Description

Speaker: Matthew Smith, CCP/ITT

Matthew is a critical care flight paramedic and educator currently working for British Columbia Emergency Health Services with the Infant Transport Team, specializing in pediatric and neonatal care, and lives in Squamish with his family and a rescue puppy.  He works for the Blackcomb Ski Patrol in winter and Whistler Mountain Bike park in summer. He has been a paramedic for 20 years, and has worked as a land ACP, Tactical and CBRNE medic. He has a passion for teaching Wilderness Medicine, and is an instructor with Wilderness Medical Associates.

Matt has just finished a term on the CAWM board of directors, and he holds a diploma in both Adult Education and Outdoor Education. In 2024, he was the recipient of the Mount Cauvbik award for excellence in Wilderness Medical Education.

In this case based presentation, we will examine the decision making and mindset that the literature shows us is best practice when dealing with critically injured patients in an austere environment. Through a stepwise process, we will break down a response by the Blackcomb Ski patrol for a skier injured in an avalanche, and take participants though all stages of an event, examining best practices for airway management, hypothermia management, pain control, trauma care, packaging, and extrication. While directed at advanced care providers, there will be conversations about all levels of care.