The recent thread in the Inukshuk forum regarding first-aid training got me thinking a bit. Awareness and a cool head will help one to avoid 99.99% of all injuries, but even then, the probability of an accident is NOT zero. Being that going solo is a relatively new thing to me, I thought it was due time to refresh the memory a bit.

So I bought "NOLS Wilderness Medicine" by Todd Schimelpfennig off of Amazon for around $15 shipped. It's loaded with information and pictures, and goes into considerable detail in terms of long-term care (since remote areas may mean immediate evacuation is not possible). This is also the required text for any of the WFR courses offered by NOLS.

It's a good read, and it has made it into my canoe pack as a permanent addition. Anyone wishing to brush up on first-aid knowledge, as it applies to real-world remote environments, will get a lot out of this book. But I don't think I have to mention that it's NOT a substitute for taking a WFA or WFR course, or having practical experience dealing with emergencies.

I think anything you do to help feel more comfortable if/when a first-aid situation occurs in the bush is a valuable thing.  Books/training...anything!

I learned two other valuable things at the NOLS training:

1. don't pack anything in your first-aid kid that you don't know how to use.

2. each year, completely unpack your kit and go through it updating/replacing supplies. 

prouboy