By Susan Elise Campbell
A person never knows when first aid training may be needed, but Clark Hayward, founder of Adirondack Wilderness Medicine, believes if they are an hour or more away from a hospital, his wilderness first aid course may not only come in handy, but save a life.
“It’s amazing that new students taking the course are surprised how much can go wrong out on a hike or ski trip,” said Hayward. “We are here locally to train anyone who does things outdoors, either sports or hunting or in their line of work.”
The basic two-day, 16-hour training encompasses everything a standard first-aid course includes along with the practical skills to prevent such conditions as hypothermia or heat stroke, he said.
“The difference between wilderness first aid and standard first aid is the latter assumes an ambulance will arrive in about 15 minutes,” said Hayward.
With wilderness first aid, that help “may not arrive for hours or even days,” during which time someone has to manage the situation medically as well as provide food and water, he said.
The course curriculum Hayward follows is designed by SOLO, the international leader in wilderness education founded in 1976 and the originator of wilderness medicine in the U.S. Hayward is a licensee of the SOLO program, he said.
While wilderness first aid may be the course choice of scout leaders, camp counsellors and avid sportspeople, Adk Wild Med offers higher level training and certification as well.