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OverviewFirst Aid
I wwon't attempt to further first aid instruction here.
Recommendation: Everyone is required to have the equivalent of Saint John's Ambulance Emergency First Aid. This is a 4 hour course. I would place it comparible to the FA requirements for First Class scouts when I was a scout in the U.S. in the 60's. (Man, that dates me.)
Recommendation: Captains and Leaders have the equivalent of Saint John's Standard First Aid.
THAT said, there is merit in running a couple of scenarios to drive home the problems that arise when dealing with an emergency in winter.
You will have to do most of the work, but I would suggest an accident that results in a victim that cannot readily move. Broken leg will do nicely. The captain is the man on the spot.
I suggest doing the first scenario as a teaching round. Stop it frequently, and ask questions to draw out the hazards.
E.g. pick a victim. Tell him to break his leg.
STOP: Ok John has a broken leg. Normal first aid: What are the issues Draw out simple or compound, shock. Get them to tell you what they should do for this. If they bring up transport, tell them that's later.
After they have moved him around a bit.
STOP: We said this was winter. What is John lying on right now. Get them to appreciate that getting the victim off the snow as soon as possible is important.
Let them get John's leg immobilized, and get John into a sleeping bag. Part way through this...
STOP. The rest of you guys have been puttering around mostly. None of you have put on a layer. YOU are getting cold too.
Recommended response:
- Check for posibility of further injury.
- Check out victim and assess injuries.
- As soon as it's clear that the victim is not able to move himself, one person is assigned to get out the tarp, foam and sleeping bag.
- Victim is moved onto insulation as soon as the first responder finishes assessment, and has dealt with 'hurry' items. (ABC)
- If not immediately needed by first aider, two members of group start work on making a fire and collecting wood for it.
- Judgement call: Can the vic be kept here, or do you need to move to shelter?* Judgement call: Can help come here, or do you need to move to an opening or trail or road.
- Judgement call: Send someone for help?
By walking them through a start stop scenario, you keep them from practicing it the wrong way.
The senior team members should memorize the above list, or whatever list you create in it's place.
Coach the victim to scream whenever he's touched near the injury, or when he is moved.
About 20 minutes into the scenario take the smallest team member aside, and give him early hypothermia. (Mumbles, stumbles & fumbles.)
Get the victim to complain that he's cold.
Discussion:
Bring up that once you stop, people chill. If you are going to be stopped for more than 30 minutes, get people to put on another layer of clothing, get your victim off the snow and into a sleeping bag ASAP, and build a fire. Once you have the victim stabilized, then figure out who to send for help.
Your best navigator should be the one to go for help if there is any possible confusion.
When I've run scenarios like this the results were dismal. However we ended up with captains and leaders who were paranoid about injury. Call it a partial victory.