Whether from Sticks or stakes, branches or rebar, impalements can be a backcountry problem to contend with. In the field of wilderness medicine, there are specific protocols pertaining to impalements and how to manage them in a remote setting. These guidelines are attributed to the assessment and location of the impalement injury. Core  impalement. Impalements to the head, face, trunk and other core...

  One of the key characteristics that defines a "wilderness" location, apart from the 1 hour away from definitive medial care, centers on the lack of available resources and the necessity to improvise. Though field teams and expeditions may have some first aid / rescue gear with them, in emergency situations there is very seldom a surplus...

As instructors of swiftwater rescue, we have the opportunity to train in some amazing environments with some very talented groups of people. From military special forces to recreational boaters, swiftwater rescue is applicable to a diverse cross section of the population. The National Park Service continues to be one of our favorite groups to work with....

A swiftwater entry  doesn't have to be graceful, it just has to gets the job done. A good swiftwater entry can make or break your swiftwater swim. Part superman, part belly flop, it involves extending yourself into the current and can give you the jump start you need to make your target. In our swiftwater rescue courses...

Texas native and Sierra Rescue's own, Zach Byars recently returned to Texas to his childhood home on the Blanco river in Wimberley where his family's house was hit hard by the recent flooding. Byars wasn't able to participate in the search and rescue efforts but was able to assist friends in family in the post-flood...