Here's a sneak peak at what is one of the premiere conferences of the upcoming fall conference season. I've been going for years and what's so great about the Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC) is that it is both more narrowly focused and at the same time so broadly applicable to all outdoor programs. I'll be there in October and hope to see you there.

Rick Curtis
OutdoorEd.com founder

For Registration and other details go to www.nols.edu/wrmc/

2008 WRMC Conference Sessions
All conference sessions are subject to change.

Updated: 7/28/08

Download: 2008 WRMC Conference Sessions Schedule (pdf)

Color Code for Conference Session
* New Speaker Session for 2008 WRMC

 

Pre-Conference Workshops
NOLS Risk Management Training The NOLS Risk Management Training Workshop. Liz Tuohy
Risk Management for Conservation Service Corps * This interactive workshop will examine risk management issues common to conservation service corps operating in the urban wilderness, front country and backcountry locations. Kurt Merrill
When Judgment Is Crucial The Outward Bound's Instructor Judgment Training Workshop. Jim Garrett

WMI WFR Recertification 9/28-9/30

registration form (pdf)

Used to recertify Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT (wilderness portion only) certifications. You must possess a valid WFR certification of at least 72 hours in order to recertify through this course. Erica Linnell and Ed Schauster
Managing Risk with Volunteer Leaders A training and discussion forum on managing risk with volunteer leaders. Alex Kosseff
Site Management: Climbing * A workshop, held offsite at a river and a climbing site, of a site management and assessment tool for field staff and program managers. Garth Tino, Betsy Lindley
Using Case Studies as a Risk Management Teaching Methodology A workshop on using case studies to improve risk management planning and safety education. Deb Ajango
The Learning Brain * An interactive workshop and interactive workshop that blends current neuroscience with educational theory and decision-making. Jeb Schenck, Jessie Cruickshank
Emerging Legal Issues For Outdoor Adventure Programs

This interactive session is designed for administrators and attorneys who understand basic legal concepts and want a deeper look at significant new developments in the legal liability area.

Reb Gregg and Cathy Hansen-Stamp
When Judgment Is Crucial The Outward Bound's Instructor Judgment Training Workshop. Jim Garrett and Bob Box

 

Keynote Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Jack Turner, Guide and Author
Opening Speaker
Sara Newman, National Park Service

 

Workshop Descriptions by Category
Staff Training and Management Track
This track addresses training staff to be risk managers in the field, using case studies as a tool, managing staff injury claims, volunteer leaders and a look at the question of certifications versus competence. New this year is a 3 hour workshop on training staff for therapeutic programs.
Using Case Studies as a Risk Management Teaching Methodology A workshop on using case studies to improve risk management planning and safety education. Deb Ajango
Training Staff to be Risk Managers A workshop and small group discussion, led by a very experienced NOLS program manager, on how to engage your field staff as risk managers. Liz Tuohy
Training Staff in Therapeutic Programs * An interactive workshop addressing training staff who work in therapeutic program Kirk Shimeall & Rob Koning
Managing Risk with Volunteer Leaders A training and discussion forum on managing risk with volunteer leaders. Alex Kosseff
Staff Injury: Claims Management and Return to Work Issues A workshop with a discussion on managing workers comp claims and return to work questions for staff. Rick Braschler
Competence v Certification A lecture and discussion on whether certificates are becoming more valued than judgment and field experience, and the consequences of this for wilderness programs. Kent Clement
Emergency Response/Crisis Management Track

Using the wealth of experience in this group of presenters the Emergency Response/Crisis Management Track addresses crisis plans, crisis/field incident and post incident response. New this year is a case study from a field instructors perspective and a workshop on lessons learned from three practioneers with experience in crisis management.

Theory v Reality: Lessons Learned in Crisis Management * A interactive session by three program managers with experience managing a fatality and critical incidents. Claire Dallat, Deb Ajango, Kirk Shimeall
Post Critical Incident Response A workshop on post-incident follow up with staff, participants, parents and review process. Jay Satz, Laura Herrin
Crisis Management A case study, lecture and discussion on the NOLS Crisis Management Plan and experience. Drew Leemon
SAR for Outdoor Leaders A lecture on the application of emergency response plans and actual search and rescue techniques during emergencies in the field. Charley Shimanski
Wilderness First Aid and Evacuation Incident Case Study * A case study with Q & A time on a difficult NOLS field evacuation from the India Himalaya from the field instructor's perspective. Shawn Stratton
Judgment and Decision-making
This track looks at the critical area of Judgment and Decision-making with presentations from Kent Clement and Outward Bound's Instructor Judgment workshop, and new workshops from NOLS, and one looking at current understanding of cognitive neuroscience.
Judgment A lecture on current understanding of the concept of judgment and how to provide judgment training. Kent Clement
When Judgment Is Crucial The Outward Bound's Instructor Judgment Training Workshop. Jim Garrett
Judgment and Decision-making: The NOLS Model * A workshop describing NOLS' approach to educating our field and medical students on decision making and judgment. Tod Schimelpfenig and John Kanengieter
The Learning Brain * An interactive workshop and interactive workshop that blends current neuroscience with educational theory and decision-making. Jeb Schenck, Jessie Cruickshank
Program Management Track

