sure you have these fishing first aid items with you. Traveling to an area prone to winter weather? Pack items you might need for blizzard survival.
But, for the first time, Global Rescue has compiled the ultimate world travel safety kit, which combines safety equipment, first aid items, and necessary gear for all types of travel — business, solo, family — and activities and circumstances: mountain biking, business conferences, fishing, family excursions, hiking, kayaking, climbing, cold weather camping and more. We’ve asked our medical operations and security experts, our Safe Travel partners, and our members for their go-to gear, listed here from A to Z.
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As extreme heat becomes more common, ERs turn to body bags to save lives
By JoNel Aleccia, Kaiser Health News | July 22, 2021
Source: NBC News
Member Highlighted: Grant Lipman
As a deadly heat wave scorched the Pacific Northwest last month, overwhelming hospital emergency rooms in a region unaccustomed to triple-digit temperatures, doctors resorted to a grim but practical tool to save lives: human body bags filled with ice and water.
Officials at hospitals in Seattle and Renton, Washington, said that as more people arrived experiencing potentially fatal heatstroke, and with cooling catheters and even ice packs in short supply, they used the novel treatment to quickly immerse and cool several elderly people.
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Nurturers in Nature: New Student Club at UT Tyler Promotes Wilderness Medicine
By University of Texas at Tyler | July 19, 2021
Source: University of Texas at Tyler
Member Highlighted: Glenn Barnes
Would you be able to care for an injured person in the woods with limited resources? How about reading a map and compass to reach an extraction point, or purify stream water for safe consumption? UT Tyler students will be able to learn those skills, and much more, in a new student organization – the UT Tyler chapter of the Wilderness Medicine Society (WMS).
Wilderness medicine is a branch of medicine that focuses on providing care in remote environments with limited resources, while promoting wilderness survival and the prevention of injury and illness. Additionally, wilderness medicine covers outdoor recreation events, global health, missionary missions, search and rescue teams, disasters and other remote locations, such as oil rigs or isolated towns. Meetings focus on various topics including but not limited to first aid, patient extrication, survival craft and prevention techniques.
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Valley man named president of Wilderness Medical Society
By Greg Foley| July 15, 2021
Source: Idaho Mountain Express
Member Highlighted: Jamie Lieberman
The Wilderness Medical Society, an international nonprofit organization comprising more than 4,000 medical professionals, appointed new board members on July 1, during its annual summer meeting.
Jamie Lieberman, a retired, board-certified anesthesiologist from the Wood River Valley, took over as the 2021-2022 president.
Lieberman volunteers with Blaine County Search and Rescue and is a medical adviser for Sun Valley Trekking and Sun Valley Mountain Huts. He is also on the board of directors of the Boulder Mountain Tour Nordic ski race.
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Avoiding the emergency room while enjoying summer activities
By Hayley Henson | July 6, 2021
Source: WFXR Fox News
Member Highlighted: Stephanie Lareau
For a lot of folks, hiking, biking, and tubing or swimming are the highlights of an enjoyable summer… and while having fun is a top priority so should approaching these outdoor adventures with safety in mind.
According to Stephanie Lareau, an emergency medicine physician at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke and associate professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, a little common sense and the right preparation goes a long way. Dr. Lareau offers tips for avoiding the emergency room during the summer months.
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Recreating Safely in the Heat
By Kylene Metzger | June 25, 2021
Source: University of Utah Health
Shared by WMS: July 6, 2021
Member Highlighted: Graham Brant-Zawadzki, Jeffrey Lane
The heat of summer has quickly arrived, sending families outside to enjoy the outdoors. Before heading out, it’s important to plan ahead according to the activity you are participating in. Heat illness and heat stroke can pose a serious and life-threatening risk to your health.
About 700 people die in the U.S. each year due to a heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Oftentimes, the outcome of heat illness is attributed to both the magnitude and duration of heat to which the body is exposed,” says Graham Brant-Zawadzki, MD, an emergency physician and assistant fellowship director of the wilderness medicine program at University of Utah Health. “Prevention is paramount, but early recognition and treatment are key to treat heat illness.”
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Stay Healthy and Cool
During the Heatwave
Published: June 16, 2021
Source: UC Davis Health
Shared by WMS: June 28, 2021
Member Highlighted: Brandee Waite
The Sacramento region is expecting triple-digit temperatures this week. The high temperatures can expose people to dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. UC Davis Health occupational and environmental medicine physician Sheri Belafsky, and sports medicine physician Brandee Waite, offer tips to beat the heat and stay cool and healthy.
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BCH Be Well Saturdays: Episode 13 (Video)
Published: June 12, 2021
Source: Boulder Community Health
Shared by WMS: June 17, 2021
Member Highlighted: Cris Benner
Hiking, first aid kits, splints, snake bites, and more are covered in this "Be Well" segment which features WMS member, Cris Benner, PA-C. Check out minutes 1 to 5 for these quick wilderness medicine tips (and keep watching if you're looking for a new smoothie recipe to try).
Watch Now
Happy Trails: Pro Tips for Hiking Safety
Published: June 16, 2021
Source: UC Davis Health
Shared by WMS: June 28, 2021
Member Highlighted: Brandee Waite
The Sacramento region is expecting triple-digit temperatures this week. The high temperatures can expose people to dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke. UC Davis Health occupational and environmental medicine physician Sheri Belafsky, and sports medicine physician Brandee Waite, offer tips to beat the heat and stay cool and healthy.
