First Aid on the hike: A Checklist for Accidents and Emergencies

The First Aid Triangle is based on three simple, critical principles:

Breathing - Bleeding - Heat

• Breathing: Always start by ensuring the injured person has an open airway and is breathing normally.
• Bleeding: Next, check for severe bleeding and control it as quickly as possible.
• Heat: Finally, protect the injured person from heat loss. Hypothermia can develop rapidly following an injury or trauma, even on days that do not feel particularly cold.

The First Aid Triangle helps you prioritize the most critical actions in the correct order when every second counts.

However, knowledge and regular training are vital to acting confidently. Taking a wilderness first aid course and keeping your skills up to date will ensure you are prepared when someone needs it most.

Use the checklist below as a step-by-step guide to managing an emergency on the trail.

Emergency Response Checklist for Outdoor Accidents

1. Ensure scene safety

• Assess the situation immediately to ensure it is safe for you, the rest of the group, and the patient. Prevent the situation from escalating.

2. Check Airways and Breathing

• Conscious: The person keeps their own airways open

• Altered Mental Status / Decreased Awareness: Maintain continuous contact, and consider placing the patient on their side.

• Unconscious: Call 113 (or the local emergency number) immediately. Open the airway and check for breathing:

  • If breathing normally: Place the patient in the recovery position (on their side).

  • If not breathing or breathing abnormally: Begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) immediately.

3. Check for bleeding and other injuries

• Control and stop all severe bleeding immediately.
• Perform a careful head-to-toe examination (always be mindful of heat loss during this process).
• Assess for joint injuries and fractures. If a fracture or joint is severely deformed, consider careful realignment if trained to do so.
• Protect, dress, and stabilize all wounds and fractures.

4. Prevent heat loss (Hypothermia)

• Place the patient on several sleeping mats and inside the vapor barrier bag
• Wrap the patient in warm jackets and a sleeping bag. Ensure their head is covered with a hat and hood.
• Put the patient inside a windsack (bothy bag/bivvy bag) and utilize external heat sources (such as heat pads) if available.

5. Important elements

• Call 113 for emergency medical assistance
• Continuously monitor developments and improve life-saving measures:
• Breathing, Bleeding and Warmth
• Provide care to the patient – information, peace of mind and optimise comfort
• Prepare for rescue – If safe and agreed upon with emergency services, move the patient to a suitable pickup point. Make your location visible in the terrain.
• In case of helicopter rescue: secure the group and ALL loose objects
• Document the incident: Fill out the First Aid Report Form* to hand over to professional medical personnel.

6. Post-rescue care

• Take care of the group – provide information and support

• Being involved in an accident can be highly stressful. Do not hesitate to seek follow-up care for yourself or others.

  • Call a trusted friend, contact the local Emergency Room (Legevakt) at 116 117, or call 02415 (Mental Health Helpline / First Aider Support).

* First aid report is a form that can be filled out for handover to professional health care in the event of an accident. Download the first aid report form.

The checklist in this article can be found in DNT's first aid bag.
Here you will find a downloadable version of the checklist

Academic contribution to checklist: 
Magnus Wethal, Mountain Safety & Medicine AS

Here you can buy DNT's first aid bag

Here you can buy DNT's first aid bag

The first aid bag is sold in DNT's Tursenter and in the DNT store online. Member NOK 499,- (indicative NOK 589,-)

Order the first aid bag