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Letter Re: Advanced Medical Care and Transport After TEOTWAWKI
Mr. Rawles,
I have been a reader of SurvivalBlog for at least a year now, and I feel it's
time to get involved. During this time I have been adding to my preps, building
a library, and re-certifying my medical credentials. I have also done a lot
of reading, getting many opinions concerning the future. I found one thing
that I am at a loss for, and that is the subject of this letter.
In all my medical re-certification courses and also in the medical library
that I have put together, I have these questions: If society does go down the
dumper and all social services and amenities cease, along with gasoline and
diesel fuel for transport, how to we get injured or seriously ill individuals
to proper medical facilities? Who would be there to receive them, and what
kind of treatment could we except once this patient arrives? None of my training
programs nor the books that I have in my library address these questions. They
all state: "Transport the patient to the nearest medical facility for
treatment." So, what do we do?
I have given much thought to this, and finally after reading material about
the situation in Africa and other countries, I started an Internet search for
answers. What I found was that several legitimate world-wide organizations
may have solutions to these questions. First, the World Health Organization
(WHO)
has published numerous books on medical care and treatment in Third World and
remote areas. I found them to be free of cost and can be downloaded.
Second,
The
Hesperian Foundation has a very good series of books concerning the same
subject. They can also be downloaded free on the Internet. I've managed to
download quite a bit of information concerning advanced medical care from these
two sources. I also have a found a copy of the book "Survival and Austere
Medicine: An Introduction." The 213 page book is in PDF format
and is available for free
download. These
books are a welcomed addition to my library. Now comes the job of reading and
taking them to heart.
I recommend that all
readers check out these sites.
I know this may rankle the professional some MDs out there, but it needs to
be addressed. You cannot be everywhere at once, or all things to all people.
I would appreciate hearing your comments and concerns in a constructive manner
on this Blog so that a proper understanding and direction for training can
be achieved. I also want you to understand that as a retired ER/ICU Nurse,
I know the legal side of things and I will
not practice medicine without a license.
As I said above, I am a retired Critical Care RN, a retired EMT and First Responder,
and a retired U.S. Army Reserve Combat Medic. I have over 30 years experience
in
the field, and I know my limitations. I ask that all who comment on this letter
do so in an intelligent manner so the information derived can be used for the
benefit of all of us. Sincerely and Honestly, - DS in Wisconsin