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Morehead Native Returns to Hometown Hospital
By Hagan Wells | May 21, 2021
Source: WQTV 36 News
Shared by WMS: June 7, 2021
Member Highlighted: Ben Mattingly
Emergency medicine physician Benjamin Mattingly, MD has been brought on to the St. Claire HealthCare (SCH) staff.
Growing up in Morehead, Dr. Mattingly never planned to become a doctor. He had considered becoming a professor like his father, but medicine certainly wasn’t in his plans.
“I didn’t really like hospitals growing up … I didn’t like the way they smelled,” he said.
Somehow his wife, Jenni, a physician assistant, got him to reconsider medicine. She suggested he shadow a few physicians to see what it was all about. He got past the ‘hospital smell,’ took her up on her advice, and found his career path.
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Tips from Wilderness Medicine Expert on Staying Safe Outdoors
By Wake Forest Baptist Health | May 18, 2021
Source: Newswise
Shared by WMS: May 19, 2021
Member Highlighted: Seth Hawkins
Soon after you learn not to eat sand, you’re taught the next crucial lesson of beach safety: Don’t drink seawater. Not because it harbors germs (though that’s also probably a valid reason to keep your mouth shut while dodging waves), but because it’s salty.
Sodium, the main element in salt, isn’t intrinsically bad for us in. In fact, it’s a vital electrolyte that helps regulate blood volume and other body functions. And thanks to our kidneys, whatever salt we don’t need gets filtered out through our urine—a process that requires water. That’s why, after you eat a massive bag of potato chips, you might feel desperately thirsty: Your brain is telling you to drink more water so your kidneys can flush out all that extra salt.
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OceanGate Expeditions Announces Medical Team for Inaugural Titanic Survey Expedition
By Wake Forest Baptist Health | May 18, 2021
Source: Newswise
Shared by WMS: May 19, 2021
Member Highlighted: Seth Hawkins
As many people are making plans to enjoy the great outdoors this spring and summer, Wake Forest Baptist Health’s Wilderness Medicine experts are sharing some important information to help make it a safe and enjoyable time for the whole family.
Seth Hawkins, M.D., wilderness medicine expert, assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest Baptist and medical director for N.C. State Parks, offers the following tips.
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Want to Know What Backcountry Mistakes Will Get You in Real Trouble? Ask Search and Rescue
By Adrienne Donica | May 5, 2021
Source: Popular Science
Shared by WMS: May 8, 2021
Member Highlighted: Linda Keyes
Some people are more accident-prone than others, but none of us are immune from scrapes, cuts, and other injuries. And if your interests include power tools, remote adventure destinations, or high-risk pursuits like rock climbing, having access to a first aid kit is essential. Not all kits are the same, and yours should be tailored for its intended use. These ten options for your home, car, and backpack lend peace of mind and valuable tools in case of emergency.
Read quick info on five great first aid kits below, then keep scrolling for in-depth reviews of these and other options, plus expert advice for responding to emergencies.
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Want to Know What Backcountry Mistakes Will Get You in Real Trouble? Ask Search and Rescue
By Christopher Tedeschi | April 6, 2021
Source: Backpacker
Shared by WMS: May 3, 2021
Member Highlighted: Christopher Tedeschi (author), Alison Sheets
It’s been an epic search and rescue season fueled by vicious avalanches and a pandemic-driven backcountry rush. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned backcountry traveler, you could be next — and there are a few things your future rescuers want you to know.
Start by knowing what to expect in terms of terrain and weather, and pack accordingly. The right clothing can make the difference between a cozy outing and a hypothermic emergency. Then think about what you’d need for an unexpected night out, even if it’s an uncomfortable one: an extra layer, emergency food. Most importantly, SAR teams want you to know that when you head into the backcountry, you’re taking ownership of your own survival.
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5 First Aid Items and Skills All Hikers Need
By Aislinn Sarnacki | March 27, 2021
Source: Bangor Daily News
Shared by WMS: April 13, 2021
Member Highlighted: Jon Tierney
Accidents happen. No matter how well prepared you are for a hike, you could become sick or injured due to many circumstances. And in the wilderness, even the smallest hurt — such as a blister — can really put a damper on your experience.
While it takes special training and experience to treat many medical issues, anyone can learn a few first aid skills to take care of minor, common issues that occur during hikes. Here are five items to pack in your personal first aid kit for hiking, along with the skills required to use them.
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Know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion. One can kill you quickly.
By Alisha McDarris | March 26, 2021
Source: Popular Science
Shared by WMS: March 30, 2021
Member Highlighted: Tod Schimelpfenig
When you or a companion starts to struggle under the hot sun, you might suspect some kind of temperature-related sickness. But is it heat exhaustion or much more serious heat stroke? The difference could be a matter of life and death, so it’s critical to know how to tell them apart.
Each type of heat illness occurs when the human body can’t cool itself efficiently via thermoregulation. A root cause: dehydration. When our bodies are short on fluids, either because we haven’t had enough water or we’ve been sweating profusely, that perspiration—our built-in cooling system—dries up. That leaves us without an effective way to avoid overheating.
