Staying Safe on the Trail: Wilderness Safety Webinar Series
By Griffin Dill
On July 15, the PATC Hikes Committee sponsored the first in a series of online seminars to educate our members how to protect themselves in the woods. Over 200 members registered online for the first presentation: Ticks and Insect Bites. The Hikes Committee co-sponsored the event with the Center for Wilderness Safety (CWS). CWS is a nationally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization celebrating over two decades of wilderness medicine education & training. Since the beginning, CWS has set out to be the leader in wilderness medicine training, always incorporating the latest science into our curricula and wilderness medical field protocols. It is located in Sterling, Va.
Master Wilderness Safety Skills
Clif Castleman, Director and Co-Founder of CWS, delivered the presentation. He shared highly practical strategies to reduce exposure to trail hazards and handle emergency bites.
The session arrived at a critical time due to nationwide surges in tick populations
Key takeaways for your next hike include:
- Cover Up: Wear long, light-colored clothing to spot crawling pests easily.
- Use Repellent: Apply effective repellents to skin and treat gear with permethrin.
- Remove Safely: Use fine-tipped tweezers to pull ticks straight out without twisting.
Missed the Session? Watch Online Soon
Do not worry if you missed the live event. PATC is currently processing the webinar video. It will be posted on the official PATC website shortly. Keep an eye on our digital channels for the launch announcement.
Looking Ahead: Future Training Sessions
By the time you read this newsletter, the Hikes Committee and CWS will have wrapped up their second webinar. This latest session covered heat-related injuries, lightning protocols, snake bites, and professional blister care.
The Hikes Committee is planning several more educational sessions to support our hike leaders and general members. Future topics under consideration include:
- Allergies and anaphylaxis management
- Orthopedic injuries and joint dislocations
- Cold-related injuries and hypothermia
- Backcountry soft tissue wound care
- Digital navigation tools like AllTrails and Gaia GPS
We want to make sure these sessions meet your needs on the trail. If you want to help shape our future educational lineup, please send us comments on topics you would like to see covered and other ways we can help keep you safe on the trails. Send comments to Hikes@patc.net.
Happy Trails!