Jungle Emergency Medicine: Life-Saving Actions and Prolonged Care in Remote Jungle Emergencies
When emergencies happen in the jungle, help is not just around the corner. Unlike urban environments, where professional medical help may arrive in minutes, jungle teams can be hours—or even days—away from evacuation. In these moments, survival depends not on fancy equipment, but on calm thinking, practical knowledge, and confident action.
That’s why Jungle Guides International is offering our complete Jungle First Aid online course free for all of 2025. Our goal is simple: to make sure more people have the tools and knowledge to step up when lives are on the line.
The First 30 Minutes: What You Do Next Matters Most
Why it matters:
The first half-hour after a serious injury is often the difference between life and death. In remote areas, you cannot wait for help—you are the help. Your actions in this brief window can stop someone from bleeding out, prevent shock from escalating, and create the foundation for long-term survival. It's when calm, decisive leadership matters most. Simple actions—like opening an airway or stopping visible bleeding—can seem basic, but in the jungle, basic skills are what save lives.
Scenario:
A researcher is struck by a falling branch during a storm, suffering a deep cut and showing signs of shock. There is no mobile signal, and evacuation will not happen for at least six hours. The rest of the team is anxious. The guide acts quickly, clearing the area, treating the bleeding, laying the casualty flat, and keeping them warm—all before even attempting to call for help. That early intervention may be what keeps the casualty alive long enough for evacuation.
Key Actions:
Ensure safety: Clear immediate hazards (unstable trees, animals, etc.) so rescuers don’t become casualties too.
ABCs first: Check Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. Always start here.
Control bleeding: Use direct pressure, elevation, and whatever clean materials you have.
Treat for shock: Lay them flat, elevate legs, insulate with dry materials, and keep them calm.
Communicate early: If you have a satellite device, call for help even while administering care.
Beyond the Golden Hour: The HITMAN Protocol
Why it matters:
In the jungle, the "golden hour"—that critical first hour of trauma care—can easily stretch into a golden day. If the casualty survives the first phase, they enter a second: waiting. This is where complications start. Infections, dehydration, pressure sores, and unmanaged pain can turn a stable patient into a critical one. HITMAN gives you a structure. When adrenaline fades and fatigue sets in, this checklist keeps you focused and thorough, helping you avoid dangerous oversights.
HITMAN:
H – Head-to-toe assessment: Reassess regularly. In the jungle, new symptoms can appear over time: swelling, numbness, or internal bleeding.
I – Infection control: Clean wounds often, not just once. Use clean water, antiseptics, and bandages. Jungle bacteria spread quickly.
T – Tubes and tidiness: IVs, bandages, and splints must be secure. Check gear for movement, blockage, or failure.
M – Medications: Track what you give and when. Pain meds, antibiotics, or antihistamines can help—but only when used properly.
A – Analgesia: Pain wears people down. Reassess regularly and adjust care to reduce suffering and build trust.
N – Nutrition and hydration: Energy and fluids keep the body functioning. Offer frequent small sips and food if they can tolerate it.
SHEEP VOMIT: Providing Ongoing Comfort and Care
Why it matters:
Stabilization is only the first phase. A patient may be waiting for 24, 48, or even 72 hours in the jungle before extraction. During that time, comfort and dignity are just as important as survival. Nursing care might seem less urgent—but it's what prevents secondary complications like bedsores, aspiration, dehydration, and infection. It also shows the casualty that they are cared for, reducing psychological stress and helping morale across the team.
Scenario:
A trekker falls and fractures their leg. After splinting the injury, the team realizes they will not be able to reach the nearest village for two days due to river flooding. The casualty is alert and stable—but they are in pain, immobile, and vulnerable. Over the next two days, the team manages their discomfort, keeps them hydrated, turns them regularly, and prevents infection. When help finally arrives, the patient is uncomfortable—but alive, stable, and grateful.
SHEEP VOMIT:
S – Skin care: Reposition regularly. Use clothing or pack foam to cushion bony points.
H – Heat regulation: Keep the casualty dry and warm. Hypothermia can happen even in hot climates when wet or inactive.
E – Elevate head: Helps with breathing, reduces nausea, and supports comfort.
E – Exercise limbs: Gentle movement of uninjured limbs reduces stiffness and blood clots.
P – Pressure points: Check elbows, heels, and tailbone for signs of sores. Pad them well.
V – Vital signs: Monitor temperature, heart rate, breathing, and mental alertness.
O – Oral care: Keep their mouth clean to reduce infection risk and discomfort.
M – Monitor input/output: Keep track of food and water intake and urine output. It reflects hydration and kidney health.
I – Infection prevention: Wash hands. Clean wounds. Sanitize equipment. It all matters.
T – Turn and reposition: Even a slight change in position every hour helps reduce complications.
Improvising When Resources Are Low
Why it matters:
Jungle gear gets soaked, lost, broken, or used up. You might have started with a full kit, but after treating one major injury, it could be gone. That’s where creativity and fieldcraft come in. Knowing how to use what’s around you—combined with basic medical knowledge—lets you continue care even when the kit is empty. Improvisation isn't about doing things the hard way. It's about staying adaptable when the plan falls apart.
Examples:
Splints: Use sticks, trekking poles, or aluminum pack frames.
Slings: Improvise with shirts, other clothing, shelter fabric, or vines.
Padding: Cut foam from backpacks or use rolled clothing.
Fires: Gauze, wrappers, or fabric from your backpack or clothing can start fires in emergencies.
Stretchers: Use hammocks, ponchos, or tie backpacks together to carry or float a patient.
💚 You Can Save a Life
You don’t have to be a doctor to save a life in the jungle. You just need the willingness to act, the calm to think clearly, and the knowledge to do what’s needed. That’s what we’re here to give you.
In 2025, Jungle Guides International is offering our full online Jungle First Aid course for free—so that no matter where you are in the world, you have access to life-saving education. If you want hands on training, a Wilderness First Aid course is coming to you soon.
If a course is not for you, our Jungle First Aid Manual is available for download in our shop, so critical information is available on demand in the field.
Because when the unexpected happens, knowing what to do makes all the difference.
