The skills of a Wilderness EMT are truly invaluable in remote environments. This 28 day intensive course is designed to mold you into a professional emergency responder with a skillset tailored for wilderness operations. You will go beyond the extensive knowledge and skill of an Urban EMT to learn the how and why things are often done differently in a wilderness context. This course will prepare you for the myriad challenges that are encountered when providing care in austere settings.

Worst Case Scenario What would you do to respond to a major trauma in a remote area? What decisions would you make if a friend or client were experiencing mysterious symptoms at high altitude? You will build much confidence and competency in providing pre-hospital care in this comprehensive W-EMT.

Hands On W-EMT is way more than a classroom experience. You will get lots of experiential opportunities including- scenarios complete with moulage( ie simulated injuires), experience with specialized equipment. In addition to hands on experince in the class room, you will also embark upon 2 overnight camping experiences. You will have opportunities to really get "out there" in the immense wilderness areas around Haines AK and put your newly discovered skills to the test in real world field conditions. This hands on student centered approach has consistently provided superior results and professional level responder

Professional Development Achieving a W-EMT is a great way to bolster your resume. From search and rescue, to film production to wilderness guiding , this certification is a great way to get a leg up for any job that operates in remote areas.

Haines: Haines, Alaska is the starting/finishing place for this trip. Haines is a small community located along the fjords at the top of the Inside Passage. The natural beauty and wilderness access found here are responsible for its reputation as a center for wilderness adventure in Alaska.

State of Alaska EMT- I: This course prepares you to achieve your AK EMT-I. You will take both the practical and written testing elements as a part of the course. This will allow you to work as a licensed EMT in the last frontier.

National Registry EMT: This course is tailored for and prepares you to achieve your NREMT. You may, on your own accord, take the NREMT test after the conclusion of the course to achieve this cert. Your NREMT will allow you to achieve licensure in other states outside of AK.

Wilderness first Responder The skills of an EMT are great- when you have resources and an ambulance. When you are in the wild, these things can be tough to come by. The WFR curriculum leverages your EMT skills to the next level- to manage patients when resources are scarce and help hours to days away.

Our Instructors: IWLS instructors and guides are highly-trained professionals recognized as some of the best in their field. They have a wealth of experience from guiding throughout Alaska, Canada, and the world. They genuinely enjoy sharing their knowledge of the outdoors in the wild places that they love. Their experiences and leadership help our students to have the best possible experience during their course. Students' safety, education, and enjoyment are their primary goals. The International Wilderness Leadership Schools’ educational model nurtures leadership development and creates an awareness of the guiding mentality that is essential for leading safe, fun adventures in the mountains. The combination of technical skills training, experiential education and practical leadership experience make the IWLS curriculum world-class.

Experience Level: No previous experience is necessary for this course. However, with a desire to learn and an enthusiasm for adventure, you’ll develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of wilderness exploration.

Certifications: Upon completion of the course, participants may qualify for the following certifications:

WFR
W-EMT
 

Alaska EMT- I
NREMT
 
 
 

Course Itinerary (printable PDF)

Day 0: Arrive in Haines, settle into your accommodations.
 
Day 1 – 5: Classroom time in Haines. Class will go from 8:00 am to about 5:00 pm.
 
Day 6: In the morning we’ll prepare for our 3-day sea kayaking trip ( or other adventure) into the wilderness surrounding Haines. We’ll hit the water by the afternoon.
 
Day 6-8:Sea kayaking portion: We’ll explore practices and scenarios associated with ocean travel and emergency protocols in Alaska. Days will be spent traveling, camping, and covering wilderness medicine curriculum.
 
Day 9-14: Classroom time in Haines. Class will go from 8:00 am to about 5:00 pm.
 
Day 15: Day Off
 
Day 16-18: Backcountry hiking portion: We’ll explore practices and scenarios associated with backpacking and emergency protocols in Alaska. Days will be spent traveling, camping, and covering wilderness medicine curriculum.
 
