March 16, 2017Podcast

Grand Canyon National Park Search and Rescue Part 2

We return this week for part two of our episode interview on preparedness and prehospital care with Dr. Drew Harrell, medical director for the Grand Canyon National Park. Their service deals with rough terrain, swift water rescues, rabid animal outbreaks, high angle rescue, air lifts and more. They have serious challenges that put them almost always at an extreme distance from definitive care. Often, rescuers spend the night with their patients before a rescue can be staged.

Drew shares some of the amazing rescue and prevention situations worked by the PSAR teams (Park Search and Rescue). In the summer months especially, they deal with many exertional hyponatremia cases where the PSAR teams have to replenish both fluids and electrolytes in life-threatening medical cases.

https://www.grandcanyon.org/donate/projects/psar-saving-lives-grand-canyon

http://www.grandcanyonnews.com/news/2016/aug/16/grand-canyon-rangers-helping-hikers/

Find Dr. Drew Harrell on Twitter @EMSDrDrew.

Kyle Nelson asks Drew a question about how PSAR teams are dispatched for response in the Grand Canyon National Park. Drew details how a PSAR shift coordinator mans the dispatch center with the regular dispatchers to determine if a search and rescue situation is dictated.

Joe Holley, chimes in to ask about some of the unique medical tools used in the field by the PSAR teams like TXA (Tranexamic Acid) to manage hemorrhage patients in the park when there is an extended rescue situation and transport times of hours or even days to reach definitive care.

https://www.ems1.com/ems-products/Ambulance-Disposable-Supplies/articles/2206976-Tranexamic-Acid-TXA-Drug-Whys/

Joe follows up the TXA question with an additional question on the training requirements for the park rangers, PSAR team members and the other responders in the park. Drew calls the Grand Canyon National Park EMS responders masters of prioritization and improvisation.

Check out this episode and if you have questions, leave them here or on our new disaster podcast Facebook Group.

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