Two recent (USA) court cases pose a new threat to outdoor adventure, for both commercial and private adventurers, and run contrary to practices and values which the outdoor community has worked hard to develop. I will outline the two cases, and offer some analysis of the threats which the cases m...

GREENFIRE I was watching Jim Cramer of “Mad Money” on CNBC last night and his analysis of the economic crisis was striking. He said that we ought to be prepared for 2-4 years of severe recession with high unemployment and significant reductions in flexible income combined with increas...

Going without Every Easter in Ireland people celebrate the festival of Lent (even those who aren’t terribly religious). For those of you unfamiliar with it, Lent requires that you abstain from a personal vice for 40 days. For some this is alcohol, for others it’s chocolate or a range ...

In the new issue of the Journal of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine is the Wilderness Medical Society Roundtable Report–Recommendations on the Use of Epinephrine in Outdoor Education and Wilderness Settings by  Flavio Gaudio MD, Jay Lemery MD, and David Johnson MD.  The WMS convened...

Led by Scott McIntosh, MD and his colleagues, the Wilderness Medical Society has published “Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Frostbite” (Wild Environ Med 2011:22;156-166). These guidelines are intended to provide clinicians about best evidence-based practices, a...

I am frequently asked to write articles for magazines, chapters for textbooks, and commentaries for journals. Almost always, these are published, but sometimes a publishing project will fall through. Such is the case with a book entitled “Prehospital Care – Pearls and Pitfalls,”...

Twitter? Tweeting? Twibes? Come on, you say, isn’t all that stuff ridiculous? No, it isn’t. Used in certain ways, twittering is an amazing tool that allows you to “map the discourse” of any particular topic or field that you may be interested in. Used properly, twittering ...

After finishing a whirlwind of camp trainings to kick off the summer, Ithought maybe I could put together a top 10  list of tips for the summer challenge course program.  I am realizing that this may be a bit off the mark timing wise as the programs  are already in full swing but it could be food...

Sometimes when a person falls or is struck in the mouth, a tooth is broken or knocked out. If a tooth is cracked (with the root still present and in place), there is little for the victim to do other than keep his mouth clean and avoid contact with extremes of temperature. If air, saliva, the ton...

I am not sure that there is a consensus about their use but here is my opinion about tourniquets in remote and hostile environments. In brief: 1.  Learn how to use one and practice with it. 2.  Apply to stop bleeding not controlled by well-aimed direct pressure. 3.  Use something wide and firm (b...