In 2009 November Remote Medical International teamed with Sawtooth Mountain Guides (SMG) to put on a public Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training. The student body was composed of world-class professional athletes, mountain guides, and photographers, and was rounded out by recreational climbers, skiers and sportspeople. Added to the mix were the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains and the amenities of Sun Valley.
RMI is excited to be working with SMG again to offer the Wilderness First Responder training in Ketchum November 12-21, 2010. RMI instructor, three-time Everest summiteer, First Ascent Athlete and Ketchum local Melissa Arnot will be back to lead the training with fellow instructor and guide Cait Parker. In this profile we speak with Erik Leidecker- IFMGA certified mountain guide, First Ascent Ski Guide team member, Operations Manager for Sun Valley Heli Ski, and co-owner of Sawtooth Mountain guides.
Why was it important for you to host the WFR training in Ketchum?
For mountain guides and outdoor professionals Wilderness First Responder level training and current certification is an absolute prerequisite. As a guide service owner I wouldn’t even consider hiring someone that didn’t have this baseline skill set. On the recreational side, however, it’s great to see that in a mountain town of hardcore athletes people are realizing that this level of training is vital for non-professionals as well. One local skier has found himself involved in two avalanche incidents and his WFR training has proved invaluable.
What other professional certifications do you currently hold?
I’m a fully certified IFMGA Mountain Guide, of which there are still less than 100 in the United States. I also have completed avalanche education programs through Level 3 and am an AIARE Level 1 Course Instructor.
How did you become involved with SMG?
SMG was founded in 1985 by Kirk Bachman, a native Idahoan who cut his teeth guiding in the Tetons. Kirk hired me in 1993 and I bought half the business from him in 2002. Together we manage the business to provide top-notch rock, alpine, and ski guiding, instructional courses, and avalanche education in the spirit of wilderness and adventure.
SMG runs its programs throughout the mountains of central Idaho including the Sawtooth, Pioneer, Boulder, Smoky and Lost River Ranges, and at the City of Rocks. In the summer we specialize in rock and alpine climbing programs for beginners and experts alike. We also run non-technical backpacking and trekking trips, high lake fishing trips, and custom corporate retreats. In the winter we specialize in avalanche education programs, guided backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering, and we rent the popular Williams Peak Yurt to both guided and non-guided parties.
How was your experience hosting the WFR with RMI?
RMI runs a solid program. The front office and administrative/web side of the course was simple and easy as was the Pre course paperwork. Lead instructor Melissa Arnot is enthusiastic and can hold the attention of the class and she strikes a perfect mix of practical experience in both back and front country emergency care. Backcountry emergency care is not what it was 15 years ago. Modern equipment and the increasing use of helicopters make it critical to understand how to interface with front country ems, which is something that RMI understands. Of course, if you need to stabilize and/or evacuate in a truly remote environment, these skills and techniques are still covered.
I understand that this was your second time taking a full WFR?
As a mountain guide (as opposed to a ski patroller or volunteer for EMS services) I (fortunately) don’t often put my WFR training to use. I found that after many years of recertification my skills were getting rusty. I decided that it was time to start from scratch, again!  Not surprisingly there were several other long-standing mountain guides and outdoor professionals who came to the same realization.  Many of these people had been working in the industry for 20 plus years, and had taken several different types of first aid training, including several with expired EMT’s. You just can’t get too much training in emergency response.
Look for Erik this winter guiding backcountry and heli skiing in the Sun Valley and Idaho backcountry with SMG and Sun Valley Heli Guides, and follow his exploits on the First Ascent blog, Born Out There.
To learn more about the course or to sign up, call the RMI office at (800) 597-4911 or follow this link for online registration.
