Treatment in Transit – Criteria

Phase 2 will involve hands on design process to create a robust solution for aiding the prevention of fatalities due to hypothermia in the alpine environment. The scope will remain within the alpine environment but a solution to also include below the bush line would also be desirable, due to the need for both.

The final design will be intended for use by alpine search and rescue workers in New Zealand. It will be intended to be included as part of their standard kit when either walking in to a search or being dropped off by a helicopter. It can also be proposed that the device will be included into a drop bag for self application.

A significant challenge of such a device would be the ability of the search and rescue team to apply it extremely quickly. It has been noted that it would not be desirable to hold up the evacuation process, or to have to remove the patient’s clothing in order to apply it. It is however, understood, that for maximum efficiency the active device would need to work next to the skin.

General criteria:

The design should be simple enough for application with no special training, to be suitable • for instant use by search and rescue workers whose skill sets are often varied.

The device should lay a strong priority upon weight, and to a slightly lesser degree size • while remaining significantly beneficial.

There should be minimal interference with current search and rescue practice, mainly to • avoid a hold up of the evacuation process but also to maximise acceptance within the search and rescue community.

The device should preserve all the best practices relating to the handling of a hypothermic • patient detailed in earlier sections.

Phase 2 will involve hands on design process to create a robust solution for aiding the prevention of fatalities due to hypothermia in the alpine environment. The scope will remain within the alpine environment but a solution to also include below the bush line would also be desirable, due to the need for both.

The final design will be intended for use by alpine search and rescue workers in New Zealand. It will be intended to be included as part of their standard kit when either walking in to a search or being dropped off by a helicopter. It can also be proposed that the device will be included into a drop bag for self application.

A significant challenge of such a device would be the ability of the search and rescue team to apply it extremely quickly. It has been noted that it would not be desirable to hold up the evacuation process, or to have to remove the patient’s clothing in order to apply it. It is however, understood, that for maximum efficiency the active device would need to work next to the skin.

General criteria:

The design should be simple enough for application with no special training, to be suitable • for instant use by search and rescue workers whose skill sets are often varied.

The device should lay a strong priority upon weight, and to a slightly lesser degree size • while remaining significantly beneficial.

There should be minimal interference with current search and rescue practice, mainly to • avoid a hold up of the evacuation process but also to maximise acceptance within the search and rescue community.

The device should preserve all the best practices relating to the handling of a hypothermic • patient detailed in earlier sections.

Treatment in Transit

Search and rescue became the chosen primary target market for concepts. Given the availability of new heating technologies such as heated fabric and efficient chemical heating, active core heating solutions were the most attractive proposition for development. That is active heating while a patient is in transit, this may also have the opportunity to be developed into a type of splint the other strong area of opportunity for SAR.

Chemical or Electric Heat

Heated fabric and chemical heat pads tested out to have similar power-weight characteristics. The search and rescue operators have familiarity with the chemical packs which would make this solution attractive. The advantage of using an electronic device is that heat could be cycled according to body temperature of the patient, this may serve to preserve the battery power of the device. Both systems will be considered and further tested going into phase 2.

Chemical or Electric Heat

Heated fabric and chemical heat pads tested out to have similar power-weight characteristics. The search and rescue operators have familiarity with the chemical packs which would would make this solution attractive. The advantage of using an electronic device is that heat could be cycled according to body temperature of the patient, this may serve to preserve the battery power of the device. Both systems will be considered and further tested going into phase 2.

Alpine Adventure – Research Findings

OPPORTUNITIES

Researching the activities, difficulties and dangers encountered in the alpine environment lead to a range of very real opportunities to increase the security of adventurers.

The Alpine Adventurer

The main problem surrounding the hikers and climbers is their requirement for minimal gear. There is a fine balance between carrying enough equipment to be prepared for an emergency situation, and carrying little enough equipment to enable efficient mobility which is regarded as a safety factor in itself.

When considering the main types of emergency situations, that is injury, entrapment, or extreme weather conditions, the most likely cause of eventual death is hypothermia. Apart from good clothing and good shelter there is little that is done to protect from the onset of hypothermia. Shelter and clothing will only protect passively, therefore to a limited degree, and when compromised with the urge for people to minimise on gear, it is too often insufficient to prevent harm.

A very innovative approach would need to be taken to combat alpine incidents. That is because creating more equipment is likely to mean more equipment will be left behind. For this reason the concepts generated involve adding value to fundamental equipment already being used, or devising a system by which the adventures have better access to safety.

CONCLUSIONS AND CONCEPTS

Search and Rescue

Prevention is better than cure but given the experience of isolation and achievement that the alpine adventurers are after it can be presumed there are always going to be hikers and climbers working to the limits of their equipment and their bodies. Given this conclusion, emergencies are inevitable.

Identified opportunities surrounding the search and rescue process involved equipment shortfalls or requirements for new equipment to make the process more efficient. The main shortfall within the range of equipment that search and rescue members need is the weight and functionality of body splints specifically for spinal injuries. Spinal injuries are not common but they need to be dealt with in a very specific way. The opportunity for new equipment is a solution to actively treat patient for various forms of hypothermia while they are in transit. At present there is no attempt to treat patient before they reach safety, or even hospital. This can be up to 24 hours after they are discovered.

Major Project Launch

This project is the culmination of a three year product design degree, and brings a

conclusion to the degree with a flexible and self directed brief. The designer’s intention is

to create a product which can benefit an industry (in this case adventure sports) in a truly

equitable way.

Adventure sport carries substantial rewards for participants. It is an opportunity to

experience the natural beauty of the wilderness, which in New Zealand is particularly

accessible and impressive. The demanding activities carried out promote physical fitness

and mental wellbeing through a strong sense of achievement.

A problem with outdoor activity is that it carries a high level of risk, the New Zealand

Police Search and Rescue Annual Statistics Report for 2007-2008 puts the total number

of land based recreational outdoor activity incidents at 681, at a cost of 48 lives and $1.9

million. (New Zealand Police, 2008b) It is the therefore not only the designers intention to

increase the accessibility of outdoor activity within the alpine environment, but to focus on

increasing security and or safety while attempting to survive in this extreme environment.

This project is the culmination of a three year product design degree, and brings a

conclusion to the degree with a flexible and self directed brief. My intention is

to create a product which can benefit an industry (in this case adventure sports) in a truly

equitable way.

Adventure sport carries substantial rewards for participants. It is an opportunity to

experience the natural beauty of the wilderness, which in New Zealand is particularly

accessible and impressive. The demanding activities carried out promote physical fitness

and mental wellbeing through a strong sense of achievement.

A problem with outdoor activity is that it carries a high level of risk, the New Zealand

Police Search and Rescue Annual Statistics Report for 2007-2008 puts the total number

of land based recreational outdoor activity incidents at 681, at a cost of 48 lives and $1.9

million. (New Zealand Police, 2008) It is the therefore not only the designers intention to

increase the accessibility of outdoor activity within the alpine environment, but to focus on

increasing security and or safety while attempting to survive in this extreme environment.