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A doctor, volunteer, mom, and ‘guiding light’
By Greg Foley | March 24, 2021
Source: Idaho Mountain Express
Shared by WMS: March 29, 2021
Member Highlighted: Deb Robertson
Dr. Deb Robertson, a physician in the St. Luke’s Wood River emergency department and a former leader of the department, is not someone who seeks the spotlight, but her talents and contributions have sometimes brought the spotlight to her.
Robertson, 54, has been helping patients in the Ketchum-area hospital’s emergency room for 12 years, earning the respect of her peers and those she has served. As medical director of the emergency department for 10 years until she passed the role to another doctor in January, Robertson was a key figure in the St. Luke’s Health System’s battle against COVID-19. She has volunteered to assist nonprofit organizations that work to provide food for people in need, deliver top-quality health care and teach dramatic arts to children.
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Brazilian wildlife adventurer Karina Oliani breaks record for lava lake traverse
By Kristen Stephenson | March 8, 2021
Source: Guinness World Records
Shared by WMS: March 8, 2021
Member Highlighted: Karina Oliani
Adventurous wilderness doctor Karina Oliani is the jack of all trades.
From floating around in anti-gravity chambers, becoming the first Brazilian woman to climb K2, swimming alongside great white sharks, and rescuing endangered wildlife - it’s better to ask what the inspiring environmental guru doesn’t do.
While roaming the planet in search of a new way to experience the Earth we live in, her latest expedition has taken her to one of the hottest points of the earth – volcanic lava lake Erta Ale in Afar, Ethiopia.
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CU Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine Reaches Five-Year Mark for Providing Care in Greenland
By Chanthy Na | February 19, 2021
Source: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Shared by WMS: February 20, 2021
Member Highlighted: Jay Lemery, Mia Derstine
Five years ago, the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine (WEM) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine journeyed to Greenland to provide health care services for researchers at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Summit Station.
What began as a one-year contract has turned into five years full of learning experiences for Jay Lemery, MD, professor of emergency medicine and section chief of WEM, and the wilderness medicine fellows who have deployed to Summit Station for a once-in-a-lifetime training opportunity.
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How Valuable Are Avalanche Airbags Really? – A Conversation with Dr. Scott McIntosh and Black Diamond’s Andy Merriman
By Utah Avalanche Center Podcast | February 10, 2021
Source: Utah Avalanche Center Podcast
Shared by WMS: February 17, 2021
Member Highlighted: WMS Past President Scott McIntosh
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Scott McIntosh and Black Diamond's Andy Merriman to talk about, well first, good decision making, but then, in the event you get caught in an avalanche, how and why an airbag can potentially help you avoid the worst consequences. In particular, we're taking about BD's innovative JetForce Pro Avalanche Airbag. A study conducted by Dr. McIntosh et al. suggests the JetForce Pro pack could delay asphyxia, buying buried backcountry users valuable additional time for rescue.
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Snow blindness can sneak up on you, but prevention is easy
By Terry Ward | January 28, 2021
Source: CNN
Shared by WMS: January 29, 2021
Member Highlighted: Dave Keaveny
As the only American to have climbed all 14 of the world's peaks over 26,000 feet above sea level — and the fifth person to do so without using supplemental oxygen — high-altitude mountaineer Ed Viesturs has come closer to the sun here on Earth than most of us ever will.
Among the things the 61-year-old always brings on big adventures is an essential accessory for anyone spending time outdoors this winter: protective eyewear.
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How to stay safe while snowshoeing and winter hiking
By Aislinn Sarnacki | January 9, 2021
Source: Bangor Daily News
Shared by WMS: January 12, 2021
Member Highlighted: Jon Tierney
Hiking during the winter in Maine can be a great way to experience the beauty of the season, with its crisp air, sparkling snow and whimsical ice formations. But if you’re more accustomed to warm-weather hiking, there are a few things you should consider before you drive to the trailhead.
To have a safe and successful winter adventure, you may need to plan and prepare a bit more than you would during warmer months, and pick up a few extra pieces of gear.
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The Adventures of an Expedition Doctor: Q&A with Dr. In-Hei Hahn
Source: Musa Masala
Shared by WMS: December 14, 2020
Member Highlighted: In-Hei Hahn
Dr. In-Hei Hahn is a world traveler, emergency physician, toxicologist and an outdoor enthusiast. She has practiced medicine on many continents in all kinds of environments and situations. She has provided medical care in The Gobi Desert (in China and Mongolia), Transylvania, the Atacama Desert in Chile and many other adventurous and resource-limited places. We are excited to share with you an interview about her work with the American Museum of Natural History (New York), her adventures in Mongolia and what keeps her going.
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How Dangerous is Cold Weather Camping?
By Global Rescue | December 3, 2020
Source: Global Rescue
Shared by WMS: December 11, 2020
Member Highlighted: WMS President Linda Keyes
In the summer, popular camping areas are teeming with people and mosquitos. In the winter, those same locations are peaceful havens, where all you hear is the sound of snow crunching underneath your feet.
“The allure of cold weather camping is like the allure of the outdoors in general, but the cold is more likely to keep the crowds away and ensure the solitude many people look for in nature,” said Dr. Linda Keyes, a mountaineer, snow activity enthusiast and president of the Wilderness Medical Society. “If there is snow, the landscape is transformed into a pristine, otherworldly scene you can't find in the summer. There's nothing like the quiet calm of a gentle snow.”
