Immediate Emergency Care (IEC) can be the difference in the outcome from any injury or medical incident and when the location you're in isn't close to professional medical facilities, that difference becomes potentially much greater. Medical facilities are available in Svalbard, the issue is the time taken to get to them from the expedition research area.
To help ensure the best possible care of the expedition team, ARG member Richard Hill, has spent a fantastic few days with the Trauma Resus team up in Warrington, Manchester, achieving qualification in the IEC Advanced Course, ahead of the 2023 expedition this August.
Richard has been a qualified first aider for nearly 20 years and maintains his qualifications for his working life. The additional training Richard has successfully completed provided vital new skills learned to help keep the expedition team safe in the event of an injury or medical incident. Other members on the expedition have previously also completed wilderness first aid training and the expedition has consulted with medical professionals for further support. This has included putting together the First Aid kits that the expedition will have with them, which will also include some more sophisticated items, including an emergency defibrillator.
Ultimately, safety in all aspects is at the top of the agenda for the expedition and emergency assistance will be initially provided by the expedition members themselves.
A huge thankyou to the whole team at Trauma Resus for delivering the training course and making Richard feel welcome and at ease.
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