Posted by Global Administrator on Thu, May 02, 2013 @ 09:37 AM
A member's view up the Khumbu Valley in Nepal
The Everest season is now well under way and it has been a busy time for Global Rescue, with a number of successful evacuations already conducted. With the summit window approaching, we wish everyone a safe and succesful climb.
In April, a Global Rescue member developed severe abdominal pains during his trek to Everest Base Camp. Given the severity of his situation, Global Rescue evacuated him by helicopter to Kathmandu where he was admitted to the hospital for treatment.
On his safe return home, he wrote to thank Global Rescue:
"Six days into a trek to Everest Base Camp I developed a potentially life threatening condition that required immediate evacuation off the mountain. Global Rescue arranged for a helicopter to pick me up within an hour of the initial call to them and then had me delivered to a Kathmandu medical facility for emergency treatment within less than an hour after that. The physicians there were clear with me that had I not received such a timely evacuation, I would have suffered potentially irreparable organ damage.
Global Rescue also closely monitored my condition throughout the period before I was finally discharged to determine if further evacuation for medical care might be necessary. They remained in daily contact with me until after my return to the U.S., where I underwent additional evaluation and treatment by my own physicians.
I will never travel without having Global Rescue to turn to given the ever present possibility that a medical emergency requiring evacuation might occur. Thanks Global Rescue !!!
Don B."
Further information about Global Rescue for climbers and trekkers can be found here
Posted by Global Administrator on Wed, Sep 26, 2012 @ 01:48 PM
Don't let you expedition go south...
By Jeff Wise, American Alpine Club
Whether you love hiking, climbing, mountain biking, or kayaking, you probably know a lot about outdoor safety.
But if your expedition goes sour, first aid training and compass skills might not be enough to pull you from a life-threatening morass.
Here at the American Alpine Club, we’ve seen a little innovation go a long way, so we put together some of our favorite backcountry tips and tricks:
1. Fire Starters You Didn’t Know You Had.
Cleaning wounds is not a high priority when you’re lost or close to hypothermic. Bust out the first-aid kit anyway! You’ll find a few staples—alcohol swabs and cotton balls—that serve double duty as fire starters in an emergency. For extra spark, coat the cotton in petroleum jelly. Duct tape is also flammable, which demonstrates yet again that it is, without question, the most versatile tool in the universe. Or is it?
2. Fishing Line—The New Duct Tape
Duct tape is good, but fishing line might be even better. Not only is fishing line super lightweight, but it also has dozens of backcountry uses when you’re in trouble. Hungry? Catch your food. Exposed or broken? Tie up a tarp for your shelter, repair clothes and shoes, or stitch up your wounds.
Stranded? Use the line to make a signal kite. Simply construct the frame from sticks, tent poles, or trekking poles. Build the body from a bright shirt or section of space blanket. Then tie it all together and launch it to direct rescue crews to you—or for impromptu fun on a windy day. Fishing line can even function better than tweezers to remove ticks: just tie an overhand knot around the head, get it snug, and pull away from the skin. Top that, duct tape!
3. The Sun: Nature’s Iodine
For safe drinking water in the backcountry, filters and tablets are best, of course. But there’s another crafty way to do away with dangerous bacteria in your water.
Pack a plastic bottle of soda and drink it the first night of your trip. Save the bottle because the thin layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) allows the sun’s ultraviolet radiation to perform a bit of magic. Just fill the bottle most of the way with your questionable water, shake it up, top it off, cap it, and put it in direct sunlight.
In one afternoon the combination of heat and radiation will have killed most, if not all, of the microbes that could do you harm. For the same reason, the top few inches of lake water are the cleanest because of the power of the sun. Remember to choose clean snow over lake ice because bacteria can survive for months in the ice, and use a bandana or shirt to remove large particulates and silt.
4. No Cell Service? No Problem.
It’s no surprise that making a cell phone call requires satellites to know where you are. Use that to your advantage when you’re having an emergency in no-man’s-land. Even with zero cell service, you may be able to give emergency or rescue teams clues to your whereabouts.
If you can’t call 911 or send a text, at least turn on your phone to drop “digital breadcrumbs” that may aid those looking for you. Make sure your emergency contact at home knows about this trick and has your phone number and service provider at the ready.
5. The Back-Up Plan
Most adventurers have health insurance or accident insurance, but not many have rescue insurance. Whether you’re all about the weekend epic or a long trek overseas, rescue insurance protects you from insane five-digit costs. Even here in the United States, some local rescue groups and some governmental agencies are beginning to charge for rescue services.
Having the right insurance—available from Global Rescue or by joining the American Alpine Club—also creates peace of mind for you and your family and friends. If you have insurance and something does go wrong, you can focus on getting healthy instead of worrying about the rescue bill.
Know other interesting survival tips? Have an epic rescue story? Share them in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you.
About the American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club is a nonprofit organization that provides benefits, knowledge, inspiration, and conservation for the outdoor community.
All members benefit from a Trailhead Rescue service from Global Rescue and many climbers traveling abroad choose to upgrade to the full Global Rescue membership.
Learn more about AAC programs and member benefits at americanalpineclub.org
Posted by Global Administrator on Tue, Jul 03, 2012 @ 03:41 PM
As usual Global Rescue was kept busy assisting members during the Himalayan climbing and trekking season. We conducted a number of rescues in Nepal, including high altitude evacuations from Everest itself. To support operations, a Global Rescue paramedic was on the ground in Nepal during peak season.
One member, Dr. Robert Vestal, writes to thank Global Rescue:
Dear Global Rescue,
Obviously you are aware that I had to be evacuated by helicopter from Namche Bazaar on Friday, April 27. Obviously, I was hugely disappointed that I could not continue my trek to Everest Base Camp. However, I was exceedingly glad to have a Global Rescue membership. I was equally glad that Bob Veno, a paramedic in your operations group, had been deployed to Kathmandu to represent Global Rescue and assist with any and all medical problems encountered by Global Rescue members. He was there at the airport when the chopper touched down. He accompanied me in the ambulance to the hospital and stayed with me many hours during the course of my hospitalization.
Basically, Bob shepherded me through the entire hospitalization process and made sure that the necessary studies were done for evaluation and that we had copies of the medical records and reports. I also know that he performed a similar role for others during his deployment in Nepal. I was hugely impressed with his interpersonal and technical skills, as well as his valuable field experience in many diverse settings. He made a big difference to me and others while he was in Nepal. I will not hesitate to recommend Global Rescue to anyone who is contemplating a trip where an evacuation or medical transport may be needed.
Finally, many thanks to everyone at Global Rescue including the staff taking calls 24/7 in the office and your physician medical consultants, such as Doctor Eric Johnson, for providing me with the best available care and transport surrounding my injury.
Sincerely,
Bob Vestal
Member - Wilderness Medical Society