WILDERNESS FIRST AID PROGRAM

A lot of tour and adventure lovers in Our country Kenya are engaging themselves in activities like mountain climbing, nature walks, in-park riding, grass-skating and wilderness camping. It is a tradition now being embraced by a lot of youths more so church and campus youths and with this there is a need to brace yourself in such life skills like self-defense, water rescue, wilderness first aid, navigation, search and rescue etc. We are heading to the December holidays and am very sure a lot of people are set for an adventurous activity.
The Wilderness First Responder program is the ideal medical training for leaders in remote areas including outdoor educators, guides, military, professional search and rescue teams, missionaries, campers, researchers, and those involved in disaster relief. It will introduce you to caring for people who become ill or injured far from definitive medical care.
The curriculum is comprehensive and practical. It includes the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments for days and weeks if necessary.
Description
Course Content
The Wilderness First Responder curriculum is written in-house by a team of remote medical rescue researchers and professionals. Ongoing evidence based research and review contributes to a unique and innovative approach to patient care in backcountry and austere settings. The curriculum is comprehensive, complete, and kept current on an annual basis. This is the most current and cutting edge course of any first response medical training (urban or remote) in the world.
? The General Principles of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine with an emphasis on the prevention and identification of medical emergencies, appropriate technology, and risk management.
? Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR, basic Life support, and the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis and asthma.
? Environmental Medicine including altitude illness, hypothermia and heat illness, frostbite and cold injury, lightning, submersion, and environmental toxins.
? Backcountry Medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems.
? Musculoskeletal Problems including unstable and stable injuries overuse syndromes, and dislocations.
? Wound management including open fractures, lacerations, burns and blisters.
? Practical skills including splinting, bandaging, litter packaging and medical kit preparation.
? International Wilderness Protocols including wound cleaning and exploration, spine injury assessment, dislocation reduction, CPR in the remote setting, and anaphylaxis and asthma.
Course Outline
The 16 to 20-hour Wilderness First Aid course includes many advanced topics that other programs leave out such as reduction of dislocations and epinephrine administration.
Topics include:
? Patient Assessment System
? Evacuation Plans and Emergency Procedures
? CPR (on some courses)
? Spinal Cord Injuries
? Shock
? Head Injuries
? Wilderness Wound Management
? Athletic Injuries
? Fracture Management
? Dislocations
? Cold Injuries
? Heat Illness
? Altitude Illness
? Lightning
? The Medical Patient
? Anaphylaxis
? Wilderness First Aid Kits

Customization
As part of our commitment to your medical rescue training, our instructors and management will consult your group’s needs and teach according to your group’s backgrounds, environments, and experience. Simulations and hands-on activities will be realistic and relevant. Relevant adult education is incorporated directly into our curriculum to maximize learning of medical theory into practical skills.
I have trained a number of groups in this area including Ol-pajeta conservancy, African youth Rescue team in Nakuru, various youth groups, different tourist camps and conservancies in Maasai Mara and Amboseli amongst other groups and I assure you that apart from it being interesting, it’s also a key life skill together with the basic first aid course, fire safety and self-defense skills.