Wilderness First Aid Australia

15/09/2026

13/9- We made the summit! 5364m.
All safe and sound.
What an incredible adventure. 🏔 🌫

14/9- Making our way back down now.
Arrived in Pherige 4187m.
Today has been overcast and cold.
You can't see more than 10mts in front of you.
It snowed today. ❄️ 🏔

15/09/2026

12/9- We we started making our way to summit base camp.

Beautiful morning and the sun was out to see the mountains. 🌞

Unreal- Ritcho

11/09/2026

Well guys, Ritcho is on the adventure of a lifetime and has been trekking to Mt Everest base camp! He's asked us to give some updates of his travels so far and we will update you when we can along the way!

3/9- After a couple of long flights we made it to Kathmandu, Nepal.
A couple of sight seeing days visiting the Pashupatinath temple along the Bagmahti River which drains into the Ghangi River. It was surreal.
Huggin flew onto the window to wish us well and safe travels. He cawed once and flew off. I'm stoked! 🐦‍⬛

5/9- Travelling to Lukla today but the weather had other plans. We had to land at Ramechhap airport due to bad weather and low clouds. Needed the clouds to lift so we could get in safely, so we ended up staying overnight until the clouds lifted. (even though I could have gotten us in there I reckon! 😝) 🗺

7/9- 8hrs today and finally made ot to Namchee Bazaar.
Tea house break, elevation is 3420m.
Peaking through the clouds is the first glimpse of a 6000m peak. Absolutely stunning. 🏞

8/9- Acclimatisation day, we did the optional 3hr hike.

9/9- Tough climb up today. They asked me to lead after lunch to monitor the group and make sure no one gets lost (still got it!)
We are at 3900m in Tenboche.

10/9- Dingboche just under 4500m today. Bit of a slog and feeling the altitude now. Woke at 5.30am to see the sunrise over the mountains.
Beautiful day for trekking. 🌄

11/9- Did an acclimatisation climb this morning, 4640m. Tough walking but this old mountain goat is doin' okay. 👍

02/09/2026

DRSABCD is probably the best-known acronym in first aid. But have you ever stopped to wonder why the 'R'—Response—comes before Airway and Breathing?
Well, it matters because the ‘Response’ check is more than just a first aid icebreaker.
It is the first step in a series of checks that dictates the next step in a medical emergency. For example, do we need to call 000, or apply a lifesaving intervention?

You can read the rest of this article on the LEARNING tab on our website:

https://wfac.com.au/checking-for-a-response-in-the-primary-survey/

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ‘In the Loop’ for all things Wilderness First Aid!

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02/09/2026

OFF THE GRID? DON’T GO OFF THE RADAR! 📡

Heading into the wilderness? Getting off-grid is all well and good—until things go pear-shaped. 🥴

From mobile phones and UHF radios to satellite phones, PLBs, EPIRBs and Garmin inReach, there are plenty of ways to call for help when you’re a long way from civilisation.

But here’s the kicker: don’t put all your eggs in one communication basket. 🔋🌧️🥶

And perhaps the simplest safety net of all? Leave your itinerary with someone you trust. Tell them where you’re going, when you’re due back, and when to raise the alarm if you don’t return.

Because when you’re off the grid, being able to get back on the radar could make all the difference.

📚 For more wilderness first aid education, head to our LEARNING tab.

05/08/2026

Winter has well and truly arrived, bringing frosty mornings, shorter days, and a fresh set of first aid challenges. If you are braving the outdoors - Keep warm out there! If you are rugged up indoors with a hot chocolate… good idea. So am I!

05/08/2026

In the Response’ phase of the primary survey (DRSABC) we apply ‘talk’ then ‘touch’ stimuli to establish a response.

TALK first:
• Identify yourself;
• Identify your level of training;
• Make all attempts to establish consent to treat.

Something like this:
“I am ______, I am Wilderness First Aid trained, can I help you out?”

Speak loudly and assertively but kindly. If they do not respond, they are deemed unresponsive to voice.

Then TOUCH:
You should now try painful stimuli to evoke a response. Firmly squeeze the casualties trapezius muscle (the one that feels great in a massage, until it’s squeezed a bit too hard). In this case… you probably need to squeeze a bit too hard.

If they respond, they are deemed responsive to pain. If they don’t respond, it’s a waste of a good massage. And they are deemed unresponsive. This requires the casualty to be placed in the recovery position when possible to protect their airway, as you send for help and continue your assessments.

For more educational reading head to the LEARNING tab on our website:

https://www.wfac.com.au/learning/

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ‘In the Loop’ for all things Wilderness First Aid!

https://wfac.us17.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=909a46a01fdaf70d1f5589de5&id=57413b7c88

02/07/2026

02/07/2026