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How to Treat and Prevent Frostbite
By Megan Michelson | January 24, 2020
Source: Outside Online
Shared by WMS: November 12, 2020
Member Highlighted: Peter Hackett
The hardest thing about frostbite is that, when you have it, you can’t feel it. Your toes or fingers or the tip of your nose go numb, making it easy for it to go undetected and get worse. Full-fledged frostbite is caused by extremely cold temperatures and sustained exposure to the elements. You’re not likely going to suffer from frostbite after a quick stroll outside. But if you’re climbing a big peak, skiing all day, or helping with a prolonged rescue in the backcountry, you might be susceptible. For tips on how to spot, treat, and prevent frostbite, we called up Dr. Peter Hackett, director of the Institute for Altitude Medicine in Telluride, Colorado, who spent over a decade running the medical and rescue camp on Denali, the highest peak in North America.
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EMS physicians from UT Health San Antonio helping with El Paso surge
By Megan Michelson | October 30, 2020
Source: PRWeb
Shared by WMS: November 2, 2020
Member Highlighted: Bryan Everitt
Two emergency medical services (EMS) physician specialists from the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio are in El Paso to aid with the response to hospital overflow caused by the surge of COVID-19 infections there.
Katherine Raczek, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and Bryan Everitt, MD, EMS fellow, flew to El Paso on Oct. 29. They are working in a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) set up in front of University Medical Center, caring for patients whose condition is a step down from needing the intensive care unit (ICU).
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Six expert tips for camping in fall’s colder weather
By Natalie B. Compton | October 4, 2020
Source: Messenger-Inquirer
Shared by WMS: October 7, 2020
Member Highlighted: Marco Johnson
Without an end to coronavirus in sight, Americans have embraced outdoor activities to regain some sense of normalcy during the pandemic — and travelers have turned to camping in record numbers.
Campspot saw 2020 spring reservations increase 1,000% compared to 2019. Hipcamp, which is basically the Airbnb of campsites, has more than doubled its growth in the number of people visiting its website year over year. NOLS, a nonprofit outdoor education school, has also seen an uptick of customers for its classes, which address topics such as backpacking and wilderness medicine, since the coronavirus pandemic hit.
“As an instructor, I’m thinking people have been inside for a very long time. They want to go out and do something real,” says Marco Johnson, a NOLS senior faculty member based in Wyoming. “They want to connect with the outdoors again.”
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Training in the Wild: Externs get hands-on wilderness medicine experience
By Chrissy Murphy | September 13, 2020
Source: The News Herald
Shared by WMS: October 5, 2020
Member Highlighted: Steven Hobson, Abigail Wehner
Typically, medical students will spend the majority of their time in school in a classroom. But that won’t be the case for two externs in Burke County, at least not this month. Steven Hobson and Abigail Wehner are the newest externs to join the county for the Carolina Wilderness EMS Externship program through Hawk Ventures.
The program, led by Seth Collings Hawkins, aims to give medical students interested in wilderness emergency medicine hands-on lessons by responding to real calls for assistance in Burke County. Hawkins, a man of many hats, is the medical director for Burke County EMS, Western Piedmont Community College and the North Carolina State Park system and an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Wake Forest University.
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15 Safety Tips for Going Camping During COVID-19
By Kimberlee Leonard | August 26, 2020
Source: Mom.com
Member Highlighted: WMS President Linda Keyes
Summer is in full swing and families are itching to get out of the house and do something fun that builds memories. Camping during COVID-19 is feasible depending on where you want to go. If you are planning a camping trip during the pandemic, be mindful of the safety rules that pertain to camping in general and that pertain to COVID-19. Camping should be healthy not harmful.
New Jersey mom Megan Mwaura took her family camping and shared her experience. “Surprisingly, camping sites are still open but they only limit the number of campers. And campers are set far from each other," she told Mom.com. "It's easier to go camping if you have a camping van but if you're driving and setting up camp, you need to call your favorite camping site and book a slot.”
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What is Wilderness?
By Megan Cassidy, BSN, RN, WFR | August 18, 2020
Source: Trusted Health
Members Highlighted: Megan Cassidy (author), plus mention of WMS founder Paul Auerbach, Seth Hawkins, and Luanne Freer
You are hiking with a friend through the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, heading toward a nearby campsite - and at 9600’ feet elevation. Dark clouds have developed in the east, hinting at a possible thunderstorm. You decide to ignore them: your day’s plan requires you make it to the campsite by late afternoon.
As you and your partner hike quickly up the steep incline, gusty winds begin to blow, a misty rain begins to fall, and low rumbles of thunder develop. Quickening your pace, you peer over the trail’s edge and note your forested campsite a mile past an alpine meadow.
A storm is now upon you both, as hail pounds down and a bright flash illuminates the sky. Your partner suggests you both should stop and assume a lightning position, but you disagree, deciding it’s better to make a dash for the shelter of trees beyond the meadow.
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COVID-19 News for Sunday: ‘Wildfulness’ can help families with stress
By Tim O’Sullivan | August 16, 2020
Source: Concord Monitor
Members Highlighted: Sarah Crockett
Most people who live in northern New England understand the health benefits of being among nature. Dartmouth-Hitchcock emphasized those benefits over the weekend when it shared an article titled, Wildfulness: Nature’s Cure for Stressed Families.
“Getting families into the wilderness might be my biggest impact on public health. There’s no better prescription,” Dr. Sarah Crockett, co-director for Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Emergency Medicine Student Education, said in the article. “There’s no better prescription.”
