Mother nature shows no favorites. Although spring weather doesn’t necessarily bring to mind the types of perils that winter can present (such as avalanches and thin ice), dangers are always lurking that can jeopardize your health and safety.

To ensure that your next expedition doesn’t get derailed, consider these quick tips that will keep you safe.

Anticipate lightning

With April showers comes lightning, unfortunately, and last year, nearly 30 people died from lightning strikes, according to the National Weather Service. Ensure that you don’t suffer the same fate by knowing when the bad weather is coming, and having a plan to avoid the electrical strike. “The most important component of lightning safety is prevention,” says Gates Richards, M.Ed., special program manager with the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute in Lander, Wyoming. “This involves knowing local weather patterns, anticipating oncoming storms, finding relatively low-risk locations and practicing a lightning drill before a storm.”

If you know a storm is headed your way, evaluate the safe locations that are nearby. “Lower risk locations include low rolling hills,” Richards says. “These would be safer places for campsites.” If you’re caught in a lightning storm, a good rule of thumb is to avoid being, or being near, the tallest object in any given area, Richards says. “In the worst case scenario (being stuck in a lightning storm), you can assume a ‘lightning position,’ ” he says. This means you should insulate yourself from the ground, protect yourself from the weather, and stay small and low. “Disperse a group to minimize the chances of multiple casualties,” he says.

If someone in your group does get hit by lightning, know that the symptoms aren’t as clear-cut as you see in the movies. “Lightning strikes can produce a wide range of injuries, ranging from trauma to neurological problems,” Richards says. “Provide supportive care, clean or splint any injuries, and evacuate anyone involved in a lightning strike. Neurological issues may have delayed onset, so it’s best to evacuate.”

Deadly stings

Spring allergies don’t just involve hay fever and runny noses—they can bring on the potentially deadly sting of bees, wasps and other insects that carry Hymenoptera venom, which is an allergy trigger for thousands of people.
Most reactions to bee stings involve local swelling and itching, but for some people, systemic reactions such as anaphylaxis can strike, which could be deadly. If you’re traveling with someone who has a diagnosed Hymenoptera allergy, ensure that an epinephrine prescription is in your carry pack (typically in the form of an Epi-Pen).

Deadly bites

Anyone who has ever seen an old cowboy movie knows that the best way to treat a snakebite is to cut the bite, suck out the venom and spit it on the ground, right? Not so fast.
This outdated advice can actually waste precious time that could be spent getting the victim to an emergency care facility.First, know that your chances of dying from a snakebite are not as high … Read the rest

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