…A few years ago, we ran a three-part series on slogans, slang, and terminology as it applies to a trio of human-powered outdoor recreational activities. If you recall, we started out with some “gnarly” surfing terms, then we “tied in” to a conversation about climbing, finally pulling a “wet exit” on the language of paddling….

…A native of Wilmington, N.C., Erin Sasser is a seven-year veteran of the Novant-NewHanover emergency medical services team, and an EMT instructor at The NationalCenter for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) since 2022. Erin joined NCOAE for the opportunity to teach emergency medicine to students fromall over the country. She is most interested in how…

…Outdoor and adventure-based summer camps for teens provide a life-enriching and world-changing experience for those who participate in them. These experiences, offered by accredited adventure-based experiential and outdoor education providers like The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), offer a unique opportunity for teens to develop personal competencies in the following four areas,…

Carrie Kraft is a field instructor and rafting guide at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). With more than 15 years of experience of leading trips and guiding activities within the outdoor education sector of the outdoor industry, Carrie admits to having an enormous passion for sharing her love of wilderness with…

…NCOAE‘s SOAP Notes can help you keep your emergency wilderness medical care thorough and organized, keep reading to learn more!…

Aly Topscher has been a field instructor at The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education (NCOAE) since 2021. Previously, she worked as a naturalist/outdoor educator for Naturalists at Large in Ventura, California. Before that, Aly was a rental technician at Big Bear Ski Resort at Big Bear Lake, CA.  It was while working for…

Wesley is an assistant instructor at NCOAE with experience in backpacking, rock climbing, whitewater canoeing and camp craft….

…When it comes to emergency medicine — whether in an urban setting or the backcountry — swift and accurate assessments play a pivotal role in determining the severity and progression of an injury and deciding the best course of action.  The decisions you make regarding treatment, evacuation, and transportation in cases of non-obvious threats to…

…For EMT’s, caring for ourselves often comes second to caring for others. Here are a few tips to help you take better care of your physical and mental well-being….

With extensive field experience in emergency medical services, Clifton Bannerman serves as an EMT Instructor at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). Clifton, who was born and raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, brings a wealth of experience to his role. From working as a paramedic with Novant Health New Hanover Emergency Medical…

Paige Shogi is an EMT Instructor at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), where she a unique blend of medical and educational experience to the team.Hailing from Hickory, North Carolina, Paige is also full-time paramedic in New Hanover County, NC. She previously worked as an EMT in Hickory, NC, where she built…

…With more than a quarter of a century of Fire EMS and Public Safety experience, David Bullard serves as the EMT Training Program Director at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). Born and raised in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, David’s experience ranges from being a firefighter and paramedic, to posts as fire captain…

…In the safety and comfort of the modern world, we often forget that the natural world can be a dangerous, unforgiving, and uncaring place. For many of us who love wilderness and the backcountry, that’s large part of its attraction.  We choose to explore areas where some fear to go,  and we participate in activities…

By Staff Reports The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) has been awarded full accreditation by Cognia, a nonprofit organization recognized globally for its commitment to continuous improvement and educational excellence, according to a news release. Based in Wilmington, NCOAE launched its first courses in Pisgah National Forest in 2009. The organization creates…

Emily Elkins is a Field Instructor at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she brings over seven years of experience guiding and teaching in the outdoors. A certified interpretive guide, she is passionate about helping students connect more deeply with the natural world and themselves through immersive…

Raven Delhanty is a backpacking guide at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she brings a strong background in emergency medicine and expedition leadership to the backcountry programs she leads. With years of hands-on experience in remote wilderness settings, Raven is passionate about creating outdoor experiences that…

…Phillip Groves was one of the first EMT instructors hired at NCOAE and he has served as an assistant course director….

Registered NCOAE course and training participants need to complete and return the necessary forms before they begin their course or training….

NCOAE was founded to support a world shaped by people and institutions who are naturally inclined to serve one another….

…“What’s fructose? What’s GMO? What do these words mean? These are some of the questions my 9-year-old daughter asked me last June as the family shopped for good snacks for a backpacking trip. By July, my daughter had vowed to stop eating food with “junk” in it. And to date, she has kept her word….