Crockett is a Wilderness Medicine specialist and a mother of four who has leaned on nature in recent months to relieve her own stress.
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A Mother of Concern
By Linda Keyes, MD, FACEP, FAWM | August 7, 2020
Source: The Literary Review
Members Highlighted: WMS President Linda Keyes (Author)
Mary worked night shifts because of the babies. At night, when the lights were dimmed in the hospital nursery, she could hold and rock the newborns. During the hubbub of the day, when administrators roamed the halls and the fluorescent lights blazed their bleak light, no one had time for the state wards lined up in their plastic bassinets. Mary believed it her role to give the babies the touch and comfort they were missing. As she cradled them in her thin arms, she wondered about the mothers, but not too much.
Maybe because Mary was so slight, not much bigger than a child herself, or maybe because of her competence as a med tech, the rest of the night staff workers indulged her time with the babies. As she moved from incubator to incubator, charting vital signs, and humming lullabies, she appeared reliant and dedicated. But the rumors Mary had heard about hospitals outside the New Confederacy intrigued her. They said that in the Western Republic mothers and babies weren’t separated. There was no Section 38. Mothers were never labeled with warning codes. All births were unrestricted.
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Emergency Preparedness 101: Talking Duct Tape, Water, And Safety Pins With Unalaska First Responders
By Maggie Nelson | August 6, 2020
Source: KUCB News
Member Highlighted: Sarah Spelsberg
In the wake of recent tsunami warnings across Coastal Alaska, and especially here in Unalaska, where over half of the city's tsunami sirens aren't functioning, emergency preparedness has been on the minds of many Alaskans.
And while many people became amateur preppers—hoarding rolls of toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and rice—as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, much of that "prep" work appears trivial when juxtaposed to losing running water, electricity, and shelter.
Sarah Spelsberg, a physician assistant at Iliuliuk Family and Health Services and a fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine said just having a few of the right items on hand during an emergency or natural disaster can be a game changer.
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NY Frontline Hero Completes 3,500 Mile Cross-Country Bike Ride
By Adam Harding | July 16, 2020
Source: NBC New York
Member Highlighted: Teresa Mellas
As if fighting the coronavirus on the frontline wasn't already a once-in-a-lifetime feat, a New York healthcare worker on Wednesday finished a 3,500-mile bike ride on the beach in Staten Island.
The journey took Theresa Mellas over a month but it was nothing compared to her 8-week stretch of volunteering as a physician's assistant in the COVID-19 unit of a hospital in the Bronx. The medical professional from Buffalo says she answered the call because it was the right thing to do.
In what was the epicenter of the nation's coronavirus outbreak, most of Mellas' patients were on ventilators. When she finished her time as a volunteer, she was exhausted but then she had an idea.
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Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas Researchers Win Accolades from Peers
By Will Maddox | June 19, 2020
Source: D Magazine
Member Highlighted: Benjamin Levine
Researchers at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (IEEM) at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas have been recognized by their respective professional organizations.
IEEM’s director Dr. Benjamin Levine, a cardiologist on the Texas Health Dallas medical staff and professor of internal medicine and Distinguished Professor in Exercise Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center has been presented with the 2020 Distinguished Scientist Award (Translational Domain) by the American College of Cardiology.
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Can exercising too hard and too long cause heart problems?
By Christie Aschwanden | June 13, 2020
Source: The Washington Post
Member Highlighted: Benjamin Levine
In 2010, John Mandrola was 46 years old and training like a demon for the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships when, out on a ride, his heart started beating erratically. He diagnosed it immediately, because, in addition to being an accomplished endurance athlete, Mandrola is also a cardiac electrophysiologist. What he was experiencing was a condition he treats every day at work: atrial fibrillation, or AFib, a heart-rhythm disturbance that can feel like you can’t catch your breath or get your heart rate under control. (It also increases the risk of stroke.)
“I could barely get home,” Mandrola recalls.
How could someone as fit and healthy as Mandrola develop heart trouble before age 50? We’ve all heard that exercise is good for the heart, and that’s undeniably true. But researchers have begun to understand that some athletes who exercise to extremes — competing in endurance events for many hours at a time over multiple years — may be at increased risk of certain heart problems, in particular AFib.
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How to Get Rid of Ticks from Your Body, Clothes, House, and Yard
By Lauren Krouse | May 20, 2020
Source: Women’s Health Magazine
Member Highlighted: Walter Schrading
Maybe you’re itching to start a garden or relax on your lawn. Or, perhaps you can’t wait to hit the hiking trails or go camping. All fun things! But any time you relish in the great outdoors you also risk exposing yourself to some pesky little buggers: ticks. So, it’s crucial to know how to get rid of ticks.
While ticks are *technically* around all year and present in virtually every U.S. state, they tend to cause the most trouble from April to September, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Wherever you are, when it starts warming up, that’s when insects and ticks are going to be proactive,” says Walter Schrading, MD, director of the Office of Wilderness Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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Grand Strand Medical doctor, Palmetto Poison Center report snake bite increase
The Palmetto Poison Center in Columbia and one local wildlife medical doctor tell News13 they’ve seen an increase in snake bites over the last few weeks.
The Grand Strand Director of Wilderness Medicine points to several contributing factors to the increase during the pandemic.
Dr. Jarratt Lark says the increase in snake bites corresponds to the state and area reopening, causing more people to be outside.
