What training do you think I should get in order to help lost hikers?

Noshtero

Noshtero

Joined
Oct 10, 2002
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Here's the deal. I want to be able to help people. :thumbup: I want to become a volunteer, and I need to get some training and possibly certifications before hand.

So let me lay this out. A couple was out mountaineering and got lost. They call in people to find them. What training/certification do those people have?
SAR?
EMT?

I think the SARTECH II makes sense. I know I don't need SARTECH I Crew Leader.

EMT-B I guess? I don't want to do the 950 hours to get EMT-I. I don't want a job as a paramedic anyway.

Is EMT the right way to go for field first aid? Things I think would make sense to know how to do:
Dress serious field wounds
Set Splints
Help with Hypothermia
Tourniquets
Snake bites?
Poisioness plant ingestion?

Is that EMT? Or is there something more tailored to field medicine? I know some of the EMT stuff is training to use oxygen bags and whatnot, which is stuff you most likely won't have with you in the field. Or maybe you will because in SAR you'll learn to carry EMT stuff in your pack.

I know there are some SAR guys here. There's probably an EMT or two as well.

Which direction should I go? Please also keep in the mind that I don't have unlimited time and money to spend on this.

Thanks!
 
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Ive worked a bambulance for 5 years and was a combat lifesaver and CAV scout in the army for 4 years before that. EMT is a great way to get some of the knowlage you need. EMTs cant do much but o2 for medical issues, but really excell at the trauma stuff.
All you listed and more high speed stuff is taught. Do some ride time too, as part of the class. Most stuff comes from experiance, but the class will give you a great base to start, and a jumpoff point to paramedic, which is even more highspeed stuff such as chest decompressions, surgical airways, RSI, and Large bore trauma IVs. Paramedics are needed in the sar field. Start with the basics though, and you will be well equipped for basic first aid.....
 
When they call in people around where I am at the main criteria is that they know the place.

When that autistic boy got lost at Dolly Sods last year I think they basically just asked for anyone who was familiar with Roaring and Flatrock Plains.
 
Land nav, and some rope classes would be good too. Check with fire dept, they usually have an annual fire school with loads of classes, High angle rescue, trench rescue etc....
 
Let me expand on this.

Some day I want to be a father.
I often go hiking/camping with very novice people, both adults and children.

I don't like knowing that if they hurt themselves, I wouldn't be able to help.

I think EMT-B is a no-brainer. In fact there's a course near me soon I think I'm going to sign up for. It's my understanding that EMT-B does not require actual ambulence time. The discription talks to "getting this to prepare you for volunteering in disaster emergencies" and that sort of thing. I do understand that practice makes perfect, but I really don't see having time to practice. Perhaps I could do some ambulence ride-alongs, but I surely am not looking to begin a career as a paramedic.

SARTECH II or III might make sense. I'm not sure. I think that may be a little too focused on search and rescue missions.
I'm taking a wilderness survival course in a few weeks that will teach compass navigation and whatnot. It seems SARTECH III training focuses a lot on compass nav for the purpose of finding people. But it also seems to focus a lot on SAR procedures, like radio-ing your crew comander and whatnot. That won't really be useful to me unless I'm doing specific SAR missions.

I think I more want to be able to take care of situations that arise in the woods. Find my buddy who didn't come back from his hike. Provide emergency care to his busted up leg. Get help. Get him to safety. That sort of thing.

Perhaps SAR is not useful to me? I think EMT-B is for sure.

Sorry for the rambling :) Thanks for reading and please keep any advice coming :)
 
National criteria dictates that you must have clinical time in the er and ambulance ridealongs. If you want to not do it, then you can just take the class, but you will have no certification as a EMT-B. You also have a hands on practical testing, as well as a national registry computer based test then you will recieve your national registry card and patch and certificate in the mail. You then have to go through the backround check, and apply for state certification. You will also need to complete cpr for the healthcare provide, sometimes as a pre req to the emt class.

After you have your national registry you will have to complete so many hours of continuing education classes to keep curent on your license.

I f you just want the knowlage, take the class and dont test out. But I doubt you can voulanteer w/o having the proper certification.
 
as for as being called in a situation like this... i would recommend seeing if there is a volunteer SAR group in your area... i did vol. SAR work for a few years.. it was a blast.. they should provide you with most of the training you need... they usualy don't call a person imparticular unless they're a specialist of some sort.. i.e. tracker, chopper pilot or dog handler..

i was also a certified wilderness first responder for about 10 years... through the wilderness medicine institute.. http://www.nols.edu/wmi/ the classes are expensive, but a true experience in themselves... it definately helps to have some sort of advanced medical training... these classes focus on long term patient care, while in the backcountry or a remote setting...

i have goten to use what i was taught, in my various jobs... i used to guide backpacking and rockclimbing trip for a few years, as well as run an after school skate and BMX park...
 
