EMTs can now upgrade their certification to include the wilderness component in a new 45-hour course. Wilderness Medical Associates recently revamped its original WEMT course to reduce the number of hours and to focus intently on the needs of an EMT who is working in a rescue or wilderness setting.
The Wilderness EMT Upgrade is for medical personnel who wish to enhance their skills for disaster response, remote expeditions, and search and rescue operations. The curriculum builds on previous medical training and experience to meet the special challenges of the unconventional setting. The emphasis is on the understanding and application of principles and concepts rather than the memorization of procedures and algorithms.
The course is held over five days and graduates will receive a WEMT certification from Wilderness Medical Associates. The certification is valid for three years and recertification is available at that time.
EMTs are certified in Wilderness Medical Associates field protocols including: the reduction of dislocations; wound care; spine injury assessment; and the use of medications in the treatment of anaphylaxis and acute asthma. The backcountry medicine section of this course offers new and interesting territory for even experienced EMS providers.
This course is approved for 45 hours through the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services. An upcoming course schedule is available at www.wildmed.com or by calling 1-888-WILDMED.
Wilderness Medical Associates was founded in 1978 and is now one of the world’s most respected providers of wilderness and rescue emergency medical training. For more information, contact Betsey Foster, Wilderness Medical Associates, at 888/WILDMED or via e-mail at bsf@wildmed.com.