Would you know what to do if someone in your climbing party accidentally impaled himself with an ice ax? What if your tent mate were suffering from hypothermia? Let's say you've just pulled a friend, unconscious and bleeding, from a crevasse: What do you do next?

Such incidents are not altogether uncommon. If you've ever flipped through the cautionary pages of the American Alpine Club's annual report, "Accidents in North American Mountaineering," you know that things can go horribly wrong in the mountains. When they do, it's best to know how to respond quickly and competently.

To gain that knowledge, many people are enrolling in wilderness-medicine courses taught by licensed instructors in what is a young but growing industry. First taught in the late '70s by SOLO Wilderness Medicine and Wilderness Medical Associates, such classes have become increasingly popular. For some, the training and certification they provide have become a prerequisite for employment.

According to Melissa Gray, co-director of the Colorado-based Wilderness Medicine Institute, "Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training has become the de facto standard for outdoor instructors and guides." Certification in the training is now required of instructors by such groups as the National Outdoor Leadership School and Outward Bound, she says.

Similarly, as of the summer of 1999, the American Camping Association will require that its trip leaders be certified in the less intensive Wilderness First Aid (WFA) program. The reason for the new requirements is that insurance companies want to see credentials before issuing liability coverage. As yet, however, no national standard exists for certification. Aspiring guides and the like should ask prospective employers what programs they sanction, and check with the instruction company to make sure that recertification will be available in the future.

Instruction is by no means limited to outdoor professionals. Tom Clausing, a Wilderness Medical Associates instructor in Leavenworth, Wash., sees a wide range of students in his courses, from employees of federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Land Management, to "folks who just want to be as safe as possible in the backcountry."

WFA training is different from standard Red Cross instruction.

"First and foremost," Gray says, "Wilderness First Aid is designed specifically for remote locations where 'remote' is defined as 'anyplace more than an hour away from a hospital.'

Clausing agrees. "In the backcountry," he says, "you may be with the patient for hours or even days, so the emphasis is going to be more on prolonged patient care."

In the case of an ice ax through the leg, conventional first aid dictates leaving the impaling object as is, stabilizing the victim and getting him as quickly as possible to a hospital. But, in the backcountry, with miles of rough terrain to contend with and no ** hospital nearby, the ax might have to be removed in the field.

"In wilderness medicine," Gray says, "care needs to be improvised to deal with variable conditions and limited equipment. I see it as an extension of urban first aid rather than a different thing entirely."

"Wilderness medical instruction generally covers the standard urban-context curriculum and then some," Clausing says. He says the eight-day WFR course he teaches covers the entire Department of Transportation-mandated First Responder curriculum, while adding a backcountry component. Of the 72-hour course, he estimates that just over half is spent outdoors with three full-scale accident simulations. WFA courses generally take two days.

As to who should consider WFR or WFA courses, Gray says it's up to the individual. Most weekenders, she says, will probably be satisfied with the WFA course, "but anyone planning expeditions or extensive trips in the backcountry would benefit from more intensive First Responder classes." After all, you never know when the worst might happen.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Many universities and outdoor organizations around the country sponsor classes in their areas. Pricing, length of instruction, certification and course availability vary considerably, so it's wise to research alternatives before committing. Many companies offer WFA and WFR instruction, but the three outfits listed below teach both and are generally regarded as the largest and most established:

* The Wilderness Medicine Institute, P.O. Box 9, Pitkin, Colo. 81241; 970-641-3572.

* Wilderness Medical Associates, 189 Dudley Road, Bryant Pond, Maine 04219; 207-665-2707.

* SOLO, P.O. Box 3150, Conway, N.H. 03818; 603-447-6711.

