ARDUOUS TRIPS TO REMOTE & HIGH ALTITUDE LOCATIONS ARE STRESSFUL ON THE BODY AND MIND, AND THOUGH NO ONE NEEDS TO BE SUPER-HUMAN, YOU NEED TO BE IN ADEQUATE CONDITION FROM THE START. REGARDLESS OF TRAINING & PERSONAL HISTORY WE RECOMMEND CHECK UPS WITH A PHYSICIAN & AND DENTIST BEFORE ANY EXTENDED TRIP, IF ONLY TO PROVIDE A RECORD FOR POSSIBLE INSURANCE ISSUES.
PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF HEALTH ISSUES INCLUDING ALTITUDE PROBLEMS, RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, CARDIAC PROBLEMS & SEIZURES ARE ASKED TO PROVIDE CURRENT STATEMENTS OF HEALTH FOR ANY TRIPS ALTITUDES ABOVE 4500m.
CLIMBERS REQUIRING REGULAR MEDICATION ARE ASKED TO DECLARE THIS ALONG WITH DETAILS OF THEIR MEDICATION, BRING ADEQUATE SUPPLY THAT INCLUDES A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT, AND COPIES OF MEDICATION DETAILS AND PRESCRIPTIONS.
NOTE FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS DOES NOT CONSIDER DEXMETHAZONE TO BE A MEDICATION SUITABLE FOR NON-EMERGENCY USE.
HEALTH RISKS ON EXPEDITIONS
MEDICAL RISKS ON OUR EXPEDITIONS ARE SURPRISINGLY MUNDANE. APART FROM THE ON-MOUNTAIN RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMBING, CHINA IS A MODERN AND RELATIVELY CLEAN COUNTRY TO TRAVEL IN. RISKS TO HEALTH ARE FAR MORE WITH POLLUTION AND OVER-EATING THAN WITH EXOTIC DISEASES. CLEAN WATER IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE AND THE HIGH, DRY NATURE OF XINJIANG & TIBET MINIMIZE THE PRESENCE OF INSECTS AND WATER-BORNE PARASITES. THESE DAYS EVEN THE DOG ISSUES HAVE BEEN LARELY CURTAILED MAKING THE RISK OF RABIES NEGLIGIBLE.
SANITATION
UNLIKE MANY 8000m PEAKS WHERE BASECAMP, THE APPROACH & HIGH CAMPS ARE NOTORIOUS PITS OF HUMAN FILTH WITH DECADES OF MISMANAGED SANITATION PROBLEMS, THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 IS NEARLY DEVOID OF HUMAN IMPACT. THE HIGH RAIN SHADOW CONDITIONS SATURATED WITH UV, COMBINED WITH MINIMAL HUMAN VISITATION MEAN EVEN BASECAMP IS MOSTLY FREE OF THE NUMBER ONE HEALTH RISKS FOUND ELSEWHERE.
BUT THIS DOESN’T MEAN WE TAKE A LAX ATTITUDE TO SANITATION. BEFORE EVER ARRIVING AT BC WE HAVE ALL PASSED THROUGH THE WORLDS AIRLINE SYSTEMS AND CROWDED STREETS OF CHINA, SO NOT ONLY DO WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO MAINTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF HYGEINE, WE OWE IT TO THE WILDERNESS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES WE PASS THROUGH.
ALL CAMPS HAVE DESIGNATED TOILET & GREY WATER AREAS AND ALL COMMON EATING AREAS REQUIRE HAND-WASHING BEFORE ENTERING. FOOD IS ONLY PREPARED FOR THE TIME IT’S REQUESTED. ALL BOILED WATER IS STORED IN SEALED FLASKS & EACH CLIMBER HAS THEIR OWN EATINGWARE WE PROVIDE CLEANING FACILITIES FOR.
WE KNOW SOMETIMES CLIMBERS GET SICK, AND THAT EVEN MINOR AILMENTS FEEL A LOT WORSE IN A HIGH, REMOTE CAMPS, SO WE LAY OUT OUR ESTABLISHED CAMPS TO BE PRIVATE, RELAXING & LIVABLE – NOT SOMETHING 8000m CAMPS ARE ALWAYS KNOWN FOR.
FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS FIRST RESPONSE CAPABILITY
FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS USES A MEDICAL RESPONSE SYSTEM THAT HAS SERVED US WELL OVER TWO DECADES IN REMOTE CHINA. ALL OUR TRIPS ARE RUN & LEAD BY STAFF WITH APPROPRIATE & TESTED FIRST RESPONSE CAPABILITY. QUALIFICATIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR TRIPS LIKE THESE AND ALL OUR LEAD STAFF HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH EXPEDITION SCENARIOS THAT REQUIRE EXTENDED RESPONSES ALONG WITH QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDING WILDERNESS FIRST AID, WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONSE, COMBAT FIRST AID, HIGH ALTITUDE FIRST AID, SEARCH & RESCUE, MOUNTAIN RESCUE & LARGE SCALE DISASTER RESPONSE.
THOUGH HAVING A CLEAN RECORD FOR ACCIDENTS ON OUR OWN TRIPS, WE HAVE ASSISTED WITH RESPONSES ACROSS A BROAD ARRAY OF SITUATIONS INCLUDING THE PAKISTAN SIDE OF K2, THE 2008 SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE, MULTIPLE RESCUES OF CLIMBERS ACROSS ASIA AND EVACUATIONS FROM SOME OF THE REMOTEST PLACES IN CHINA.
DURING LARGE SCALE CRISES LIKE THE SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE & JAPANESE TSUNAMI WE HAVE PROVIDED FRONT LINE SERVICES TO INTERNATIONAL RESCUE AND RESPONSE TEAMS.
THESE DAYS MEDICAL FACILITIES IN CHINA ARE ACCEPTABLE AT A VILLAGE LEVEL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL IN LARGE CITIES, NEVERTHELESS ALL TRIPS CARRY FIRST RESPONDER KITS TO ADDRESS SITUATIONS FROM POINT OF ACCIDENT TO FIRST PROFESSIONAL CARE.
