[at-l] Need to know for work

[thornel@attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

I think it might be a somewhat better choice on the AT than in more remote 
areas. The medical definition of wilderness is 15 minutes from a telemetry 
bed. An AED provides some telemetry and ability to know what is happening 
during a disaster, and can be very helpful on occasion. Ships and airlines 
have access to oxygen and numbers of folks to aid resuscitation, radio to 
plan medical evacuation and other resources not found uniformly on the AT 
and rarely on other "wilderness" areas.

Like any other gear choice, knowledge of when and how to use it is vital - 
as well as knowledge on when not to employ it. For instance, the decision 
to stop CPR is very difficult for many. One has to make difficult choices 
based on partial information and judgement. Most authorities would advise 
aggressive maintenance of CPR in hypothermia (you aren't dead until you are 
warm and dead), while question the wisdom of prolonged efforts in 
unobserved sudden death - discovering a body.

OrangeBug
<off list for a day or two>

At 08:31 AM 2/15/2002 -0600, Shane Steinkamp wrote:
>...  Now before I get a million emails,
>I don't think it's a good choice for the AT.  On cruise ships, and carried
>by first responders, these units have already saved many lives.