I took my very first Wilderness First Responder course in 2005, so that I could become a lead kayak guide for Skamokawa Town Center.
After that, I started hosting an annual WFR course here in Skamokawa most years, first as part of Skamokawa Town Center, and then under the auspices of Columbia River Kayaking. I took the full WFR course, in the 8 day, 7 day and 5 day formats seven times between 2005 and 2014. Between 2006 and 2009 I was also an EMT with the local volunteer fire department in Skamokawa.
In 2014, one of the instructors for the WFR that spring encouraged me to apply to become an instructor for WMA, and I was accepted into the 2015 training course, provided I re-licensed as an EMT and went back into service with the fire department.
I travelled to Michigan in the fall of 2014, and finished up my WEMT course, took the NREMT test when I got home, and rejoined both of my local fire departments, where I volunteer on the ambulances.
In the meantime, I traveled all over the US, and even overseas, teaching WFRs, WFAs and WAFAs for WMA, upgraded to a lead instructor in early 2017, and started Cascadia Wilderness Medicine as a way to bring more Wildnerness Medical Associates courses to the Pacific Northwest.
I currently travel and teach for WMA for about 80-100 class days a year, and also am holding more courses here in the PNW.