Backcountry Medical Company

Joel has been involved in the Emergency Medical Services since 1989. He has over 20 years of Search and Rescue experience in Washington State and is the current Commander for Skagit County Sheriff's Search and Rescue. He has background in Ground SAR, Mountain Rescue, Snowmobile Rescue, Dive Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, 4X4 Rescue and Helicopter Rescue. He has held virtually every field, Incident Command and instructor position SAR has to offer. Currently employed by Skagit County EMS as the county's Lead EMS Training Coordinator and Central Skagit Medic as an EMT-IV and a Field Training Advisor.

He is an award-winning homebrewer who had the opportunity to have his beers brewed professionally by both RAM Brewing in Puyallup, WA and 3 Skulls Ales in Seattle, WA both of which were entered and judged at the Great American Beer Festival in the Pro-Am category.

Medical/Instructor Qualifications-

Washington State EMT-IV

Washington State Senior EMS Instructor

IFSAC Fire Instructor I and II

ASHI Wilderness EMT

PHTLS Instructor and Coordinator

ASHI BLS and Wilderness Instructor

ASHI Instructor Trainer

ECSI BLS and Wilderness Instructor

AHA BLS Instructor

ACLS Provider

PALS Provider

ACLS for EMT

Dept of Homeland Security Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings (IRTB) Instructor

Rescue Qualifications-

Rescue 3 Swiftwater Rescue Technician

Rope Rescue Technician

Special Rescue Technician (Rope, Rigging, Airborne Thermal Imaging, SAR EMT, Operations)

LETA Law Enforcement Thermographer

Search and Rescue Diver

Other Activities-

NAUI Open Water Diver

GUE DIR Fundamentals Diver

Award-winning Homebrewer