Bjorn Kilburn '95, an experienced outdoors man and a trained Wilderness First Responder, said speed is imperative if you are going to successfully rescue a heart attack victim on the trail.
"I don't know all that went on with professor Johnson's heart attack. Certainly the chances of reviving someone are much greater, the faster you can get them to an ambulance and a hospital," Kilburn said.
He said while good preparation can minimize risks, accidents are unavoidable.
"We all take risks every day, and I hike alone or with only one other person all the time ... and often without the proper equipment," Kilburn said.
Kilburn said once an emergency occurs, a hiker cannot necessarily rely on the help of others.
"While Rangers occasionally patrol for poachers and certain huts have caretakers, there is no guarantee that a hiker will meet anyone at any specific time or place, particularly in the winter months," Kilburn.
Gen Kanai '95, director of this year's D.O.C. Trips, said all a person in the wilderness can rely on is their own preparedness.
Kanai said a hiker can "not at all" rely on the likelihood of a ranger passing by or on being able to find an easy way to communicate their distress to the outside.
Kilburn said to counter the uncertainty of another hiker passing by, some hikers now carry cellular phones so they can call out for help.
"Increasingly, some people are venturing further into the woods under the security blanket of a cell phone," Kilburn said.
"Cell phones ... are great tools, but they should never be considered a replacement for basic wilderness skills such as navigation by map and compass and they should never replace basic preparedness," he said.
