Wilderness EMS

[ProjectCamaro]

I am having a difficult time finding the Wilderness EMS certification anywhere close to me. I live in Wisconsin halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago and cannot find anything close by. I've checked the big three schools and have searched both on the forums and online without success. If anyone has any ideas of where else I could look I'd love to hear it.

Don't know if it helps but I work full time as a police officer and late last year was selected to join our SWAT team. I am finishing up my EMT-B as we have a small team and there is no one that has any training other than CPR. Also at the end of May I'll be going through my Tactical EMS course.

Now I was just offered a part time job as a park ranger for the state and would like to take the opportunity to add my Wilderness Cert as the park I'll be working out of is quite large and EMS response time is always slow due to the distance to the local FD.

 

[MrJones]

Don't know how you define close, but there's a WFR course being offered by WMA in May in Boulder Junction. Generally speaking, your urban EMT cert + Wilderness First Responder = WEMT

http://www.manito-wish.org/wfr_wilderness_first_responder

 

[mycrofft]

Red Cross offers "blended" classes where you take some material online and just come n to do practicum and test. No idea offhand if WFA (Wilderness First Aid) is part of that. I'll look into it.

Just to flog a dead horse…do you have protocols and medical control to act as anything above first aid on the job? Just askin'…

EDIT: call American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767, use option 3 and ask about a class (is it available, and can you test out near you?).

 

[MrJones]

The Red Cross only offers Wilderness First Aid training (what he needs is either Wilderness First Responder or a WEMT bridge course), and it's not very highly regarded in the industry.

 

[mycrofft]

Ah, so. In lieu of that I'd still take the first aid if only to get the mind frame in place and a certificate of SOME sort, but WEMT etc might be better…if medical control and protocols are in place.* And considering that wilderness ALS is usually a lose-lose situation if prompt transport is not in the cards.

My EMSA (and allegedly others here in Calif) last I heard don't even recognize Wilderness EMT or etc.

*Does it show I'm an old ex-civil servant?

 

[Summit]

Go to a WMS conference or take a WEMT upgrade course from Colorado Mountain College, WMA, WMI, DMM... WFA won't be worth much... 8 hours of FA and 8 hours of wilderness stuff

 

[EpiEMS]

I loved my SOLO course, but that may be beyond the range (New Hampshire) that you want to go. I would imagine WMI has courses out by you! There is a program in MIchigan, as well: https://www.northerncairn.com/.

 

[TimRaven]

If you already have an "urban" cert (EMT/Paramedic/RN/MD...etc)
You could just take a Wilderness Update course from NOLS or Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS), both are 40hours
and having your urban cert upgraded to Wilderness one.