…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…

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…

…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…

…“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” ~ Charles Bukowski When it comes to just about every worthwhile pursuit, the more you put into it, the more you get out. In the context of human-powered outdoor adventures, especially those that test your metal, that means pushing the limits and, for those…

…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…

…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…

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

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

…So, here we all sit, settling into another sequential week of sequestered sheltering and supreme seclusion, many of us working from home and many of us not. As a certified teacher with a license in EC, ESL, AIG and Classroom Education, and as a member of The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education’s (NCOAE)…

…Here at NCOAE, we’re pretty well known for creating gourmet meals in the backcountry. Read about meals and camping on NCOAE expeditions….

…One of our vendors lives and works out of an ocean-view condo in Laguna Beach, California, where taking long walks throughout that quaint Southern California “Art Colony” is an added bonus for many of its residents. A far cry from our wooded headquarters of Wilmington, North Carolina, our vendor’s office is set squarely between reality…

Stephen is our lead instructor, trainer and educator for both the staff and the clients of NCOAE….