If you work or seek recreation in the wilderness, simple sense dictates you must, at least, be prepared for the most common injuries and illnesses you will encounter. A Red Cross approved course in CPR, and Basic First Aid is a sensible minimum. Further training in wilderness first aid is highly desirable, and is widely available from a number of professional sources around the country. With a little instruction, and a measure of experience, you can acquire the knowledge to successfully manage first aid treatment of a wide variety of emergencies. Please note that many conditions and illnesses can be easily prevented with careful planning and preparation.
Emergency preparedness is the key to a safe trip.
The critical role of proper nutrition, and hydration in preventing accident and illness during any wilderness trip cannot be overemphasized. Season after season, any number of major and minor wilderness catastrophes can be traced back to the failure of backcountry travelers to eat and drink adequately, and to carry the right clothing for the conditions they are likely to encounter. The consequences of dehydration and inadequate calorie intake play a major and inter-related role in frostbite, hypothermia, shock, burns, the healing of wounds, infection, illness due to heat, high altitude illness, diarrhea and constipation. Virtually all of our wilderness trips increase the amount of water and fuel needed for each day's activities. Back home, working at our desks, we require roughly two thousand calories a day to maintain body weight, and to account for the day's energy expenditure.