Dr. Milton Glatterer, MD, FAWM presents on "Mtn. Rescue and Wilderness Medicine" at the March 4 -6, 2016 Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery Associates, Cardiovascular Summit at The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa.

1. Mountain Rescue and
Wilderness Medicine
CTSA
Cardiovascular Summit
March 4-6, 2016
Beaver Creek, Colorado
Skeet Glatterer, MD, FAWM

2. Mountain Rescue Association
• Group of highly trained volunteer professionals
• Oldest SAR organization in the US
• Collection of 100 teams with 2,500 members
• 8 regions:
– Rocky Mountain Region (CO, NM, WY) with 15 teams
– More than 5,000 SAR operations yearly
– Board of Directors – the teams
– Governed by 5 elected officers
MRA (www.MRA.org)

3. MRA - Qualifications
• Teams confirmed as members after extensive
scenario based field testing:
– High angle rock rescue
– Ice and snow rescue
– Wilderness search
• Teams must reaccredit every 5 years
– Tested and judged by members of regional and
out of state teams

4. MRA
• Yearly national meeting
– Field activities and presentations related to
developments in SAR technology and techniques,
and mountain emergency medicine
• International Technical Rescue Symposium (ITRS)
– Advances in technical mountain rescue and gear, and
systems testing

5. MRA Medical Committee
• Article in quarterly MRA publication pertinent
to mountain medicine
• Reviewed by MEDCOM members
• Periodic practice guidelines

6. MRA – SAR Mission
• Search: for lost outdoor participants
• Rescue: when found
• Provide medical care: usually in wilderness
medical setting, frequently in austere conditions
• Never a charge for rescue
– Encourage calling early
– Charges may occur from other organizations for
transport or hospital care

7. MRA - Availability
• Any time day or night
• Every day and night
• All seasons

8. International Commission for Alpine
Rescue – ICAR www.alpine-rescue.org
• Founded in 1948, 35 countries
• Four commissions:
– Terrestrial rescue
– Air rescue
– Snow rescue
– Mountain emergency medicine

9. ICAR Medical Committee
• US delegates from MRA
• Elaboration of recommendations and
guidelines dealing with scientific and practical
aspects of mountain rescue and emergency
treatment of casualties in mountainous terrain
• All recommendations and guidelines are
published in international peer reviewed
journals

10. International Union of Alpine Clubs
International Mountaineering and Climbing
Federation
• International governing body of climbing and
mountaineering
• Safety standards for climbing equipment and
guiding certification

11. Diploma in Mountain Medicine
• ICAR MEDCOM, UIAA MEDCOM, ISMM
(international Society for Mountain Medicine)
• Mountain medicine topics
• Mountain rescue proficiency on land, air, snow
• Standardizes training for physicians involved in
mountain medicine and rescue in mountain
areas

12. Alpine Rescue Team
Evergreen, CO www.alpinerescue.org
• Organized 1959
• Conduct search, (remote areas), rescue,
recovery, all terrain (high altitude, high angle
technical rock rescue, avalanche response
• Any day, night or day, any weather conditions

13. Alpine Rescue Team
Evergreen, CO www.alpinerescue.org
• Teach individuals and groups safe
mountaineering practices and safety in the
mountains
• Cooperate with other SAR groups via formal
association and agreements to local regional,
national and international levels
• CSRB (Colorado search and rescue boards)
• Loveland Ski Patrol

14. Alpine Rescue Team
Evergreen, CO www.alpinerescue.org
• Coverage area: Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin
Counties
• Dispatched by Sheriff’s Office
• Covers four 14’ers
• 65 field active and technical specialist members
• Evergreen facilities
• No charge for rescue
• 125 missions per year: search, rescue, recovery

15. Alpine Rescue Team
Evergreen, CO www.alpinerescue.org
• Funded by donations
• CORSAR card (Colorado Outdoor Recreation SAR card)
– Not insurance – does not pay for medical
transportation or hospital care
– Does allow some reimbursement by state through
Sheriff’s Office to replace destroyed equipment

16. Alpine Rescue Team
Evergreen, CO www.alpinerescue.org
• Medical Care
– OEC (Outdoor Emergency Care) or higher
– Medical Committee
– Medical Director: Interface with St. Anthony
Hospital, Centura Health Care, Flight for Life, HAATS

17. Wilderness Medicine
• Providing vital emergency care in remote settings
• Usually involved with potentially hazardous
activities in the back country
• Not just ER medicine, and certainly not hospital
medicine
• SAR medicine, diving and hyperbaric, tropical and
travel, high altitude and mountaineering,
expedition, environmental,
submersion/drowning, disaster/humanitarian

18. Wilderness Medical Society
• Many programs to train, not standardized
• Advance healthcare, research and education
related to wilderness medicine
• Advice, guidance to medical personnel working in
wilderness environment

19. Wilderness Medical Society
• Meetings, publications, Wilderness and
Environmental Medicine Journal, Wilderness
Medicine Newsletter, Practical Guidelines for
Wilderness Emergency Medicine
• Certifications: AWLS, FAWM, DIMM
• Sponsoring residency programs

20. Wilderness Medicine
• What makes wilderness medicine different?
– Challenges………Equipment
– Differences……..Environment
– Improvising……..Without Equipment