Types of injuries encountered on a SAR mission

[savage]

What kind of injuries would I run into on a SAR mission? Whether it be a missing person, downed air craft, or whatever.

[SarDragon]

GT or "involved" people?

For GT: cuts and abrasions, sprains, sunburn, bruises.

For "involved" people: all of the above, plus broken bones, major lacerations, and severe blunt force trauma on any portion of the body.

[Major Lord]

Most of the victims you will find on a GT mission will not benefit from any treatment....if you get my drift. You and your fellow members can hurt yourselves in the usual ways, but by adding fatigue and inexperience, your chances of traumatic injury grow logarithmically. If the point of the question is "how much gear should I take?" the answer is: Just the basics. I admit its nice to have lots of gear back in the vehicle ( I keep O2, airway kit,  AED, etc in mine) but if you have to carry it, go with basic life support and lots of boo-boo gear. You are much more likely to need bandaids and Moleskin then an AED.

Major Lord

[Eclipse]

Don't forget Stage II PITA - that usually pops up a few times.

[Stonewall]

On the ground team: heat related injuries, ankle sprains/breaks, eye injuries from branches, poison ivy, blisters from boots.

Victims from aircraft crashes: everything from dizziness to death.

[flyboy53]

Add stroke at the mission base to that mix.

[Short Field]

Crew members being initiated into the Cessna Flyers Club (walking into the wing's trailing edge and getting a diamond shaped cut on their forehead).

[RADIOMAN015]

Interestingly a few years back I was the MRO on an actual ELT search mission that lasted all night long.   (2000 hrs to 0600 hrs local next day).   When I finished to leave my elbow was hurting/burning and I discovered a large blister.  Apparently when I was using the radio (hand mike), I would have my elbow on the table and was moving it at times, causing the blister to form.   Guess I need a safety pillow of some sort!!! 

HOWEVER, sometimes strange things can happend and you won't even be aware of it until later (sunburn & tick bites are other good examples).
RM

[Major Lord]

Did you fill out a CAPF 78? These always make entertaining reading. My personal all-time favorite concerned a Cadet who required sutures for an injury incurred while taking the Curry exam....I guess some squadrons are just much more macho than mine....we just use pencils.

Major Lord

[HGjunkie]

Did you fill out a CAPF 78? These always make entertaining reading. My personal all-time favorite concerned a Cadet who required sutures for an injury incurred while taking the Curry exam....I guess some squadrons are just much more macho than mine....we just use pencils.

Major Lord

Oh my god... sounds like my old Squadron.

[CadetProgramGuy]

Crew members being initiated into the Cessna Flyers Club (walking into the wing's trailing edge and getting a diamond shaped cut on their forehead).

Several years ago, I did a CAPF 78 on my Wing Commander for this very reason.

He laughed when I said "so who do I call to inform you had an incident....Can't call you can I?"

[EMT-83]

Around here we call it the Diamond Club.

[bosshawk]

Or the Cessna Forehead Crease.