Just as snakes are coming out of hibernation from the winter, people are too now that things are reopening amid the pandemic. Now, there’s an increase in snake bites.
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‘Everyone in my life so far has been affected’: UCSF Fresno fellow flies home to country’s epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic
By Dennis Valera | April 17, 2020
Source: YourCentralValley.com
Member Highlighted: William Chiang
As the headlines came in describing the dire situation in New York, Dr. William Chiang was in the middle of a wilderness medicine fellowship at UCSF Fresno.
A native of New York City, he’d learn a friend of his not only tested positive, but also got put into the intensive care unit of a hospital. So, after getting the call requesting his return to help, he couldn’t say no.
“My medical school is now the designated hot spot in Kings County in Brooklyn,” he said. “Everyone in my life so far as been affected [by this pandemic].”
Chiang got on a plane Sunday and by Monday he was already at work.
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Exercising Outdoors With a Face Mask
By Gretchen Reynolds | April 10, 2020
Source: New York Times
Member Highlighted: Bryanne Bellovary, Grant Lipman
When we asked readers what they still wished to know about exercising during the coronavirus crisis, one issue topped all others. People wondered about running or cycling in a face mask and how it would affect their breathing, performance, chances of spreading the virus and even vision.
To find out, I spoke with a number of physiologists and other scientists about what is known or at least suspected about wearing a facial covering while exercising and what types of masks and fabrics might work best during workouts.
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The physiology of frozen fingers
By John T. Unger | January 21, 2020
Source: Montrose Press
Member Highlighted: John T. Unger (author)
It was so cold that the trunks of living trees outside of our tents popped in the deepening cold of that December night.
Not as loud as a firecracker, but almost.
It was a few years ago, and three of us were camped in unheated tents a bit below timberline, while the toes were staying numb from that afternoon's skiing in with backpacks.
What could possibly be the logic for putting oneself into that environment, a week away from the shortest day of the year? (That honest question will be addressed later.)
To prevent such injury, what simple steps can be taken by skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and other winter users? And as importantly, what does current medical research advise for field treatment of cold-related injured tissues?
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While we were stockpiling, here’s what astronauts were up to in space last week
By Ashley Strickland | March 23, 2020
Source: The Spokesman-Review
Member Highlighted: Drew Morgan
For astronauts living on the International Space Station, their life is a type of quarantine. They can't go outside unless it's on a planned spacewalk in very specific gear and they remain in the same confined space for six months or longer.
While many of us are practicing social distancing, working from home or living in quarantine-like and isolated situations, life goes on as normal for the space station-dwelling astronauts.
They're aware of the pandemic and have been sharing their support for people across the globe through their Twitter accounts. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir shared her perspective: "From up here, it is easy to see that we are truly all in this together. #EarthStrong."
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EMS surge capacity: Where to find more caregivers for COVID-19 response
By Emily Pearce, BS, EMT-P, FAWM, DiMM | March 22, 2020
Source: EMS 1
Member Highlighted: Emily Pearce (author)
COVID-19 cases in the United States are expanding exponentially and already overwhelming the capabilities of many public safety agencies. As this unprecedented pandemic continues, EMS, fire and law enforcement agencies need to consider innovative strategies to increase or supplement their ranks.
Public safety personnel are unable to socially distance from home when their work does not stop and are being exposed at an exponentially higher rate than many other Americans. The first responders who answered the call to the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, where so many of the first U.S. fatalities originated, are now on extended quarantines due to lab testing delays.
Already within hospitals, ICU providers are projected to be in dire need shortly. The Society of Critical Care Medicine has recommended tiered staffing strategies in the ICU to incorporate non-ICU physicians, providers and nurses.
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Jason Luthy: Responsible outdoor recreation during a pandemic
By Jason Luthy | March 19, 2020
Source: The Spokesman-Review
Member Highlighted: Jason Luthy (author)
Turning around due to risk while pursuing an objective is difficult. The choice contrasts the perceived risk with an enticing reward. The difficult part is that the risks can be hard to identify and there is often no positive feedback for choosing the less-risky path.
We make choices to not ski a specific slope due to avalanche danger or to not climb a specific ridge due to the risk of a storm, but because the choices we make are intended to keep us safe, we rarely see the consequences of the things we choose not to do. We don’t often see the avalanche path in an area we chose not to ski or see ridge we chose not to climb get struck by lightning.
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The Latest Science on Purifying Backcountry Water
By Alex Hutchinson | December 23, 2019
Source: Outside Online
Member Highlighted: Howard Backer
Halfway through a 12-day canoe trip in the Yukon a few years ago, my tripmates and I ran into a problem with our drinking water. Thanks to the frigid temperatures, we’d burned through all of the batteries for our ultraviolet purifier. When we switched to our backup mechanical filter, it immediately clogged with glacial silt—and then, when we tried to force it, it broke. We were above the treeline, so finding enough fuel to boil all our water would have been somewhere between inconvenient and impossible.
What’s amazing to me, in hindsight, is how long it took us to come up with the radical alternative: just drink it. I’m a rule-follower and a risk-minimizer, and I side with Wes Siler on the importance of purifying your water when you’re in the middle of nowhere. So I was interested to read the new Wilderness Medical Society guidelines for water disinfection, which were assembled by a team led by Howard Backer of the California Emergency Medical Services Authority and published this fall in Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
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Lost in the wilderness: Tech tools help but they don’t always find someone in time
By Christie Aschwanden | December 15, 2019
Source: The Washington Post
Members Highlighted: Christopher Boyer, Tod Schimelpfenig
We may live in an age of modern technology and hyper-connectivity, but it’s still remarkably easy for people to become lost in the great outdoors.
