Author and M.D. Chris Van Tilburg, a member of Oregon’s Hood River Crag Rats Search & Rescue Team, has been participating in the rescue attempt of the two hikers who were reported missing on Mt. Hood last Friday. Van Tilburg and his team were on the mountain all day Sunday before having to retreat due to bad weather. We spoke to him on Monday afternoon:

AMK. As of this writing, the two hikers have been missing for more than three days. What should they be focused on right now in order to improve their chances of survival?

Question:

I really love the products you present. There are many to choose from regarding first aid. That is my problem. I am a hunter and fisherman in the state of Alabama and have never strayed from this state in for my hobbies. I know Alabama is not Africa in terms of large carnivores, but I have had some scraps with a wild hog (hawg, in Alabama), and once was pinned by several coyotes. The hog I killed bare handed, not unscathed mind you, and the coyotes I fought off with a homemade spear i fashioned out of my hunting knife and a long branch while in a pine tree. That stuff was funny then after it was over, but now that I am a father I am thinking differently.

Question:

I have a question about QuikClot – does it work and is it contraindicated for any type of injury?

Thanks,  Michael Z.

Answer:

Hi Michael-

Thanks for your question about QuikClot.  In short: yes, QuikClot is very effective at speeding the clotting process.  It has been tested in numerous clinical trials and in real world situations involving military, law enforcement, and emergency first response personnel.  The formula that we use does not generate heat (like the “old” QuikClot) and thus will not leave burns on the wound site.

Question:
I’m back packing through Asia for 6 weeks and would like to know what you would recommend for a first aid kit in case of an emergency.  Thanks, Dan R.

Answer:
Dan,
For 6 weeks in Asia, I highly recommend our World Travel kit plus a Suture/Syringe Medic. The World Travel kit is designed for trips like yours, with comprehensive wound-care supplies and a large suite of medications for pain, flu, and stomach maladies.

Question:

I bought a pack of the GlacierGel to use on the ball of my foot, and despite following the instructions they quickly fell off.  Just wondering why that was?  For the time they were on it did drastically reduce the pain, so job well done there.  Is it just the nature of the bottom of the foot, and if so how do you recommend keeping the in place?  Sean M.

Answer:

Hi Sean,

Question:

I really like your wilderness first aid book but am wondering if you are going to update it soon to include things like new CPR techniques.  Beverly F, MD

Answer:

Beverly,

Thanks for the kind words about the AMK Comprehensive Guide.  We are working on a 4th edition of the book that will be available sometime in the next year; we have also updated our Wilderness Medicine and Survival pamphlet to include the recent CPR guidelines and will be educating consumers about updated CPR techniques via our blog.

Question:

I like the patient assessment form and i need copies for my aid kit due to water damage.  Do you have new copies you can send me electonically?  Much appreciated, Sean B.

Answer:

Hi Sean,

Thanks for the email.  You can download the form under First Aid and Survival Downloads.

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Question:
FAKs rated by people/days (2-3 people, 5-7 days) frustrate me. I think a more useful measure might be people/”time to help”. I bought the Field Trauma kit because I was looking for a kit to use where assistance was 1-2 hours away, I want the kit to answer “What will kill the victim in 1-2 hours?” – Bleeding, not breathing. If a 1″x3″ bandage will stop it, you won’t die today from it. We’re within 2-6 hours of aid, so what do I need to keep a victim alive till we get help?

Answer:

Question:
I want to build a first aid kit for our Drop Zone and would like your recommendations on contents for skydiving related incidents. I know all the basic items but would like your thoughts on splints and slings etc.While small cuts and sprained ankles etc are what we see most, we should be prepared for more serious incidents to include broken bones, puncture wounds (in the event of a tree landing)etc. If you could email me a list I would greatly appreciate it.

By Christopher Van Tilburg, MD

I’ve been chomped by a tick multiple times, as have most people who regularly tramp in the outdoors. It’s creepy — the tick drops onto your skin, burrows in painlessly, and sucks. Its anticoagulant can cause tick paralysis, and these arthropods carry all sorts of infections: Colorado Tick Fever (a virus), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (parasite), Tularemia (a bacteria), and the more commonly known Lyme Disease.