WMA International Is Your Summer Adventure Ally!
Before you venture onto the trails, navigate the rivers, explore the forest, or brave the mountain range — it is important to gear up with life-saving knowledge. Now is the perfect time to refine your abilities with a Recertification option or discover new skills with a Bridge, WAFA, or WFR course!
WMAI NEWS
WMA Japan Welcomes New Instructors
In Japan, where wilderness areas are diverse and plentiful, the addition of these three instructors brings the total number of WMA International certified instructors to approximately 350!
We are excited to welcome Tomoya, Mayumi, and Kenji to the exceptional WMA International team.
Check Out These Newly Certified WFRs In Action!
Spotted during March and April WFR courses.
Send us photos from your course!
We’d love to see the behind-the-scenes of your experience.
COURSE SPOTLIGHT: HAPPENING SOON
Featured Wilderness Advanced Life Support Courses
June 3rd – 6th in Crested Butte, Colorado: Instructed by former WMA International Curriculum Director, Jeff Isaac , and facilitated by Medical Officer, Ltd.
July 15th – July 19th in East Setauket, New York: Instructed by WMA International Medical Director, Will Smith, and facilitated by Wounded Bear Medicine
INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT
Meet Megan LaPierre
Lake Placid, NY
Megan LaPierre, a dedicated outdoor enthusiast and mother of two, resides in New York’s Adirondack Park.
As a Lieutenant for the New York State Forest Rangers since 2007, Megan oversees various responsibilities including search and rescue operations, wildland fire response, and incident command incidents. Her journey into this career began during high school, leading her to pursue degrees in Aquatic Environmental Science and Chemistry before entering the Forest Ranger Academy.
We recently had the opportunity to correspond with Megan, who emphasized the profound impact instructors can have on shaping lives and outcomes in the field.
WMA: What are some key attributes of a wilderness medical professional?
Megan: A big one is self-awareness. You need to have a handle on yourself and your capabilities, your emotional and physical well-being, and an awareness of what you are able to handle at this moment. You also need to be willing to learn and recognize what you don’t know, and not be afraid to ask. I have taught other Rangers skills in front of a patient, and by explaining what I am doing it calms the other Ranger down and it calms the patient down. The more information we have as humans, the better we are at handling things.
WMA: Do you ever hear back from your students?
Megan: I’ve been teaching a lot of classes out of Adirondack Lodge recently, which is one of the biggest trailheads in the state. Most of the people who take these classes hike locally. Because of this, I have had multiple rescues where my WFR students are on the rescues. It’s amazing because it really comes full circle. As I’m responding to a rescue I’ll be on the phone with one of my WFR students who is doing patient care as I’m coming in as a Ranger. I get there and they hand me a full SOAP note, splints are perfect, they’re well-packaged . . . and it almost makes me want to cry. As instructors, we have the ability to affect lives every day, through our students, even when we’re not there!
