Medical and First Aid Issues

Sierra Club Outings are wilderness adventures where the group may not have ready access to definitive medical care such as 911. Each leader is first-aid trained and carries an expedition first-aid kit for medical emergencies. The expedition first-aid kit only includes general first-aid supplies and some over-the counter medications appropriate for the type of outing-it does not include any prescription medications.

We do require you to bring a basic, personal first-aid kit, along with whatever over-the-counter and prescription medications you may need. If you are bringing a prescription medication, it is best to bring a spare set in the event that your primary set gets lost, wet or unusable.

In your reservation confirmation packet you will also receive a medical form, which must be filled out and submitted to the leader before you are accepted onto the trip. We ask for this information so that our staff will know in advance of special medical conditions you may have, rather than learning about them in a crisis. Also, in the event of serious injury or illness, this form provides emergency medical personnel with a useful medical history. After reviewing this form, the leader may contact you to discuss whether the trip will be safe and enjoyable for you considering your medical history. We will keep the information on this form confidential. It will be seen only by staff, medical personnel, or others who know and understand its confidential nature. The form will be retained along with your liability waiver for a period of time following the trip, after which it will be destroyed. If you choose not to go on the trip, this form will be destroyed immediately.

Please visit our frequently asked questions and trip planning pages for other useful information for planning your trip.