Importance of First Aid Workshops In the Adventure Travel Industry

Of late adventure is on every body’s mind & Affordable Global travel has made it easier for one to travel to any corner of the world in pursuit of the thrills of exploring sweet nature & the places that are full of adventure.Many new companies have now entered this sunrise industry of adventure & Travel. Also the Govt is very keen to improve the tourism sector.

Be it ‘Scuba diving’, Mountain biking or Para Gliding – every adventure activity is managed by a team of experts and SoPs are followed accordingly. Moreover most of the companies ensure that safety of the participants along with the need to make participants Eco-conscious towards the natural environment is never compromised. Moreover being sensitive to the local culture & tradition of the place or region where the adventure activity happens is deeply adhered to.

Therefore Quasi-regulatory bodies like the Indian Association of Professional Rafting Outfitters (IAPRO) and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) play an instrumental role in framing various prime SoPs These organizations also conduct seminars & training workshops & Orientation camps on first aid, CPR, Mountain rescue, survival techniques etc.

Let’s see why. how & what sort of first aid training is important for adventure seekers

1) Preliminary Research-Half Knowledge is dangerous!

Any one interested to take up adventure activity should first become aware of all the basics risks & pain that may be part of the adventure activity that will be taken up by the participants, which gives one a complete clarity as to what one is getting into when it comes to adventure.

2) Prior knowledge-Be better Informed

At times there are Pre-Trip orientation Course(s) which includes rehearsals or near-simulation of the actual activity and this allows one to know what to expect when one takes up adventure activities like trekking or skiing or rappling etc & that too in odd places having extreme climatic conditions then, the above orientation course will come in handy. The training may or may not include written tests but it sure does include some basic survival sessions as to how to cope up with severe climatic conditions specially in the wild, treating infection vis-a-vis wounds & injuries etc, Thus the need for a primary first-aid course becomes all the more inevitable.

3) First Aid – The first line of Defense

A first aid Kit is a must while going on an Adventure trip and what is even more important is to know the usage parameters of a First Aid Box along with the dos & don’t of managing a medical emergency.
So, knowing how to correctly administer CPR is very crucial for those going on an expedition or taking up an adventure activity. There are many para-medical institutes & other agencies which offer a lot many courses on basic and life-saving first Aid training. Also one learns to administer CPR which could save a life or stop a severe bleeding, it also trains one in giving basic remedies when it comes to muscle or bone-related medical emergencies.

4) Hypothermia – Nature’s early warning system

Hypothermia is not just feeling cold, rather it’s a condition of the body when there is a fall in body temperature from 37 degrees which is the normal body temperature of 35 degrees or less. It may be just 2 degrees less but nevertheless hypothermia is considered to be a severe medical emergency. Symptoms can range from mild shivering, exhaustion, Abnormal skin appearance, and rapid breathing, and other abnormal Psychological conditions leading to unconscious & dilated pupils with low pulse.

Thus During the first-aid training workshop one learns that the sure way of treating hypothermia is making sure the Patient feels warm enough by covering the patient’s body with warm clothing so as to generate warmth and it is also necessary to keep the patient indoors. If the patient can be fed warm liquid then it must be tried but care should be taken not to force feed the patient since that may result in choking or vomiting.

5) AMS – Acute Mountain Sickness – Time To Lose altitude

Acute Mountain Sickness is caused by decreased air pressure and depleting oxygen levels at extreme altitudes. AMS affects different people Differently. Thus the First -aid training will make one aware of the Symptoms which can vary from simple tiredness to severe conditions such as breathlessness and so one needs to be ready to first understand what can be done & what is not to be done to treat AMS depending on the circumstances & prevailing situation.

As a standard practice the effective& preventative measure to treat AMS is to attain a lower altitude slowly, However If attaining lower altitude is not possible immediately, a Portable Altitude Chamber can come in handy which will help increase the air pressure and stimulate conditions that prevail in lower altitude. Also climbing or traveling must happen in installments of small journeys with good breaks in between. So the entire trip gets spread onto some more days or weeks if necessary.

Moderate to manageable symptoms includes difficulty in sleeping, nausea and vomiting, headache, rapid heart rate etc.Most worrisome symptoms include, chest palpitations, cough, confusion, Loosing balance while walking or standing, not wanting to be part of any social activity etc and irregular breathing pattern.

Thus, for the adventure loving species who’s number(s) has increased in recent times are increasingly becoming cautious to make adventure pursuits a Safe & secure practice, so no wonder the Importance of First Aid Workshops when it comes to Adventure Travel Industry has gained top importance these days.