- Patrick Joseph

In brief

Budget

Coupon books offer consumers ways to save on travel, entertainment, dining, and shopping. Manhattan Today and Boston Today are the newest offerings to the public. Both coupon books have been around for about 10 years but only through corporations and conventions. Each book is keyed to the city on the cover. Among the savings offered are discounts on museums, tours, two-for-one entrees at a variety of restaurants and shopping discounts. The current Manhattan Today ($10) is valid to Oct. 15 and Boston Today ($6) to Nov. 30; new issues will be valid for six months. For more information or to buy a copy, call 800-685-6760 or 212-685-6700 (New York) or 617-720-2277 (Boston).

Fast solutions

Hanging around airports can be B-O-R-I-N-G, especially when your flight has been delayed. But maybe you'll be lucky and find yourself in one of these airports:

* Orlando International. The world's first airport microbrewery offers five beers, darts, and a tour of the facility. (The microbrewery is in the main terminal's central corridor. A second pub is near gates 60-99.)

* Miami International. At the Airport Hotel, you can swim in an outdoor pool, get some sun, take a sauna or jog on a track for a mere $8. Locker rooms and showers are available, too. (Head for Concourse E, second floor.)

* Milwaukee Airport. The Renaissance Bookshop sells used paperbacks, vintage Life magazines, even gems like a Steinbeck first edition for $35. (The shop is in the main terminal.)

* Schiphol in Amsterdam. There is a casino where you can play roulette, blackjack or slots and where 16 kinds of currency are accepted. (The casino is between the west wing and the central terminal, beyond Customs.)

Kids

Are we there yet?

Those may be the most-uttered words this summer as American families hit the road in search of recreation, relaxation and good old fun. According to a recent poll by the Travel Industry Association of America and AAA Travelometer, more than half of all pleasure trips planned this summer will include children.

So what's the favorite activity? According to the 1,500 U.S. adults polled, beach- and lake-oriented vacations are most appealing for families, followed by camping and theme parks. Florida, California and Hawaii are the most alluring destinations.

If you are planning a child-centered holiday, consider these resources:

* Rand McNally for Kids produces a collection of travel games and activities for ages 3-7.

Packaged in a colorful, kid-size suitcase, the Vacation Fun Pack ($15) features two travel books, activity pads, stickers and crayons. Other Rand McNally products include the series "My First Backseat Books," with titles such as "Alphabet Travels" and "Things on the Go" ($3.95 each), and KidCards, which can be used to play I Spy, Road Sign Dominoes, Wild Card Old Maid and other games. Each deck features several games and costs $3.95.

* "Outside Magazine's Guide to Family Vacations" (Macmillan, $15.95) and "The Kids' Book of 50 Great States" (Scholastic, $14.95) might be good to have along.

"Outside Magazine's Guide to Family Vacations" outlines more than 150 adventures, including white-water rafting, mountain biking and backpacking. In addition to information on guides, outfitters and park services, the book offers such features as rainy-day activities, calming words for hysterical parents and suggested itineraries.

* "50 Great States," written by children for their peers ages 8-12, is fun and informative. Maps, puzzles, poems, games, trivia, songs, cartoons and jokes are all part of the mix, which also includes information about state heroes and heroines, tourist spots with kid appeal and useful Web sites.

* "Clap, Tickle, Tug" and "Radio Bingo" are among the 250 activities in "FamilyFun's Games on the Go" (Hyperion, $9.95). Activities for car, plane and train travel are included, as well as travel, packing and dining tips designed to ease nerves and make family travel fun.

Many of the games require no supplies. In the road game Counting Cows, for instance, players count the cows (or mailboxes, dogs or grocery stores) on their side of the road. You agree on an ending destination, and the player who has counted the most cows wins. Oh, and if you pass a cemetery on your side of the road, you lose all your cows.

* Electronic games can pass many dull hours of driving or waiting in an airport terminal. Hasbro offers several hand-held electronic games suited for travel, including Trivial Pursuit, Mastermind and Totally Twister. With three skill levels, Battleship Electronic Hand-Held features spiffy sound effects when you sink a ship.

Other electronic titles are available. Prices range from $13.99 for Yahtzee to $24.99 for Monopoly.

From wire reports

Pub Date: 8/02/98