All Blog Articles

How to Perform an Initial (Primary) Assessment in the Wilderness

The Initial, or Primary Assessment, is designed to rapidly identify immediate life threats, making it a critical foundation of Wilderness Medicine training.

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Wilderness Medicine Patient Assessment: What It Is and Why It’s Important

The most important thing you’ll learn in a Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder course is the patient assessment. In the backcountry, following it can dramatically reduce stress during an emergency and help you quickly identify life-threatening problems.

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Who Responds to Emergencies in the Wilderness? What is a SAR Team?

Matty P., one of our Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder Instructors, tells a story of a recent call to respond to an injury on a local trail. Read beyond the story for more information on who responds to backcountry emergency calls in Washington State.

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How to Recognize and Treat Musculoskeletal Injuries

Broken bones, sprains, strains, and dislocations are common injuries in wilderness activities.

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How to Treat Shock in Remote and Wilderness Environments

Shock is one of our favorite topics to teach in wilderness first aid classes, because people who aren't medical professionals often misunderstand the difference between clinical shock and the more common response to traumatic experiences. Clinical shock is a very serious condition that will lead to death if untreated.

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