The wilderness EMS curriculum gives students the specialized skills and knowledge to provide technician level rescue medicine in a wilderness, austere or technical environment.
This comprehensive program goes well beyond the typical wilderness EMT curriculum preparing students to work with organizations such as search and rescue, ski patrol, sheriff’s office and military special operations, the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, outdoor education and guide companies, and other organizations that require wilderness technician level skills.
Program Outcomes/Competencies
- Employ leadership, sound judgment and good decision-making skills when leading, guiding or rescuing others in a wilderness, austere or technical environment.
- Utilize critical thinking skills in a potentially austere environment, so that the rescuer, teammates, bystanders and patients remain as safe as possible at all times.
- Prepare safe wilderness travel plans for a variety of remote and technical environments (Rock, ice, Snow, swiftwater, Mountain).
- Demonstrate competency in wilderness travel skills in a variety of remote and technical environments (Rock, ice, Snow, swiftwater, Mountain).
- Demonstrate competency in technical rescue skills in a variety of remote and technical environments (Rock, ice, Snow, swiftwater, Mountain) at a technician level.
- Organize, manage and safely execute all aspects of wilderness medical care including: scene management; patient assessment; medical, trauma and environmental injury management; and patient evacuation, at the wilderness EMT level of care.
- Develop an understanding of professional practices, communications, organizations and career opportunities in the field of wilderness rescue medicine.
- Have a thorough understanding of improvisational techniques and resource management to safely provide patient care, rescue and evacuation with limited personnel, equipment and communication.
Colorado Mountain College Wilderness EMT is an accredited State of Colorado Career Technical Education program.