Our Mission
Strengthen wilderness and environmental medical care through education, research, and operational efforts world-wide.
We are a Sponsored Program of Valley Firefighters Inc. 501c(3), whose overarching mission is:
Raise funds to charitably support the Valley Fire District's public service community
Help local families in need, including after a fire, medical, or other emergency
Assist with other programs and activities to improve services and resources provided to the local community
About Us
We are a multidisciplinary team of paramedics, nurses, advanced practice providers (APPs), physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, public servants, firemen, law enforcement officers, and military members serving the Northeast Ohio region since 2018.
Our members possess diverse expertise across the healthcare and service continuum, practicing in urban and rural environments, community hospitals and academic residency programs, domestically and abroad. Our roots are in education, beginning in Columbus in 2012, working to address the significant regional gap in wilderness and environmental medicine training. As our group has grown and developed through a Big Tent Philosophy and Tiered Mentorship, we have expanded our efforts into research and operations. Our cadre frequently lend their expertise to various local programs - front and back-country alike - helping to strengthen our communities through service and curious innovation.
We are a non-governmental, non-academic, non-commercial, and non-political volunteer entity; we do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, political affiliation or beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression; we do not promote any religious affiliation, dogma, or doctrine as part of our mission or in exchange for our service.
Our Programs
Cuyahoga Valley Wilderness Medicine Conference:
This single-day conference is the capstone of our education division, open to all healthcare professionals, students, and public servants. Offered every-other-year in May, the conference provides introductory sessions for newcomers to the field, intermediate offerings for those looking to improve their knowledge and skill, as well as advanced topics at the cutting edge of our specialty. The day consists of 3-4 elective offerings each 40-minute period: a combination of lectures, small group sessions, and larger group/hands-on sessions from a variety of educators across the country.
Certification Courses:
We have historically taught Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS), then Wilderness Life Support for the Medical Professional (WLS:MP), and now Wilderness Medical Provider (WMP) courses for medical professionals as well as Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses (including CPR and Epi-Pen training) for laypersons. We are proud to collaborate with the nonprofit organization Blue Ridge Adventure Medicine to provide the best curricula in wilderness medicine education.
Mutual-Aid:
Many of our instructors also collaborate to teach and serve at local/institutional programs and for other organizations, such as training days hosted by local and state agencies, medical student electives, emergency medicine residency tracks/electives and conference days, large/wilderness events, military trainings, journal clubs, flight and critical care transport programs, as well as local, state, and federal search and rescue teams, etc.
Current Research:
Current areas of research revolve around epidemiology of trauma and illness within the borders of Cuyahoga Valley National Park as well as endurance trail running medical care.
Contact
Please contact us at cvwildmed@gmail.com with your questions, comments, or concerns.