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Prepare for a Medical EmergencyThe secret to preparing for medical emergencies is knowledge, training and practice. You can have the most advanced medical kit possible, but if you don't know how to use it, it won't be of much value. You can have a comprehensive medical library, but in an emergency you won't likely have access to it or have time to study it. Study and practice in advance can save lives. A good place to start may be your local fire station. Fire stations often sponsor or teach classes in CPR and first aid. I took my son and some of his friends to the CPR and first aid classes at our local fire station. They learned how to do CPR and use an AED (a simplified portable defibrillator). The first aid portion was highly simplified. The basic approach was to "apply pressure to stop bleeding and wrap them up in gauze and call 911". The emphasis was on using the system and relying on the system. This is fine as long as the system is there. As we have seen in disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the system cannot always be relyed upon. Given certain recent events and realities, some departments may now offer more advanced first aid courses. Regardless, it is a good starting point. It is also important that we expand our first aid and paramedical skills beyond first aid and complete reliance on the vulnerable medical infrastructure. To prepare, it is helpful to acquire a good reference library, study it, and take training courses in advance first aid, EMT, wilderness first responder, etc. Here are some links to online resources and recommendations for your reference library. Links to Online Information and Study ResourcesOnline First Aid and Anatomy Atlas Several editions are listed. Click the "Available Online" link. Online Detmatology Atlas and Information Information and Field Medic Training An Online Edition of the Book "Where There is No Doctor" Important Information on Hydration and Oral Rehydration Download Link for the Book "Emergency War Surgery" Links to downloadable videos on Emergency and Combat Medical Procedures Links to downloadable Textbooks on Emergency and Combat Medical Procedures Links to downloadable Powerpoint Lectures on Emergency and Combat Medical Procedures Links to downloadable Distance Learning Courses on Emergency and Combat Medical Procedures Links to downloadable Distance Learning Courses on Emergency and Combat Medical Procedures Where There is no DoctorThese books, published by the Hesperian Foundation, are perhaps the most widely used health care manuals in developing countries today. They provide vital, easily understood information on how to diagnose, treat, and prevent common diseases. They are considered useful both as text books for village health care and as a travel medicine guides. Where there is no doctor is written in languate that a layman can understand and apply. It is designed for villages in third world settings. Our modern world can become a third world setting in a moment when a disaster wipes out the medical, transportation and logistical infrastructure. We saw this in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. These books belong in every home medicine library. You can also read the electronic versions on line at: Wilderness MedicineWilderness medicine information sources and training programs are designed to handle medical emergencies in situations where immediate access to medical support may not be available. It encompases prevention, the types of injuries that can happen in a wilderness setting and infectious diseases that one can come in contact with. Wilderness Medicine by Paul Auerback, M.D. is the definitive reference on wilderness medicine covering North America and similar areas. It is also a reference designed for professionals but makes a valuable reference book in everyone's medical library. Auerbach's field guide is a condensed reference suited for inclusion in first aid kits. A wilderness first responder course is highly recommended. Typically topics include but are not limited to: wound management and infection, realigning fractures and dislocations, improvised splinting techniques, patient monitoring and long term management problems, up-to-date information on all environmental emergencies, plus advice on drug therapies. Type "wilderness first responder course" in your search engine and you can probably locate a course offering reasonably nearby. More Information
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