Inspiration
The Benefit of Early Exposure to the Outdoors
…I grew up in the Midwest, and while some may claim the flatlands don’t have much to offer — I often found one way or another to get into trouble. I climbed trees in my front lawn, jumping off one branch, and climbing higher. While learning how to ride a bike, I often showed up…
EMT Training
How to Become an EMT
…You’re thinking about becoming an EMT. Awesome! If you follow through, you will be joining the ranks of today’s modern-day heroes, the frontline of the frontline workers — bona fide life savers! Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are trained professionals who provide care in critical and emergency situations. Such emergencies can range from simple, routine calls…
Inspiration
From Couch Potato to Hiker in Just 4 to 6 Weeks
…Apparently, I spent three quarters of last year and a quarter of this year mostly sitting on the couch. I held a beverage in one hand, chips, cheese and crackers in the other (and yes, I can hold that much). Adding new meaning to the term “binge-watching,” I viewed dozens of subtitled, multi-season detective series…
Wilderness Medicine Training
Understanding the Role EpiPens Play in Urban and Wilderness Settings
…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…
EMT Training
It Took a Pandemic to Shine the Spotlight on Our Nation’s EMTs
…Emergency Medical Services personnel (EMS) have been on the front lines of the COVID health pandemic for 18 months now, with no end in sight. These key healthcare providers continue to adapt to an ever-changing work environment and thus far have maintained a high level of care. If you’re thinking of entering the field of…
Wilderness First Responder Training
Why Become a Wilderness First Responder?
…For those outdoor education organizations — or for those enthusiasts who live for a well-planned wilderness experience — the inclusion of a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) on the trail brings an additional layer of risk mitigation to any backcountry experience. As for the question posed in the headline above, one of the primary reasons for…
Medical Training
Six Tips on How Best to Respond to a Medical Emergency
It’s pretty well known that we here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) are experts when it comes to training our Knowledge is the key to successful actions in a medical emergency, whether that be on the side of a city street or in a remote wilderness setting….
Risk Management
Let’s Add Humble to the 5 ‘Umbles’ of Hypothermia
…Hypothermia is deadly. There, I said it! This potentially dangerous drop in body temperature is commonly defined as a core body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) after dropping from a healthy temperature of about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degrees Celsius. The slightest variance from the “normal” range can disrupt the body’s…
Wilderness Medicine Training
The Role of the Wilderness First Responder During Water Rescues
…It may surprise you to learn that drownings — along with heart attacks and falls — are among the leading causes of death for those who venture into the wilderness for recreation or education in the United States. Statistics show that there are nearly 4,000 fatal drownings each year in the United States, with a…
EMT Training
Most EMS Terminology Comes Down to Initials, Abbreviations and Acronyms
…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….
Summer Camp
Benefits To Leadership-Based Summer Camp for Teens
…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,…
Emergency Medicine
Why Clinical Experience Matters in EMT Training
…In the world of emergency medical services (EMS), future EMTs and paramedics accept the reality that their immediate future includes hundreds of hours of lectures, extensive bookwork, and plenty of written tests. Each of these students has an objective in mind for taking EMT training courses, and their reasons are many. Some are looking to…
Wilderness Medicine
SOAP Notes Keep Wilderness Medicine Clean
…NCOAE‘s SOAP Notes can help you keep your emergency wilderness medical care thorough and organized, keep reading to learn more!…
Wilderness Medicine
Evaluating Neurovascular Function in the Backcountry
…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…
Emergency Medicine
EMT Health and Fitness: How to Stay Physically Strong and Mentally Sharp
…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….
Outdoor Lingo
On Belay — Climbing Terminology and Slang
…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)…
Outdoor Lingo
Paddling Terminology and Slang: Nobody Says ‘Up a River Without an Oar’
…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…
About NCOAE
The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education Goes to Nepal
…Months of planning and organizing have brought success! We recently completed our first program abroad — an expedition to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal with a group of South Korean high school teens. South Korea-based Apex Global Leadership Center (AGLC) joined with us for this adventure-based spring break program that emphasized leadership education. Traveling in the…
Backcountry Prep
DIY Part 2: Emergency Water Filtration System
…We’ve all seen those old Western movies where the hero is crawling on the desert floor with an empty canteen and a parched throat. None of us want to experience that torture. It’s bad enough watching the bad acting. Same goes for heading to the backcountry for a weeklong wilderness experience. Nobody wants to be…
Backcountry Prep
Assessing Seasonal Gear Leads to a Trip Down Memory Lane
…Spring has sprung and it’s the beginning of another fine season of outdoor adventure, which means it’s time to start unpacking, inspecting, cleaning up and then repacking your gear. As you start pulling out the dusty Tupperware containers crammed with camping gear you’ve had since your first journey beyond the pavement, take some time to…