Outdoor Emergency Care Publications

Outdoor Emergency Care Publications

First Aid
First Aid/Emergency Care Guidelines
· First aid treatment provided by a patroller can vary from giving out bandages for small cuts, to the transportation of an unconscious patient with a head injury. There is a wide range of first aid/emergency care certification levels and a number of good training organizations.

· The NMBP's policy on emergency care guidelines for patrols is as follows: NMBP individual patrollers must be certified in standard first aid & CPR (or equivalent) from an accredited source. First aid/emergency care and CPR training providers are listed at the end of this section.

· If a volunteer patrol is working with a land management agency, then each person in the patrol should be certified in the emergency care program required by that agency. The land manager will most likely be able to provide or arrange the necessary training for the patrol. In some cases, land managers may not want volunteers to administer first aid. If that's the case, then you must observe that policy.

· If the trails are on private land, and landowner permission for use by mountain bikers (and patrols) has been granted, NMBP recommends that patrol members be trained and certified in basic first aid or Outdoor First Care, and CPR.

· Advanced Levels of Certification: Higher levels of emergency care certification include Outdoor Emergency Care, Wilderness First Responder, and EMT. Some patrol members may be interested in these levels of certification (or may already be certified). While pursuing higher levels of certification is encouraged, it is not necessary for patrol membership.

· Local Protocols: If your group decides to seek a higher level of certification, make sure your treatment protocol meets the standards and requirements of local emergency facilities. This ensures uniformity of care.

· Legal Issues: Wherever there is a personal injury, there is a possibility of legal action. Most states have "Good Samaritan" laws that protect volunteers from legal action based on first aid care given as long as the first-aider acts according to the guidelines contained in his/her training. These laws vary from state-to-state. Find out what the law is in your state by contacting your local chapter of the American Red Cross, your local or state attorney's office, or your local land manager.

· First Aid Pack Contents: Most patrollers wear some type of pack such as a large capacity hydration pack (Camelbak H.A.W.G) which can be used to carry first aid supplies, tools and tubes. It is recommended that patrol members carry the following first aid items: (Note that the level of training and the local area will influence what supplies are carried).

rubber gloves (2 pr)
cravats (5)
glucose tablets
safety pins (10)
adhesive bandages (12)
knife (Swiss Army-type)*
lighter*
Kling (4 rolls)
small notebook*
ice pack
4" x 4" bandages (12)
Incident report sheets*
bug repellent*
5" x 9" bandages (2)
trauma scissors
compass*
adhesive tape
pocket mask
trail maps (10)
wire splint
1-4 oz. eye wash
water purification pills
4-oz. tube antibiotic cream
4-oz. bottle sunscreen
antiseptic towelettes
space blanket Ace bandage

* Items are not necessarily first aid specific, but should be carried by bikers.

· Note: Medication, lotions, bug repellents, salves, etc. should only be provided, never applied by the mountain patrollers.

reference from:
· Outdoor Emergency Care, Dr. Warren Bowman M.D., 1993, National Ski Patrol, (303) 988- 1111. Details comprehensive emergency care for the non-urban setting.
· Outdoor First Care, 1994, National Ski Patrol. Covers basic first aid and personal precautions for infection control.
· Wilderness Medicine, Dr. Paul S. Auerbach, M.D., 1995, Mosby Publishing. Covers management of wilderness emergencies.
· Wilderness First Aid, Backer M.D., Bowman M.D., Paton M.D., Steele M.D., Thygerson M.D., 1998, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Covers emergency care for remote locations