Safety Practices in Outdoor Recreation

Headaches

• Headaches can occur during trekking or hiking due to lack of eye protection, tension in the neck, dehydration, and swelling of brain tissue.
• Dehydration can cause headaches, especially when consuming large amounts of water without taking salt tablets.
• Over-the-counter medicines like paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin can be taken to prevent further discomfort.

Altitude/Mountain Sickness

• Altitude sickness occurs when the body cannot acclimatize to high altitudes quickly enough, leading to low oxygen levels.
• Triggering factors may include ascending too quickly, overexertion, inadequate fluid intake, hypothermia, and alcohol consumption.
• Altitude sickness can range from mild to life-threatening, including High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE).
• HAPE causes fluids to accumulate in the lungs, making breathing extremely difficult, while HACE causes fluid buildup in the brain, leading to swelling and changes in mental state.

Safety Practices in Outdoor Recreation

• This lesson covers medical injuries and illnesses commonly encountered in outdoor recreation and how to help others in these situations.
• Discussions include aquatic and environmental hazards that might cause illnesses and injuries.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Venomous snakes can still inflict fatal bites even after death due to retained reflexes in the brain.
• Ions or electrically charged particles in nerve cells fuel this reflex, allowing the snake to react via an electrical impulse that stimulates the mouth muscles.

Burns or Scalds

• Burns or scalds are injuries caused by hot liquids or heat.
• If on fire, stop the burning immediately using the "stop, drop, and roll" method, then remove flamed material from the person.
• Remove constrictive clothing, and immerse the affected area in cool water or apply a compress if no running water is available.
• For first-degree burns, put the affected area under running water or immerse in cool water until pain subsides.
• For second-degree burns, immerse in cool water for 10-15 minutes or apply a compress; protect the burn with a sterile, non-stick bandage.

Snake Bites

• Not all snakes are venomous; only 600 out of 3000 species are venomous.
• Venomous snakes typically have triangular-shaped heads and elliptical eyes, and often have a color pattern.
• When bitten by a snake, remember the snake's appearance, as this information will be helpful.
• The Department of Health has released important advisories on first aid for snake bites.

Drowning

• Drowning is among the top 10 leading causes of death for children and young people aged 1-24 years globally.
• Scrub the wound with soap and rinse with fresh water; do not close the wound with tape.

Stingray

• If stung by a stingray, call a lifeguard and seek medical help immediately, as there is no antidote for stingray venom.
• Immerse the affected area in hot water (as hot as can be tolerated) for 30-90 minutes to control pain.
• Remove any large spines from the wound using tweezers, and clean the wound with soap and fresh water.

Environmental Hazards

• Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that can cause an itchy rash upon contact due to the substance urushiol.
• Remove stinging hairs from the skin quickly to prevent the poison from entering the body.
• Various methods can be used to remove the hairs, such as using duct tape or tweezers.