The Program Management Track addresses a number of issues pertinent to program managers including managing web-based media, medical screening, communicating your program’s risk to parents, international programming, smaller programs and updates in wilderness medicine. New this year are sessions on managing participant medications, evolving risk management issues in Canada, single day and urban programs, a panel on insurance and risk management in conservation and service corps.
Writing Risk Management Plans * A workshop in which participants will draft a simple risk management plan for their program. Liz Tuohy, Kurt Merrill, Drew Leemon
NOLS Risk Management Training The NOLS Risk Management Training Workshop. Liz Tuohy
Risk Management for Conservation Service Corps * This interactive workshop will examine risk management issues common to conservation service corps operating in the urban wilderness, front country and backcountry locations. Kurt Merrill
Human Attitudes that Lead to Suffering in the Backcountry * Using actual cases, story-telling and person reflection, this interactive workshop will illustrate the human element, the attitudes underlying many incidents in the backcountry. Lester Zook
Managing Participant Medications * A workshop on guidelines and procedures for field staff assisting with participant medication therapy. Mark Vermeall
Evolving Risk Management Issues in Canada * This presentation will describe the evolution of outdoor education's legal standard of care in Canada and leading edge risk management strategies in schools, private programs and federal parks Jon Heshka
The New Media Changes Everything A lecture on the impact of web technology on risk management communication and media relations by NOLS' Marketing Director. Bruce Palmer
Insurance Panel - the Insured, Broker, Insurer, and Lawyer's Perspectives * A panel presentation on how insurance for outdoor programs works. Christopher Barnes, Cathy Hansen-Stamp, Doug Killeen, John McManamon
Medical Screening: The Five Questions to Ask A lecture focusing on five questions (Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Diabetes, Seizure disorder, Hypertension and/or Heart Disease) to ask when medically screening potential participants. Deb Ajango
Risk Management Considerations with One Day Events * A workshop on the unique issues managing one day outdoor events with both youth groups and the public in settings close to urban areas. Rebecca Bear, Laura Herrin
How Accidents Happen The classic lecture and discussion by Jed Williamson on common causes, human, environmental, and activity based, of incidents in outdoor pursuits. Jed Williamson
Site Management: Climbing * A workshop, held offsite at a river and a climbing site, of a site management and assessment tool for field staff and program managers. Garth Tino, Betsy Lindley
Running International Programs This workshop will discuss key challenges involved in planning and conducting international programs, including risks, using 3rd party providers and emergency response plans. Peter Harvey, Laurie Belton
Small Program Risk Management An overview and discussion on specific risk management strategies that have proven useful to smaller programs. Christopher Barnes, Justin Talbot
Communicating Risk with Parents A lecture and discussion about the process of communicating risk to parents. Claire Dallat
Updates in Wilderness Medicine A lecture and question and answer presentation on current issues in wilderness medicine by the medical director of the Wilderness Medicine Associates. Dave Johnson MD
Legal Track
Our Legal Track presenters worked hard to develop a series of focused, non-redundant offerings to address current legal issues in wilderness risk management. This includes a mock trial, an advanced legal topics session and last year's popular session where you can review your specific participant agreements with an attorney.
Emerging Legal Issues This interactive session is designed for administrators and attorneys who understand basic legal concepts and want a deeper look at significant new developments in the legal liability area. Reb Gregg and Cathy Hansen-Stamp
Legal Implications Of Using Prescription Drugs A discussion of legal and ethical issues raised by acquiring, carrying and administering prescription drugs and strategies for avoiding or reducing the likelihood of civil and criminal liabilities. Frances Mock and Reb Gregg
Participant Agreements: Releases, Acknowledgment of Risks and Related Issue This interactive session will discuss legal and practical issues associated with use of written participant agreements with student/guests. Cathy Hansen-Stamp
Understanding Your Legal Duty of Care This session will use court opinion and discussion to explore duty of care, elements of and defense to a negligence claim, and the anatomy of a lawsuit. Reb Gregg
Overview of Litigation, Discovery, and Deposition Preparation This presentation will present a synopsis of the rules and procedure in litigation including audience participation in mock depositions. Wilma Gray and Tony Clapp
Mock Trial This interactive session builds from the Overview of Litigation" session to explore litigation through a mock trial experience. Wilma Gray and Tony Clapp
What to Say, What to Do: Managing Legal Issues After a Serious Incident A lecture on managing legal issues after an incident. Frances Mock
What You Say and What You Write Down, Practical Value and Legal Impact An interactive discussion on how programs can understand and manage the legal implications of what they say and write in their marketing and other program materials. Cathy Hansen-Stamp
Advanced Legal Topics * A panel discussion on pertinent wilderness risk management legal issues intended for an experienced audience. Reb Gregg, Cathy Hansen-Stamp, Wilma Gray, Tony Clapp, Frances Mock
Legal Lab A practical session that gives the attendee one on one time with an attorney to review their organization's participant agreement (release or otherwise). Reb Gregg, Cathy Hansen-Stamp, Wilma Gray, Tony Clapp, Frances Mock