Patrick McAllister / Registered Nurse & Paramedic / Ballarat, Australia
Pat McAllister travels to the beautiful Blue Mountains, New South Wales, to give us a rundown of the latest Australasian Wilderness and Expedition Medicine Society (AWEMS) conference. This year’s theme, ‘Discover New Heights,’ brought a diverse and inspiring range of speakers who covered everything from space medicine to disaster management.
What is AWEMS?
AWEMS is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the field of wilderness and expedition medicine. They organised a fantastic programme for their 2023 conference, with local and international speakers bringing a varied and exciting line-up to the weekend. This year, the conference was hosted by the Fairmont Hotel in the beautiful Blue Mountains (Ngurra), a luxurious location and the perfect contrast for a prize-giving ceremony that rewarded accolades such as ‘longest time without a shower’ – an honourable yet odorous, 80 days.
Programme Highlights
The weekend kicked off with paramedic and former Royal Marines Commando Andy Hughes describing the daily realities of work as an expedition medic. He spoke of dealing with wounds, dysentery, and extreme humidity from the confines of a jungle hammock.
Dr Rowena Christianson brought an interesting perspective to aerospace medicine, where the risks and rewards of commercial space travel were debated. Human space travel may sound like a galaxy far away, but we were given a snapshot into the extensive ongoing research surrounding travel to the ‘final frontier’.
From a slightly lower altitude, Dr Brent Systermans recounted his experiences from a career that has seen him working at Everest Base Camp, as an expedition medical officer in Antarctica, and at the renowned Perisher Ski resort.
Scott McNamara delivered a harrowing and memorable talk on his deployment with Australia’s Disaster Response Team to assist following the earthquake in Southern Turkey. He included drone footage of the devastation and sombrely explained his role in providing medical aid while conducting search and rescue missions through the rubble.
The keynote speaker, anaesthetist Dr Richard Harris, needed little introduction. He played a huge role in the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, where 13 children were saved. Dr Harris was an extraordinarily humble speaker who spoke of maintaining calmness and internal control in high-pressure situations.
Dr Kate Baecher continued this theme in her talk, which explored the psychology behind how to perform risky, high-precision activities in dangerous and complex environments. She also spoke about ‘post-expedition blues’ and how the study of ‘salutogenesis’ can provide a framework for an adventurer’s ‘new normal’ after they return home.
Conference Events and Workshops
The opening Friday night event was a casual meet-and-greet, with the addition of an ice skating rink where attendees could cut some turns before heading to the bar. On Saturday night, hiking boots were exchanged for heels with a cocktail party at the famous Echo Point lookout. The breathtaking backdrop of ‘The Blueys’ made the perfect venue for meeting new colleagues and discussing the day’s talks.
Sunday allowed delegates to get hands-on with outside workshops and an optional canyoning trip. Workshops included water purification with Adam Kershaw, who, confident in his equipment, turned brown, muddy water into a steaming cup of tea. Brett Eichorn and Gavin Oliver shared their extensive outdoor experience, delivering a practical course on ropes, knots, and shelter building. Andrew Bennet and Andy Hughes kept things realistic with fake blood and traumatic amputations, teaching pre-hospital techniques with limited equipment.
AWEMS president Kerryn Wratt wrangled the ‘mule’, a mono-wheel stretcher designed for tough patient extrication, and we witnessed SALAD (Suction-Assisted Laryngoscopy Airway Decontamination) turned into a true bush-style airway management. We were also lucky enough to meet the NSW special operations paramedics and police service, who were keen to show off their rescue equipment.
Final Thoughts
AWEMS’ Discover New Heights conference was a fantastic weekend in the mountains and an opportunity to meet colleagues from various disciplines. It delivered inspirational talks, a sense of community, and practical workshops in person and online.
The next AWEMS conference will be held in October 2024. Further information can be found on their website.
Photo credits: Dr Molly Cargill, Tristan Reid, Kelsie Herbert.
