to our world. - NOLS

RISK MANAGEMENT AT NOLS
Ashley Wise
Marco Johnson
Betsy Winston
Left: Hazard assessment is a key element of the NOLS curriculum. Wind River Range, Wyoming. Center: Instructors clarify risk management protocols before engaging
students in a new skill. Blue John Canyon, Dirty Devil, Utah. Right: Student to instructor ratios average 5 to 1 and vary according to skill being taught and student age.
Northern Icefield, Patagonia
At NOLS we embrace the physical and emotional challenge of the
natural environment to attain our learning objectives. NOLS courses
are not easy and involve the pursuit of adventurous activities in
rugged terrain in which there are real dangers. Risk, both physical
and emotional, is an important element of a NOLS education.
The uncertainty posed by nature combined with the judgments and
abilities of students and staff leads to risk. Risk management, in this
context, is the ability to make a decision when the outcome is uncertain
and relies on our ability to perceive and quantify the risks
we face. Risk management is taught and practiced on every course.
NOLS is committed to promoting the physical and emotional wellbeing
of all students and we are proud of our excellent record managing
the risks of wilderness travel.
Wilderness adventure involves hazards: rockfall, fast-flowing rivers,
and steep terrain can pose a risk to even the most experienced
outdoor leader. Activities ranging from simple day hikes to climbing
glaciers can, due to the unpredictable forces of nature or an error in
judgment, become dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
Students transport their own gear; sleep outdoors, possibly in
co-ed tent groups; prepare their own meals; and are expected to care
for themselves in weather conditions that can be extreme. Each student
plays an important role in the success of a NOLS course. Good
physical conditioning and a positive mental attitude are essential.
Our courses are expeditions that travel through remote areas
that can create complex situations should an emergency arise. The
majority of medical incidents that might occur are simple and often
treated in the field. A more serious incident, such as a fracture,
will require evacuation to a medical facility. It is not uncommon
to be days from medical help, but NOLS instructors are trained in
wilderness first aid and backed by comprehensive wilderness emergency
response and evacuation systems.
We carry satellite telephones, radios, or other electronic communication
devices on each course for life threatening emergencies,
but this does not guarantee communication from the field to
our support bases. Portable telephones and radios can be unreliable
depending on terrain, atmospheric conditions, and other variables.
It is important you understand that there are risks. Some adventure
programs say that they can guarantee your safety. NOLS
does not. The risk of injury, even serious injury or death, is always
present in the outdoor environment. Indeed, much of the value of
a NOLS course lies in learning how to identify hazards and adapt
behavior to strive to avoid injury or illness.
INDEPENDENT STUDENT TRAVEL
On many courses, one of the ways we help you develop into an
outdoor leader is by giving you the opportunity to travel without
instructors. Our students say that this is a highlight of their course
and one of the best ways that they learn to be leaders.
By the second week, you will travel in student groups without
instructors for a day at a time. To prepare for this you’ll have
classes and gain practical experience in backcountry travel while
being coached by your instructors as they help you develop your
leadership skills.
If your instructors decide that your group is ready, the culminating
experience of many courses is the student expedition where,
for several days, you and a few of your coursemates will travel
without an instructor. Your instructors help the course divide into
groups, select a leader, and plan a route. You will know your instructors’
route and campsites (no more than a day away), instructors
will carry a phone, and each student group will carry a satellite
location transmitter or phone. You and your group make the daily
leadership decisions but still have all the benefits of NOLS’ support
systems.
LEADERS IN WILDERNESS EDUCATION
When you come to NOLS, you will be attending the school that
sets the standards in wilderness risk management, wilderness medicine,
and student well-being. We have published one of the leading
texts on wilderness medicine, and the Wilderness Medicine
Institute of NOLS (WMI) is at the cutting edge of this growing
field. We are the leaders in promoting professional standards in
wilderness risk management and each year convene the Wilderness
Risk Management Conference for outdoor educators and adventure
program administrators.
Before you arrive on your NOLS course, thoroughly read all
materials we send you and call us if you have questions. A report
on NOLS risk management and history is available from our admission
office.
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