# "Accelerated" EMT-B + WEMT



## EpiEMS (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi! I've been lurking the forums regarding doing an EMT-B plus WEMT course at SOLO. The course is a month — I'm interested in public health (particularly epidemiology) and I thought the emphasis on austere environments might be fun! I hear that the course is heavy on the "street" but not so "wilderness-y." I don't really see this as a huge problem, as I mostly just want to get my cert so I can get on a volunteer squad ASAP.

Long term, I'm debating MHA/MPH type of thing and being a volunteer EMT, so I thought that EMS training at this level would be a good start.

Any thoughts about SOLO in New Hampshire and WEMT?


----------



## Maine iac (Jan 28, 2012)

I've heard good things about SOLO. I did my WFR recert through WMI of NOLS and enjoyed that program also.

One thing to consider is if you would be wanting to keep the wilderness portion active you would have to typically do that through SOLO, although it may be possible to recert through WMI (just a potential problem if you are moving from state to state).

You learn some useful things in the wilderness portion, and I've used a few of the splinting techniques in urban EMS.

I would always recommend a WEMT or wilderness training to somebody that is interested in wilderness medicine or actively partakes in outdoor activities.


----------



## EpiEMS (Jan 28, 2012)

Much appreciated! 

I'm primarily doing this for the urban EMT-B component. Any thoughts as to the difficulty of it? It looks quite doable, I imagine it's perhaps several hundred pages of a textbook to memorize. I'm concerned about the possibility of heavy lifting -- how fit do you really need to be?


----------



## Maine iac (Jan 28, 2012)

Typically adding the wilderness component to the EMT-B makes it more $$$ so if you are not really wanting to do the wilderness portion you probably would save yourself quite a bit of money, and maybe a few days of classroom time.

EMT basic is very straight forward.

What is your definition of heavy lifting? In the classroom there will be no heavy lifting as there will be like 6 students all moving a backboard around. In real life/physical test for employment, you could be expected to push a 200lb cot around by yourself and lift up to 110lbs short distances.


----------



## EpiEMS (Jan 28, 2012)

Regarding heavy lifting, I thought that you'd have to, say, I dunno, move 250 lbs folks by yourself firefighter-style. But since it'd be, say, 250 lbs between two guys or more, I don't think it'd be too bad.

Glad to hear that it's straight forward. I may start prepping with online reading and such:censored:—:censoredr maybe the AAOS textbook. Any thoughts about that?


----------



## paradoqs (Feb 1, 2012)

Remote medical international is supposed to be the best, followed by wmi of nols. I did my wfr with solo and it was ok but a hospital based program would be way better for urban training.  I think remote medical can cert you strait to emt-i plus w in one class. However wilderness training isnt very important if you are going to be close to a main road for your whole medical career. And in urban ems you get to let the firefighters do your lifting for you so fitness is not an issue.


----------



## EpiEMS (Feb 1, 2012)

paradoqs said:


> And in urban ems you get to let the firefighters do your lifting for you so fitness is not an issue.



Sounds good. I certainly can't lift a 400 lbs. patient on my own.


----------



## Tigger (Feb 1, 2012)

paradoqs said:


> Remote medical international is supposed to be the best, followed by wmi of nols. I did my wfr with solo and it was ok but a hospital based program would be way better for urban training.  I think remote medical can cert you strait to emt-i plus w in one class. However wilderness training isnt very important if you are going to be close to a main road for your whole medical career. And in urban ems you get to let the firefighters do your lifting for you so fitness is not an issue.


Not all of us get FFs to help us lift, in many places it's you and you're partner unless it's just not possible (i.e. 350+ pounder).



EpiEMS said:


> Sounds good. I certainly can't lift a 400 lbs. patient on my own.


Not many of us can. I think EMS providers should be in decent shape but I know lot's who are not. It's tough to compare "EMS lifting" with "regular lifting" if you don't have a weight training, and I don't.

As mentioned, wilderness programs are guaranteed to more expensive, and unless you plan on working in a wilderness setting, not really necessary for the typical EMT and are not likely to give you much of a leg up. You'll also likely need to be in pretty good shape to succeed in such a program, they're a lot of practice carry-outs from what I understand.


----------



## EpiEMS (Feb 1, 2012)

Tigger said:


> Not all of us get FFs to help us lift, in many places it's you and you're partner unless it's just not possible (i.e. 350+ pounder).



The American Dream: be so big you can't even go to the hospital.


Tigger said:


> You'll also likely need to be in pretty good shape to succeed in such a program, they're a lot of practice carry-outs from what I understand.



They said minimum I should be able to go four miles with 1/4 of my body weight. Not too strenuous, frankly.


----------



## Steam Engine (Feb 4, 2012)

EpiEMS said:


> Hi! I've been lurking the forums regarding doing an EMT-B plus WEMT course at SOLO. The course is a month — I'm interested in public health (particularly epidemiology) and I thought the emphasis on austere environments might be fun! I hear that the course is heavy on the "street" but not so "wilderness-y." I don't really see this as a huge problem, as I mostly just want to get my cert so I can get on a volunteer squad ASAP.
> 
> Long term, I'm debating MHA/MPH type of thing and being a volunteer EMT, so I thought that EMS training at this level would be a good start.
> 
> Any thoughts about SOLO in New Hampshire and WEMT?



I've been certified as an EMT-B through a traditional program, and as a WFR through Wilderness Medical Associates.

Both programs will teach you to competently provide care at the BLS level assuming you put in the time and effort to learn, however in my experience the traditional programs generally will teach you what you need to know in order to pass the state exams, whereas the wilderness-oriented courses are generally more scenario-based, hands-on, and encouraging of improvisation and real-time problem solving, which I liked.

If your intent is to work on an ambulance, I'd say take a more traditional EMT course first, and then a wilderness certification after that. If, on the other hand, you're looking to take the course more for general knowledge or for use in "austere environments", WFR or WEMT would be a better option right off the bat.


----------

