I teach WFA and WFR, and have been a WEMT since the program piloted back in CO in the late '70s. (They called it "EMT-Wilderness" back then.) Right now only Maine and one western state (Don't recall which, maybe Alaska.) "offically" recognize WEMT, mostly because WFR/WEMT goes "outside the envelope" in areas of CPR, fracture and dislocation care, focused spinal assessment, etc.. Maine, New York and Alaska (Others?) recognize WFR as long as the First Responder portion meets national CFR standards, but the reasoning is different; Those states license wilderness guides, usually through their state conservation agency, and having WFR certification is a requirement for having a guide's license. So, 'fer instance, in NYS, where I used to live, I don't know if the state Health Department recognizes WFR, but the Department of Environmental Conservation does...and is even putting the state's Forest Rangers, who coordinate SAR operations in the state, through WFR training.
Interestingly, many federal agencies, including the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the FBI-Hostage Rescue Teams accept WFR/WEMT training, and are even sending their rangers and agents through the training. I suppose since the federal DOT doesn't have a lot to do with "wilderness", acceptance at the federal level is going to have to be pushed by the Interior Department or some such agency.
At the more advanced level, many of the major Wilderness Medical providers (The "big three"; Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) in ME, NOLS-WMI on WY and SOLO in NH, plus some others.) are offering Wilderness Advanced Life Support (WALS) to practicioners with paramedic, RN, RN-P, PA or doctor certification which is good for something like 36 CEU hours. According to the WMA website (
www.wildmed.com) the WEMT module is accepted for 45 continuing ed hours by NREMT. We give CEU letters to any nurse, medic etc. who takes our WFA/AWFA or WFR training courses, and they have never reported any problems having them accepted.
Finding a Medical Director to let you use the skills may actually be more appropriate than trying to convert a whole state system. We have been fortunate here in MN in that we have had one medical advisor who is an active "silent sports" competitor/enthusiast and has been 100% behind us, but he is moving to Lake Tahoe. We do have a number of docs we work with, including a 4th-year resident who is a WALS graduate. The other biggie is that the EMS medical director for the eastern Twin Cities metro area is a National Ski Patroller and Outdoor Emergency Care Instructor (NSP's in-house medical training/certification program). He has been working with a Ranger/Paramedic on a nearby National Park unit, and that has had a positive "trickle-down" effect for us.
Long answer, but I hope it helps.
Stay safe,
Hans