Survey: Connecting Trail Apps with Wilderness First Responders
Survey: Connecting Trail Apps with Wilderness First Responders
Background
A Hiker's Dilemma
In 2019 I broke my ankle in a remote area near Mt. Saint Helens. My hiking partner and I were on the fence about whether or not to call for help. Both of us were properly equipped for the weather and terrain but only had basic knowledge on the medical side. In the end, I just toughed it out for the remaining 15 miles but we barely made it out before nightfall.
As I was healing from my injury, I was thinking about how a trail app might have been helpful in that situation. On the trail, I was using an app for navigation and if the app had the capability to locate/identify people nearby who were trained in wilderness medicine, it would have been useful on many levels (e.g. patient assessment, treatment options, and evaluating evacuation options).
In October 2020 I created a brief two question survey to assess interest in such an app feature. The survey was shared by wilderness medicine schools (NOLS, SOLO, True North, AdventureMed) and wilderness medicine groups via social media and email list (Thank you!). The results of that survey are posted below.
Q1: What's your Wilderness Medicine Certification level?
Question 2
As a wilderness first responder, would you be interested in participating in a trail app feature that would allow people to locate and contact you in the event of a wilderness emergency (provided you were within a reasonable distance)?
My Thoughts
Strong Support (82%) from Wilderness First Responders
SAR organizations are reporting an explosion in rescue activity (esp. during Covid-19) and a lack of resources to meet the demand. On the plus side, there is an army of willing wilderness first responders who could relieve some of the pressure if people in need were able to connect with them.
While the survey sample size by itself (168, so far), may not convince trail app companies to allocate resources toward such a feature, strong interest from the wilderness medicine community should not be ignored. At a minimum, trail app companies could tap into this group for future trail app development in the area of public safety.
I also want to acknowledge those survey respondents who expressed concerns. Some believed that wilderness emergencies are better handled by EMS. Some were concerned about the varying skill levels of first responders (i.e., Are they really skilled enough to make the right call?). There are legal considerations (e.g., rescuer privacy, liability) and ill-prepared outdoor enthusiasts who could take advantage of such a feature.
These are all valid concerns, but I don't think they are insurmountable challenges. Many of these could be addressed through proof-of-certification, clear Terms and Conditions (for app users), Scope of Practice standards and anonymity (for wilderness first responders), and knowledge of local Good Samaritan laws.
Final Thoughts: The survey is still active (see link below). Please consider adding your thoughts to this project and I will update the site with any new data.
Disclosure: This is NOT a commercial venture. I did not receive payment for this survey nor am I looking to profit from this idea. I'm doing this because, as an avid outdoor enthusiast, I think it would be a great standard feature that all trail apps should offer.
P.S. As a result of my accident, I, completed a certification in wilderness medicine in 2020.
Photo: Scene of the crime/accident. Mt. Margaret Backcountry near Mt. St. Helens
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