Micah Tice, a 20-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy cadet candidate, had been missing since Nov. 24, 2018, when his body was found in Rocky Mountain National Park outside of Estes Park, Colo., in early July.
Tice was just one of three men who have vanished in wintry conditions in the park since fall 2018, but people become lost in warm weather, too.
This past May, it took rescuers 17 days to find missing hiker Amanda Eller in Maui’s Makawao Forest Reserve. And when a helicopter crew finally found 73-year-old Eugene Jo on June 29, he had survived seven days lost in the San Gabriel Mountains of California after becoming separated from his hiking group.
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The ABCs of SOS: When – and how – should you call in search and rescue?
By Anna Callaghan | November 5, 2019
Source: Outside Online
Members Highlighted: Christopher Boyer, Tod Schimelpfenig
Having a device like a Garmin InReach is great, but only if you know how to use it. To find out what to do when things go sideways, we talked to Wyoming-based Nadia Kimmel, founder of Desert Mountain Medicine, who has been teaching wilderness medicine for 25 years.
“When I’m no longer able to self-rescue, and if there’s no other way to get out, then I’m pressing SOS,” Kimmel says. “Don’t wait until someone is on the verge of not making it, because they may not make it.”
“So many people get lost,” Kimmel says. “Knowing how to stay found is important.” And that begins at home. Have a navigational tool, such as Gaia, and know how to use it. Leave a trip plan (the backcountry mapping app CalTopo is a great resource) with a friend who knows when to sound the alarm if you’re not back, or leave your plans in the console or glove box in your car. SAR will likely break in to look for information if you’re reported overdue.
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Meet the doctors who helped rock climbing take off in Laos
By Wesley Grover | June 20, 2019
Source: National Geographic
Member Highlighted: Volker Schöffl
It was almost 10 p.m. when Volker Schöffl heard the phone ringing in his hotel room in Thakhek, Laos. The 51-year-old German doctor had just returned from a night working under a headlamp, bolting a new rock climbing route in the jungle eight miles outside the dusty border town where he was staying. He was dirty, tired, and hungry, but the call was coming from the head of surgery at nearby Khammouane Provincial Hospital. A patient was suffering from an intracerebral hemorrhage and Volker was needed in the operating room right away.
“Coming back from climbing and getting called into the hospital happens. It’s part of our lives,” Volker says. As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in trauma and sports medicine, he and his wife Isabelle, a pediatrician, are veteran climbers who have often experienced this dichotomy. “It’s difficult because part of the day you spend playing around and climbing, and then you’re struck by the hard reality of somebody possibly dying in your hands,” he explains
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14 Essential Hiking Safety Tips You Should Always Follow
By Carolyn L. Todd | May 10, 2019
Source: SELF
Member Highlighted: Tod Schimelpfenig
There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in the great outdoors with an excellent hike. Fresh air? Peace and quiet? Stunning views? Yes, please. But as awesomely invigorating as hiking can be, it also carries some real risks.
“No matter how experienced you are or where you’re going, unexpected things can and do happen in a wilderness setting,” Christine Hoyer, a ranger and backcountry management specialist at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, tells SELF.
Fortunately, there are many ways to minimize your odds of encountering an emergency while hiking and equip you to handle one just in case. “The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to have a good time and stay safe,” Hoyer says.
These expert safety tips are crafted to help you prep smart and trek smart. Make sure to follow them before and during every hike.
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Dr. Jessica Gehner: Merging Passions for Medicine and Outdoors
By Erin Wolfe | March 7, 2019
Source: The Roanoker
Member Highlighted: Jessie Gehner
Driving North on route 220 in Daleville, it is easy to miss the sign with a picture of two hikers on it if you aren’t looking for it. A narrow, unmarked foot trail leads away from the Giant gas station. In Botetourt County, Daleville is a popular stop for those who hike the Appalachian Trail (AT). Through hikers making the arduous 2,200-mile journey plan to resupply and dine at local restaurants, and many stay at the local hotels to shower and to sleep in a real bed. It’s a 1,400-mile hike from the trailhead at Mount Katahdin, Maine to Daleville. For Carilion Clinic emergency medicine physician Dr. Jessica Gehner, Daleville was a life-saving stop.
Gehner was enjoying a one-year deferment prior to her first year at University of Kentucky College of Medicine, hiking the rarely attempted North to South route of the AT with her dad, Doug, when she had a life-changing injury. Gehner slipped one morning, fell and fractured her leg.
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Into the Woods: Top Tops for Wilderness Medicine
By Stewart Decker, MD | June 5, 2018
Source: AAFP
Member Highlighted: Stewart Decker (author)
There is a tendency in wilderness medicine to fill a lecture with 50 percent teaching and 50 percent stories of things going horribly wrong. I am going to stick to teaching in this post, but feel free to add your wilderness med stories in the comments section. I think we can get to 80/20, which would be a huge win in my book.
