Wilderness Medicine Updates

This episode is a repost of an interview that was first posted on The High Route Podcast. Hosted by the editor of The-High-Route.com, Jason Albert, we discuss my background in wilderness medicine, and then move on to discuss the research that support my argument and assertion that the avalanche airbag backpack should be standard equipment for backcountry skiers, snowboarders, snowm

This is part 1 of a multi-part series on the resuscitation of critically buried avalanche victims. In this episode we learn the physiology that we need to understand the resuscitation algorithm. To learn the necessary biology, we follow a rider as they are carried in an avalanche, subjected to traumatic injury, and are then buried and begin to asphyxiate and cool. The background of

Episode 11 brings you my conversation with Michael Buchanan is a flight paramedic and senior firefighter / paramedic at the West Valley City Fire Department. He is the founder and operation of Mountain Medical Academy, a passion-driven backcountry medical care education company. We discuss the medical care of avalanche victims which Michael has made accessible to recreational skier

In this episode, I discuss the article "Arterial Occlusion Effectiveness of Space Blanket-Improvised Tourniquets for the Remote Setting". In this short blast I get into the meat of this article, and though the authors would tell you that space blankets aren't ready for primetime, I have some thoughts on the matter. In the podcast, I mistakenly say that you need to be

In this episode Dr BZ is back to talk about his experience deploying with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (USAR). Dr BZ just returned from a deployment with FEMA USAR to Lahaina, HI, where he served as a team physician supporting rescue and recovery efforts there.We touch on:-Training and gear-Deployments and schedule-Compensation-T

In this two-part episode, I review an article from the Annals of Emergency Medicine "Occupational Accidents Among Search and Rescue Providers During Mountain Rescue Operations and Training Events" https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2022.12.015In the second half, we review the treatment of diarrhea in the returning traveler.As always, thanks for listening to Wilderness

In this second Fast Push, you get a riff on a great article from JEMS entitled "Safety is Third, Not First, and We All Know It Should Be" by Christopher Davis MD et al.Apologies to all who got V1.0-- something weird happened in post that made me sound like a chipmunk. I might be a medical professional, but I'm no AV specialist. Summary:1. Get the Job Done2. Have Fun3

In this episode I go deep on the health effects of wildfire smoke, answering some key questions that are relevant to recreational athletes, outdoors professionals, wildland firefighters, and industrial athletes alike:Why is wildfire smoke harmful?Is there a safe level of exposure?Can we trust the EPA's guideline levels? (Spoiler: no)Does the benefit of exercise outweigh the da

In this inaugural interview episode I have the pleasure of grilling Dr. Brant-Zawadzki about operating an urban EMS system at a wilderness boundary.We talk about:- Improvising outside the protocol- Interfacing with SAR, rangers, and road workers- How response kit and expectations are changed beyond the pavement- What a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine can do for you careerAnd more

In this episode we review the available evidence, and the pros and cons, of using mechanical CPR devices like the LUCAS or Autopulse for ski patrol and mountain rescue applications. Episode links:CPR With a Lucas Device - An example video from EMS trainingViglino et. al. - Outcomes of On-Hill Cardiac Arrests - More saves, probably because of younger patients, bystander CPR, shockab