…Did you hear the one about Rock and Ice magazine merging with Climbing magazine? It’s not a joke. That news was announced just today (Oct. 9, 2020), and it conveniently coincides with the next post in our series on outdoor industry lingo. With the assistance of The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education’s (NCOAE)…

…Welcome to our third — and final segment in our series about sports terminology and slang terms. In this post, we’ll be talking about whitewater paddling, and right off the bat, we’ve got a warning for the novice paddler. Those who might be unfamiliar with whitewater kayaking or canoeing might think rowing and paddling are…

…For those who suffer severe allergic reactions to everything from wasp stings to wheat consumption, getting help — and getting that medical intervention fast — may mean the difference between life and death. Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we train our Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) students and Wilderness First…

…In a recent CNN article by Rebecca Cairns and London-based photographer Zed Nelson, the reader is invited to reflect on how we interact with nature, and how much of that “nature” is staged. Nelson’s project, The Anthropocene Illusion, takes viewers on a global journey to see the ways we simulate wild places and wildlife while…

…In the backcountry, where hospitals are likely many miles away and help isn’t “just around the corner,” airway management becomes a high-stakes priority. After all, the statistics are against the patient. Without an open, clear airway, that patient has a zero percent chance of survival. Whether it’s a fall, an allergic reaction, choking, or a…

Dr. Christopher Davis is our medical director and handles our medical curriculum and clearances for NCOAE‘s educational courses and medical trainings….

…The Outdoor Education industry is abuzz with news this time of the year. What with school almost back in session and the industry’s largest and most influential conferences coming up in just a few months, its no wonder there’s so much outdoor education news to catch up on. In no particular order: There’s a new…

…Most libraries and bookstores offer up books in the science and nature section that address climate change, with titles that range from “Hot Hungry Planet” to  “Climate of Hope.” Many of these books focus on global warming, polar bears in the Arctic, flooding and other environmental crises on continents around the world. However, for those…

…Concussion recognition and treatment has gotten a lot of attention over the last decade, mostly in the context of youth and professional sports such as tackle football and soccer. It’s even a topic for those who serve in our armed forces. However, confusion over its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment remains widespread.  In an interview with…

…Nobody likes to be hot and sweaty on the trail. But when things turn from being uncomfortable to becoming downright dangerous, it’s time for quick, on-the-spot emergency action.  Heat illness is a range of medical conditions that result from the body’s inability to cope with an elevated heat load. When that occurs, it is more…

…Just obtaining an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license opens a world of career possibilities both inside and out of the medical field. Sure, you have to put in the effort, but the opportunities are as diverse as our EMT students here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). Fact is, we receive…

…Priscilla Trimble has an impressive resume working in outdoor education — where shehas excelled at facilitating and instructing backcountry expeditions. This Raleigh, N.C.,native has worked for the city of Durham Parks and Recreation as an outdoor recreationspecialist, and the Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department as anoutdoor recreation instructor. She has also served as…

…Florida-based Zinnia Long, is a field instructor for our backpacking and canoe expeditions,where she sees leading people on outdoor adventures as a “win-win” in her book. Prior to joiningus here at NCOAE, Zinnia was a campus coordinator of student life at Eastern Florida StateCollege. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, where she earned…

…By Ben Ari – Authority Magazine Taking the risk to start a company is a feat few are fully equipped for. Any business owner knows that the first few years in business are anything but glamorous. Building a successful business takes time, lessons learned, and most importantly, enormous growth as a business owner. What works…

…The suicide rate among emergency medical service (EMS) professionals rose a shocking 38 percent since 2009, according to a study published in the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine. But as shocking as that statistic is, it should come as no surprise. As an emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic, you typically work a five-day rotation…

…While spine immobilization has long been the standard procedure for treating patients in the backcountry, growing research suggests Spinal Motion Restriction may be the safer option!…

Caleb O’Connor-Genereaux is a National Center for Outdoor & Educational Education(NCOAE) field instructor. Caleb has a decade of experience working in the outdooreducation industry, connecting with students and facilitating their learning through hishis love of nature and the environment. This native of Ryegate, Vermont, was formerly a teaching coordinator for Tracker’sEarth, which offers summer camps…

Hailing from Bethesda, Maryland, Celia Parr is a field instructor at The National Center for Outdoor and Adventure Education (NCOAE) in Wilmington, North Carolina. Previously, she was an adventure instructor at Avid4Adventure in Boulder, Colorado., and head counselor at Camp Merrie-Woode — a nonprofit residential camp for girls ages 7 to 17 in the western…

…While wilderness medicine already presents a unique set of challenges, difficult terrain can add an extra layer of complications!…

Matthew McPherson joined the team at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) in 2024 as an EMT Instructor, bringing nearly eight years of experience in emergency medical services. Originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, Matthew has served as a paramedic with Novant Health New Hanover Emergency Medical Services in Wilmington and Mecklenburg EMS…