Is First Aid Different in the BackCountry?Written by Chuck Fitzgerald
First aid is first aid is first aid – right? At first glance, providing first aid in backcountry appears to be much like it is anywhere else. But if you look a little closer and you’ll find it is quite different. When you have finished this article, you will understand how it differs and how you, as an outdoor enthusiast, must think about it differently.Let’s start with definition of first aid, followed by a little advice. First aid means just what it says – it is initial help a person gets. It doesn’t mean you need to be capable of providing expert medical care across all medical disciplines. First aid is not meant to replace medical attention. It is meant to provide appropriate treatment until expert medical attention is available. The only way to recognize appropriate treatment is to be educated on administering first aid. When an emergency strikes in backcountry, you may be only care giver within many miles or many hours of situation. Here’s advice. If you haven’t taken a first aid class in past 2 years, it’s time for a refresher course. Same goes for CPR. When you’re in backcountry, everything tends to get magnified. The landscape is appears larger, weather feels harsher and emergencies seem worse. If you don’t have easy access to an emergency room, something as routine as a broken arm becomes a very big deal, very quickly. Meaningful first aid in backcountry, or anywhere for that matter, requires preparation. We’ve already discussed merits of proper training now let’s talk about your first aid gear. Having a well stocked and appropriately stocked first aid kit is crucial.
| | The protection of a diving wetsuitWritten by Jakob Jelling
Wetsuits are meant to keep divers warm by giving them thermal protection. There are some important guidelines which a diver should learn regarding wetsuit he might acquire and use. First of all, it is important to know that they are usually made from neoprene; most of times open cell neoprene. Besides, when wetsuits have a coating added to neoprene they are easier to be worn and taken off.The practice of free diving and scuba diving imply use of different kinds of wetsuits. While a 5 mm thick wetsuit would be ideal for keeping warm a free diver, a scuba diver would need a 7 mm thick wetsuit to achieve same results. Besides, while most free diving wetsuits don't have a zipper, most scuba diving wetsuits do come with them. If you are looking for an open cell neoprene wetsuit, it is important that you have into account fact that they can be easily damaged. If, for example, you are going to use jewelry under your open cell neoprene wetsuit, this could easily damage it and open it, so you should be very careful with it or try to find another kind of wetsuit instead of it. If you have long finger nails you should be careful as well since you could damage it while putting it on or taking it off.
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