I looked up programs to become a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) the other day. There’s a program in Lander, WY, about 80 miles from where my parents’ place is in Wyoming, that offers an intense, month-long WEMT course that leads to certification and registration with the National Registry of EMT’s (NREMT) and the Wilderness certification. The program is through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). It costs about $4000. The book they use is the 13th Edition of Emergency Care by Limmer. A course outline is available, which I just discovered. This excites me very much because I could be a certified WEMT and be able to take care of most emergencies that happen in the backcountry, at least initially. That would make me much more comfortable with climbing outdoors (not that I’m uncomfortable now, because I was an EMT about 12 years ago) and going farther into the wild blue yonder as I become able to climb better. I would want to go through this course because it’s been so long since I was an EMT and many things about the training and protocols may differ from what they were over a decade ago, and this program teaches the wilderness aspect in addition to all of that. I think being a WEMT would be great! It’s even a career possibility of sorts! I have to get in better shape first, and I’ll be sure to read up on the book before I go so that I don’t go into this totally unprepared, but I think this would be, at the very least, a good move for my climbing buddies and me. It could even lead to a position as a flight EMT, a search and rescue team member, or an ER tech at a hospital! I want it mainly for climbing, though. If any of those other prospects present themselves, I’ll think about them. This is definitely something I want to do!!! It’ll take me a while to save up $4000+, but that’ll also give me time to get in better shape so that I’m fit for the task. This is fantastic!!! What an opportunity!!!
Content Rating PG, for the most part
I try to keep the content of my posts in the PG range (meaning that maybe your 13-year-old should not read it... Just kidding!) - you know, something I could get away with tastefully in the town square without getting lynched, tarred-and-feathered, or hung (and something my mother would NOT wash my mouth out with soap for). As far as what age you have to be to understand some of the subtleties of my humor in writing and/or speaking, well... That may vary. A lot.
CLIMBING 4 THE REST OF US 