Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT)

The Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician course is designed for EMT's, Paramedics, RN's or other emergency service providers that are members of an organized search and rescue team or other organization that is looking for a more advanced knowledge and training as well as establishing a physician controlled medical program.

Our program is a Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Institute (WEMSI) recognized program. The curriculum, developed by the staff at WEMSI under the leadership of Keith Conover, MD, is an intensive six day program that gives students the advanced assessment skills and knowledge needed to work within a physician controlled program.

The program is run over two weekends. Each weekend starts Friday morning and continues through Sunday afternoon. Instructional topics include: Intro to WEMS, the wilderness environment, patient assessment, wilderness trauma, wilderness surgical problems (ortho and non-ortho), patient survey and reporting, thermal regulation, heat burns and lightning, bites and stings, immobilization and packaging, pharmacology, wilderness medical problems, cold disorders, altitude illness, stress and CISD, and veterinary medicine.

A practical and written test is required for completion of this course. The recognition period for this training is three years.

Following the course, we encourage all students (and will help make arrangements) to spend some clinical time working with a Wilderness Command Physician to gain some real life experience.

All meals and lodging are usually provided. A course textbook, developed by WEMSI, will be mailed to you at the time of full registration. The Basic Search and Rescue Course or similar wilderness experience or training is required prior to taking this course.

Portions of this course are held outdoors and students will be expected to hike and carry patients for several miles. A detailed schedule and additional information about the course will be mailed to students prior to the course.

We usually only hold this course about once a year at various locations. If you or your organization would like to host a class, contact us. We will be happy to explain how other organizations have used this class as a fundraiser.