Effectiveness of Preventive Search and Rescue: Illness and Injury Prevention and Fiscal Impact

Abstract

fit athletes training at both lower elevations and elevations greater than 5000 feet. Military population rates of injury have been consistently lower than civilian sectors in previous studies. Nevertheless, no large-scale studies of this type have looked at altitude and the effects of hydration on SCT-related complications. The military uses an aggressive hydration and work/rest protocol for all soldiers. Objective.-The investigators hypothesized that hydration and work/rest protocols may have led to lower rates of injury in soldiers with SCT exposed to altitude. Methods.-We conducted a retrospective review of a 2800 soldier cohort using blinded data of injuries occurring in participants with pre-identified SCT during a series of 28-day Marine Mountain Warfare training events conducted in Bridgeport, CA from May 2010-Feb 2012. All soldiers with SCT enrolled in the course were included in the study and their injury patterns followed. We compared their patterns with those of the non-SCT population. Results.-Out of the 2800 soldiers, 25 had SCT, but only 1 of the SCT group had an altitude-related complication (acute mountain sickness). Surprisingly, despite a reported clear predilection for complications secondary to SCT, altitudespecific illnesses were rare and only occurred once out of 25 participants (4%). The rate of injuries was much lower than previous civilian studies. There were no deaths in either the study group or the control group. Conclusions.-Medical providers must be prepared to recognize possible SCT-related complications at elevations above 5-10,000 feet, but also recognize that it may be far more likely that their soldiers with SCT will more likely have a wide range of routine illnesses and injuries that are not altitude related.

Observational Study of Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Day Hikers: Determining Behavior Patterns to Aid in Preventive Search and Rescue Efforts

“…9,10 Furthermore, there is limited literature on injury or illness prevention in hikers in a desert wilderness environment. 7,8 Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA), located in remote northern Arizona, is visited annually by over 6 million people and is an especially hazardous setting for environment-associated illnesses. Temperatures at the bottom of the canyon can reach 48˚C (120˚F) in the shade with temperatures regularly climbing above 38˚C (100˚F) during summer months.…”

“…Hiking populations have previously been studied in the context of musculoskeletal injury 1 – 3 and high-altitude illness, 4 but few studies have examined injury prevention 5 – 8 or the epidemiology of hiking-related illness of hikers or backpackers 9 , 10 . Furthermore, there is limited literature on injury or illness prevention in hikers in a desert wilderness environment 7 , 8 …”