Information

Welcome!

This is the virtual 'home' of WEMSI-International, an educational organisation committed to improving standards in wilderness medical care.

We have wide expertise and work across the spectrum from medical aspects of technical Search and Rescue, to expedition 'primary care', from the First Responder to the the rescue paramedic or doctor. We work in all environments from the hottest desert to the coldest ice cap, from the highest mountains to the deepest cave.

The work of WEMSI-International is voluntary, but we are all professionals and most of us work both in the wilderness and in medical provision in a professional capacity.  Our faculty are all practitioners as well as trainers.

Our international training faculty provides three levels of training:

  • Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
  • Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT)
  • Wilderness Physician (WP)

We run a number of these courses a year whilst also providing programmes tailored to specific groups e.g. rescue teams, military units and expeditions.

One of our goals is to develop trainers and training faculties. We do this through long term relationships with organisations who are committed to developing in-house training solutions.

Wilderness First Responder

This is an intensive six-day course designed for outdoor instructors and enthusiasts leading or participating in remote expeditions where evacuation may be protracted and complex. It is growing in reputation as the gold standard in training, and conforms to the Wilderness Medical Society’s Wilderness First Responder syllabus, which is widespread in the USA. Much of the training happens in the outdoors.

Training is designed for people going on expedition who have standard expedition first aid equipment with them (as opposed to rescue team equipment). Emphasis is on being self-reliant, improvisation with the kit that you have, and dealing competently with both life-threatening and run-of-the-mill situations. It is for people who may not have access to online medical support from a doctor.

For WFR course dates look here.

 

 

Wilderness Physician

This course teaches doctors all aspects of wilderness medical care and to provide on-line medical advice by radio and other remote communications techniques to first-aiders/EMT's in the wilderness environment.  The course runs alongside and with the Wilderness EMT course.  Wilderness Physician students take the Wilderness EMT course at the same time.  Physicians interact with the WEMT students throughout the course which facilitates multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills crossover.  Physicians gain the knowledge, skills and teamworking abilities to function as Wilderness Physicians but also the knowledge and skills needed by a Wilderness EMT.

Wilderness Physicians are actively involved in mock scenarios and the final full-day field exercise.  This active participation allows practice of the skills acquired along with in-depth understanding of the challenges provided in wilderness medical care.

For Wilderness Physician course dates look here.

 

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician

The Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) course is aimed at practitioners who are responsible for providing medical and trauma pre-hospital care in remote or austere environments.

Training focuses on patient assessment, treatment principles and management of incidents rather than the traditional protocols associated with First Aid. A thorough understanding of principles enables the provision of care to be adapted to each individual situation and environment.

Practitioners are engaged and encouraged to make differential diagnoses and then provide management that is both practical and advanced. This is completed with consultation from doctors and trauma specialists in preparation for short and extended evacuations.

For Wilderness EMT course dates look here.