Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS)

Putting the correct supplies and medicines in a kit for your adventure is essential for appropriate medical management.  

When and where does lightning strike?  How does lighting injure?  How do you avoid lightning when you are on a multiday trip in the backcountry?  It all can be a little scary.  But this podcast covers these and other important issues surrounding lightning. 

Why don't snakes have teeth and how does that affect the treatment of snakebites?   There are a lot of snakes  in the world, but which ones are most concerning?  What do you do if you are camping and see signs of a bear?  These questions and other important issues are outlined in this interesting podcast. 

There are hundreds of species of mosquitos but only a few spread disease to humans.  What are they, which diseases and how do you avoid and treat them?   Which spiders cause problems to the wilderness traveler and can you use ice to treat scorpion stings?  What is the worse complication of a bee sting?  Listen to this podcast to answer these and other important questions. 

Fear and sometimes panic overcomes a rescuer when they come across someone who has been injured.  What is done first?  What is the MARCH protocol?   The concepts covered in this podcast outline the critical first steps in the management of someone injured in the backcountry .  

Once a patient who has been injured in the wilderness  has been stabilized, critical decisions must now be made.  Let's go through them by listening to this podcast. 

Blisters are  common for sure in outdoor activities.  Do you pop them?  What is the best way to prevent them?  What do you put on a wound under the bandage?  How about honey?  This podcast reviews these important and other questions.  

There is no more common injury than damage to the skin while in the backcountry.   There are many ways and methods to manage the different types of wounds.  Let's go over them. 

What are the ways that heat leaves the body?  What happens if heat is trapped in a human?  How is heat illness classified?  This important podcast outlines the prevention and treatment  of illnesses of a body becoming too hot. 

Treating stinging nettle is not as easy as it seems!  Are you allergic to poison ivy?  How about others you are with?  What do you do if they are exposed?  What is the best way to treat a sunburn?   Medical treatment for these and other common skin problems in the wilderness are discussed. 

Most people are unaware of illnesses that occur as people go to altitude.  This podcasts talks about the science and physiology of altitude illnesses. 

There is nothing quite so frightening in the backcountry than these horrific events. This podcast introduces the basic science and background for avalanche medicine.

There are several methods used to treat water while in the wilderness and it can be confusing. What methods should someone use?  What are common illnesses a person can contract?  These questions and others are discussed in the interesting podcast.