I got into family medicine because of wilderness medicine. As an undergrad, I took a "wilderness first responder" course so I could lead backpacking trips, and it remains the single best CME experience I've had. To this day, I remember the final scenario -- a cruise ship crash in the Caribbean. We had to swim to rescue our fellow students, who pretended to be victims. It was January in Tacoma, Wash., our "Caribbean beach" was covered in snow, and ice was floating at the edges of Puget Sound. We made excellent hypothermia packs.
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Pittsburgh Trauma doctor ran into active shooting, Risking his life as he Saved Others
By Candy Woodall | October 29, 2018
Source: York Daily Record
Member Highlighted: Keith Murray
Dr. Keith Murray was helping his 3-year-old son get ready for a costume party on Saturday morning when he saw a phone alert he couldn’t ignore.
He kissed his wife and kids goodbye, unsure if he’d return. There’s an inherent risk to being both a UPMC Mercy trauma doctor and member of the Pittsburgh SWAT team.
His wife worries, but she understands why he does it: for the guys, for the SWAT team. “To give them an extra chance to get home to their families should they get injured,” Murray said. “On Saturday, that worked.”
Murray got into his truck at about 10 a.m. and raced from his Fox Chapel home for Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, where an active shooter was reported.
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PREVIOUS NEWS ARTICLES
Ken Kizer: recipient of 2013 Major Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award
This past October, Kenneth W. Kizer, an internationally recognized health-care thought leader, change agent, quality improvement and patient-safety advocate, and co-founder of the Wilderness Medical Society, received the 2013 Major Jonathan Letterman Medical Excellence Award from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for advancing medical processes and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. He accepted the award in Bethesda, MD, on October 24, 2013.
The Major Jonathan Letterman Award is presented in honor of Major Jonathan Letterman, who served as medical director of the Army of the Potomac and is known as the "Father of Battlefield Medicine." In 1862, he assumed leadership of the medical department under Gen. George McClellan and quickly realized that the department needed a complete overhaul. During the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, he fine-tuned what is now known as the Letterman Plan, which not only saved the lives of countless Civil War soldiers, but also lives on today saving lives in Afghanistan and wherever emergency medical help is needed.
Kizer, MD, MPH, FACEP, FACPM, FACOEM, FACMT, FAACT, FRSPH, FRSM, FACPE, CPE, FAAMA, FNAPA, is currently a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, and is the founding Director of the Institute for Population Health Improvement, where he leads a number of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of health care in California. He is board certified in six medical specialties and/or sub-specialties. He has the rare distinction of being elected to both the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Public Administration.
The WMS is proud to congratulate Kizer on this amazing achievement and his impeccable career.
New Guide Explores the Treasures of Appalachian Hiking
R. Bryan Simon, RN, FAWM, DIMM, a Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) member and climbing medicine columnist for Wilderness Medicine, recently completed his first book entitled “Hiking and Biking in the New River Gorge: A Trail Users Guide.” This guide, printed by Wolverine Publishing, provides a much-needed resource for all users of the New River Gorge National River and surrounding state parks in southern West Virginia. In addition to the general public, this guidebook will serve as an outstanding resource to Boy Scouts throughout the United States, as the New River Gorge region is home to all future Boy Scout Jamborees at the Boy Scouts of America's Summit Bechtel Reserve.
In addition to the guide, Bryan writes for a variety of outdoor publications, is an owner/partner of Vertical Medicine Resources, serves on the WMS Membership Committee, and on the Board of Directors of the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine and the Appalachian Mountain Rescue Team.
Dr. Auerbach in Haiti, January 2010
Photograph by Chuck Liddy, courtesy of Elsevier
Paul Auerbach Updates Popular Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine
Paul Auerbach, MD, one of the world's leading authorities on wilderness medicine and co-founder of the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS), has teamed up with Benjamin Constance, MD and Luanne Freer, MD to release a new edition of the Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine (4th ed, Elsevier 2013). Based on Auerbach's critically acclaimed text Wilderness Medicine (6th ed, Elsevier 2012), the Field Guide provides fast-access solutions and practical advice for medical situations that can occur in non-traditional settings. A portable paperback, the Field Guide is written for the medical community but is understandable to many lay readers.
Among the new chapters in this fourth edition is one about global humanitarian relief and disaster medicine. The chapter discusses the challenges of clinical practice and safety in these situations, offering guidance on how to approach a terrorist attack, natural disasters and hostage situations.
Readers will also find a new chapter on sustainable practices to follow when in the wilderness. As an avid outdoorsman, whose recent activities include an expedition in Nepal to visit the Everest ER medical clinic at base camp created by Dr. Freer. Dr. Auerbach is committed to maintaining the wilderness regions of the world. In this chapter, he reviews “Leave No Trace” principles and advises the best ways to safely and sustainably enjoy the outdoors.
“I hope that you take the time to better understand the challenges imposed by humans upon our planet,” he writes in the preface. “To preserve the wilderness, we each must fulfill our responsibilities to understand global environmental science and be proactive in preserving the landscape.”
Other chapters cover topics such as high-altitude medicine, foot problems, and survival kit suggestions for various settings and patient populations. Complete with line drawings and color plates, this invaluable compact guide can be tucked away in a kayak or backpack, or accessed on a mobile device, ready to be consulted in the event of a wilderness medical emergency.
Dr. Auerbach is the Redlich Family Professor of Surgery in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is also author of Medicine for the Outdoors (5th ed, Elsevier, 2009) and editor of the seminal textbook Wilderness Medicine (6th ed, Elsevier, 2012).