Wilderness Medicine Updates Ep. 8 - SAR Provider Injuries & Traveler's Diarrhea Treatment
Jul 28, 2023
Explore the heightened risks faced by Search and Rescue providers during mountain operations, with revelations from a 20-year study on injury prevalence. Learn about the injury patterns among professionals versus volunteers, and dive into a harrowing tale of traveler's digestive distress. Uncover the symptoms and causes of traveler's diarrhea, especially when venturing into developing nations. Gain insights into treatment options and the careful consideration needed for antibiotics, alongside engaging with the wilderness medicine community for more shared experiences.
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Database Reveals Provider Injury Patterns
- The CNSAS database of insurance claims reveals real-world injury patterns among professional mountain rescuers over 20 years.
- Reviewing operational and training claims gives a clearer picture of what removes providers from service.
Training Causes More Injuries Than Ops
- Over 20 years, 755 accidents injured 784 providers and most incidents were traumatic rather than medical.
- Training accounted for more accidents (59%) while operations caused more fatalities.
Falls And Vehicles Drive Serious Harm
- High-energy falls were the most common mechanism, and lower-limb injuries dominated the caseload.
- Fatalities were uncommon but clustered in vehicle and aircraft incidents during operations.