I just read through the EMT-B stuff on the government website, and it VERY much leans to people who are entering the paramedic profession.

So here's a better question: Is EMT-B like my CPR registration in that I have it in hopes that I'll never need to use it? Or is EMT-B intended for people who are going to actually use the training, such as paramedics and first responders?
 
Thats up to you and how far you are willing to go to be prepared. There is such a class as first responder training, which is what is under emt-b. I would say its worth it. Even if you just take the class and dont test out. I had acouple guys in my class that were gettin ready to go to pararescue school, and just took the class as a good heads up. They didnt want the cert, had no need for it. For the info, EMT is the way to go IMO..
 
EMT-basic (EMR in alberta canada) is for people who are going to use it, however Red Cross First Responder is a 77 hour course, basically everything in the EMT-b(O2, backboards etc) except blood glucometry. so that might be a direction to go, I'd also recommend looking into wilderness first aid courses as was mentioned, they are the only courses that deal with long term patient care. I'm going to be going for my EMT (EMT-A or I depending on where you are) because I volunteer as a medic for children's camps, also in alberta there is money to be made as a stand-by medic in the oil field. (far more than ambulance) But unless you are on an ambulance, you may be restricted to the first aider scope of practice anyway, so you may want to check the state or federal law on that (I'm only familiar with alberta)
another point, EMT-B may be a base requirement for firefighters where you are, something else to think about.
 
I'm reading the course description for an EMT-B course in Illinois and it says:

"This program is structured as evening classes to provide the students with the flexibility needed for people to volunteer, work part time, or work full time in the Emergency Medical profession. This course will provide participants with a license from the Illinois Department of Public Health."

So..... perhaps Illinois doesn't have a skills test? Or maybe you do it as part of this course. This is being taught at a hospital, so perhaps there will be ER time. I'll have to call for more info.
 
You can use bls stuff anywhere, Its the invasive procedures you have to have protical, and medical directors for. As a first responder with emt, you are protected under good samaritan laws when you render care while off duty, or not affiliated w/ ambulance.

I know that here in the states emt-b is alot more inclusive then first responder training. Checking d-sticks is a skill that is fairly new to emts again. It was pulled for a bit, and given back to us a few years ago. I had to take a ceu class for it, but it is now inclusive in the program. I dont think first responders have airway adjunct training w/ combitubes, or LMAs, and traction splinting, or dressing sucking chest wounds etc... I know they cant assist w/ epi pens or pts nitro.
 
I believe you have to be nationally registered as an emt to get licensed in illinois, I need to look at that. Testing has to be done at a sanctioned testing facility w/ third party evauluaters, and national registry is done at a special facility w/ the computers. I took writen, but they have since gone to the computer based testing. If you dont have to be registered w/ the national registry to get a license, then thats one less step. I will have to lok at the ilinois unit of ems to see what are the license requirements for ilinois....
 
I guess a lot depends on state law, my first responder included adjuncts, but who realistically carries OPA's and a Bag-valve in their pocket? sucking chest wounds are part of basic first aid, but only EMT and higher can do any real treatment (venting the trapped air) Another thought, registering and maintaining it may be cheaper than full course re-certs. I know that it is an option in alberta, but registering is way easier than re-certing every three years. (and cheaper if you can get someone else to pay)
in canada all ambulance services fall under provincial law, not federal
 
jwilliams, in NC it's not required that you do ride time or clinical. but.... IMHO, any instructor worth a nickel will have you doing at least some before signing off to test.

I think EMT-B should be required for any kind of responders. from SAR to LEO. And it's also a good feeling to feel like you could help the ones you love... or... if you're an idiot like me, you got to hold brachial pressure on your own wound and still feel in control. I would think a some wilderness survival courses would be the most beneficial for your needs.
 
Noshtero said:
I would bet the hospital offering the 4-month course is an accredited testing site. You take the 150 question test at the end of the class, and if you pass, get your license and you're done.
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I'm sorry man, but if you don't do some ride time, you're wasting your time. It's just like any other thing you learn. Like bushcraft, I can read about friction fire all day and know exactly how it's done. Sure as shit don't mean I can start a friction fire.
 
JackBauer24 said:
I'm sorry man, but if you don't do some ride time, you're wasting your time. It's just like any other thing you learn. Like bushcraft, I can read about friction fire all day and know exactly how it's done. Sure as shit don't mean I can start a friction fire.
Click to expand...

Being that this is 4-month long and taught at the hospital, it may very well include some ride-along time. It wouldn't surprise me.
 
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