Day 19: Day Off
 
Day 20-28: Classroom time in Haines. Class will go from 8:00 am to about 5:00 pm. The last few days there will be a culmination in scenarios and demonstration of students’ competency and performance. We will finish off with the EMT-basic Alaska practical and written exams, the National Registry exam overview/practice, and IWLS WFR test.
 

IWLS General Curriculum outlines the essential components for effective outdoor leadership. Here are a few points that your course will focus on.

• Leadership: We not only exemplify leadership – we teach it and implement it. Students will have
  opportunities to lead the group through a variety of activities, objectives, and responsibilities.
• Safety and Risk Management: Safety is always our #1 consideration. As the course progresses, students
  will develop an awareness to appropriately assess risk and make safe decisions in and out of the field.
• Expedition Behavior and Group Dynamics: Because this course is a true wilderness expedition,
  interactions between group members need to be supportive and contribute to the efficacy of the group. The daily
  dynamics of the group, combined with guided instruction, will teach students not only how to be a member of a cohesive
  team, but how to influence and lead an expedition.
• Environmental Ethics: As adventurers in some of the most pristine environments on the planet, it is
  our duty to respect the natural world. All of our courses practice and teach Leave No Trace® principles.
• Communication Skills: Speaking in public, managing a personal conflict, or leading a group in the
  wilderness - all of these situations require effective communication. Students will gain confidence in their
  communication abilities while developing personal leadership styles during this course.

 
The IWLS W-EMT Cirriculum prepares students for emergency response into remote, backcountry settings as well as urban environments. Here are some points we’ll cover on your course:

• Health and Safety of the professional rescuer
• Airway Management
• Patient Assessment
• Medical/Behavioral Emergencies
• Trauma
• Obstetrics, Infants, and Children
• CPR, AED, BLS
• Environmental Injuries, High Altitude Medicine
• Wilderness Emergency Protocols
• Wilderness Camping & Survival Techniques

• Course Overview- Printable detailed course overview & itinerary.
• Equipment List - Overview of personal clothing and equipment that you'll need for this course.
• Rental Gear List - List of backpacking gear, and personal items available for rent
• Registration Form - Outlines policies, and essential information. One required per participant.
• Health Form - This form enables our guides to have accurate health information in the event of an emergency.
• Land Based Activity Waiver - One required per participant. Guests under the age of 18 may go on one form.
• Travel Info - Helpful information on how to get to/from Haines, Alaska.

What is included in the course price:

• Camping gear - group camping equipment, tents, stoves, etc...
• Expedition food - all food while out in the field.
• Medical Supplies IWLS will provide all medical supplies and moulage- practice with real equipment for maximum learning opportunities.
• Some Transportation during trip - travel to the trail head for overnight, and back to Haines after.
• Professional instructors - Our instructors have extensive knowledge of the area and a passion for travel in wild places. They also have much experince in professional incident management.

 
Students are responsible for the following:

• Personal clothing & equipment
• Food and Lodging for the duration of the course- minus the camping portion. - We can happily recommend lodging around Haines! There are many options at a variety of price points
• Travel insurance - we highly recommend travel insurance for all of our programs.
• Airfare
• Reviewing course policies - please reference our policies page for policies regarding payment, cancellations, refunds and student responsibilities.
• Gratuities

 
To Book your adventure, follow the steps below:

• Please call to confirm availability at 1-800-766-3396 or fill out an online form to request more information: Request More Info
• Place a deposit of $500 or 25% of trip cost (whichever is less) to reserve your spot: this can be place over the phone by credit card, check in the mail, or through our payment gateway.
• Once you've reserved your spot, you'll receive a welcome packet with all the necessary registration forms and trip information.
• Be sure to submit all trip registration documents at least 45 days prior to your course. This includes information on your arrival/departure, lodging, dietary, and medical information.

 
Feel free to call or email anytime if you have questions about your upcoming trip. Our team is excited to help you prepare for your adventure!