NOLS Wilderness EMT Course, Wyoming

Life keeps moving.  Somehow I am now living in Utah, although that some times still sounds like a dream.  Maybe a dream come true, since I've always wanted to live somewhere out west.

And I keep learning, too.  Most recently, this has brought me to Wyoming for an Wilderness EMT course.   For this course, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and the Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI) have teamed up to provide an intensive, month-long course about wilderness medicine.  When I graduate, I will be able to work in an ambulance if I want to.  Now that's a scary thought.  The campus is a purpose-built facility out in the middle of nowhere Wyoming, with space to explore and conduct training exercises.

Why am I taking this class?  Well, I've always wanted to take a NOLS course.  They have a great reputation for the quality of their instruction.  And if I was going to be spending more time in the outdoors, it seemed like a good idea to know what to do in an emergency situation.  Let's face it, our natural tendency in an emergency is to run screaming in the other direction. Or freeze like a deer in the headlights and do nothing.

So I'm learning some useful skills which will help me stay calm and make the right decisions when the worst happens.  And when it doesn't, I'll be able to go into the backcountry confident that I could handle a crisis with only the materials stored in my head...well, that and a well-stocked first aid kit!

The student cabins

Room to explore in every direction!