Out of the woods: Physicians get urban disaster training in forests, gorges ...( ITHACA N.Y. Cornell University will ...),Health

ITHACA, N.Y. Cornell University will host more than 200 physicians and emergency medicine technicians at its Ithaca campus for the Northeast Wilderness Medical Conference, Sept. 26-28. Those attending will learn how to better cope with urban disasters by grappling with similar circumstances encountered in the wilderness.

The emergency medical system was staggered in the Sept. 11, 2001, disaster in New York City and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans. Without electricity, water and communication, conventional care systems fell apart. In response, the medical community is now embracing techniques and tactics derived from wilderness medicine training to provide emergency care in urban areas during disasters or pandemics.

Cornell President David Skorton, M.D., will provide the welcoming keynote talk Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 9:30 a.m. in the third floor auditorium of Appel Commons, on campus.

Courses include: wilderness rescue training, Tyrolean traverse rescues, back-country preparation, and an incident command and management seminar.

The full course list is available at: http://nypemergency.org/wilderness/

WHAT: Northeast Wilderness Medical Conference
WHEN: Sept. 26-28, 2007
WHERE: Cornell University, Ithaca campus
WHO: Hosted by Cornell Outdoor Education, the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the Wilderness Medical Society

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