Aerie Backcountry Medicine

What Aerie Backcountry Medicine does

Aerie Backcountry Medicine is a Missoula, Montana-based private for-profit organization founded in 1995 that delivers wilderness and front-country medical training and deploys licensed EMTs, Advanced EMTs, and paramedics for wildland fire operations. The company trains 3,000–8,000 students annually across the United States, Mexico, Central America, Africa, and India (figures vary by source). Its curriculum spans a clear certification ladder from CPR (4-hour, $65–$75) through Wilderness First Aid ($300–$315), Wilderness First Responder ($845), EMT Hybrid ($1,050), Wilderness EMT ($3,000), to a combined WEMT + Red Card package ($5,250), with immersive Spring ($17,000) and Fall ($19,900) semester programs adding international clinical rotations in Costa Rica and India. The underlying technology is a scenario-based, adult-learning pedagogy delivered by over 40 active-field instructors (paramedics, RNs, firefighters, ski patrollers, mountain guides) under Medical Director Dr. Greg Moore, who has 30+ years of emergency medicine experience.

The business operates across three go-to-market motions: (1) direct-to-consumer open enrollment at multiple Montana locations plus international sites, (2) enterprise field sales for organizational on-site training with US Forest Service, BLM, National Park Service, USAF PJ/SERE, conservation corps, and universities, and (3) event-driven medical support and wildland fire EMS deployment under federal and state incident command. Revenue is diversified across individual course fees, semester tuition, university credits ($175/credit through University of Montana partnership), on-site medical staffing contracts, and wildland fire deployment contracts. A free 15th-edition proprietary textbook anchors the curriculum and is downloadable as a PDF.

The company is founder-owned (Dave McEvoy as Director and co-founder since 1995), with no disclosed external investors, no funding rounds, and no parent company. It markets primarily through direct website enrollment, alumni referrals, conference presentations (Wilderness Medical Society, Wilderness Risk Management), and institutional partnerships. The firm is privately held, with revenue not publicly disclosed.

Name

Aerie Backcountry Medicine

Legal name

Aerie Backcountry Medicine

Website

https://aeriemedicine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aerie Backcountry Medicine is a Missoula, Montana-based wilderness and emergency medical training provider that delivers scenario-based certification courses (WFA, WFR, EMT, W-EMT) and immersive semester programs to outdoor enthusiasts, EMS providers, wildland firefighters, and government agencies across the US and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wilderness Medical Training

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

EMS Education, Training & Simulation Centers (HLAFANAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Medical Services (EMT/Paramedic) Training (EDAOAMAC), Firefighter & Fire Service Training (EDAOAMAB), Emergency Management, Disaster Response & Incident Command Training (EDAOAMAD), Emergency Response, First Aid/CPR/AED & Incident Management Training (BPAKAOAJ)

Keywords

• Wilderness medical training
• Emergency medical education
• Wildland fire EMS
• EMT certification courses
• Backcountry medical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Course Fees: Revenue from open enrollment courses including WFA, WFR, WEMT, EMT, CPR, and refresher courses. Pricing varies by course type and duration, with individual courses ranging from $70 to $5,250.
2. Semester Programs: Comprehensive multi-week immersive programs in wilderness medicine. Spring Semester costs $17,000 and Fall Semester costs $19,900, including airfare, certifications, and accommodations.
3. University Credits: Optional university credits through University of Montana partnership. Additional fee of $175 per credit for academic credit registration.
4. On-Site Medical Support Services: Contracted medical personnel for events and incidents including EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic levels with vehicles and ambulance services.
5. Wildland Fire EMS Deployment: Deploys EMTs, AEMTs, and paramedics to wildland fire incidents as single resources, ambulance teams, or REMS units. Revenue generated through federal and state fire incident medical support contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Aerie Backcountry Medicine delivers hands-on wilderness and front-country emergency medical training courses ranging from short CPR and Wilderness First Aid classes to multi-week EMT, Wilderness EMT, and Red Card wildland firefighting certifications, including immersive semester programs in Montana, Costa Rica, and India. The company also operates a licensed EMS agency that contracts and deploys EMTs, Advanced EMTs, and paramedics to wildland fire incidents and events. Courses are scenario-based, taught by actively practicing paramedics, nurses, firefighters, and guides, and are anchored by the proprietary Aerie Wilderness Medicine 15th Edition manual.

Product overview

Aerie Backcountry Medicine offers a comprehensive portfolio of wilderness and emergency medical training programs, ranging from single-day courses to multi-month semester programs. The core offerings include certifications at multiple levels: Wilderness First Aid (WFA), Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA), Wilderness First Responder (WFR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Wilderness EMT (W-EMT). These programs are complemented by CPR certifications, Red Card wildland firefighting courses, and specialized semester programs that combine EMT/W-EMT training with international clinical experience in Costa Rica and India. The company also provides on-site medical support services for events and deployments for wildland fire operations. The product suite is anchored by the free Aerie Wilderness Medicine Textbook (15th Edition), and courses can be taken for University of Montana academic credit through a partnership arrangement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wilderness First Aid (WFA)
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
• Wilderness First Responder Refresher (WFR-R)
• Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA)
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Wilderness EMT (W-EMT)
• EMT Hybrid
• EMT Refresher
• Adult and Child CPR with AED
• Healthcare Provider CPR
• Red Card Course
• Wilderness EMT & Red Card
• Wilderness Medicine Essentials
• First Aid
• Paramedic Refresher
• Semester in Wilderness Medicine (Spring)
• Semester in Wilderness Medicine (Fall)
• Semester in Wilderness Medicine (Summer)
• Aerie Wilderness Medicine Textbook (15th Edition)
• Wildland Fire Training and Deployment
• On Site Medical Support

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 students trained annually in 2025, growing from 30 students in 1995
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• University of MontanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership for awarding 15 upper-division academic credits for semester programs and individual courses (WFA, WFR, EMT, W-EMT). Extended Credit Courses (SELL) processes registrations. Students can transfer credits to their home university.
• Hanifl Centre (Woodstock School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year partnership since February 2014 for training local Indian instructors to teach WFA, CPR, WAFA, and WFR courses in India in English and Hindi. Over 1,700 students trained with all revenue staying in-country. Indian instructors trained to maintain program sustainability.
• Landour Community HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. George Clarence providing annual free health clinics in rural Indian communities. Aerie students assist with patient assessments while Indian physicians provide care. Also provides clinical experience site for semester students.
• Costa Rican PhysicianscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local Costa Rican doctors for annual free health clinics in rural communities (Mastatal, Zapaton, Rio Canas, Tempate). Students assist under physician supervision gaining real clinical experience.
• Rancho MastatalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRemote rainforest campus in Costa Rica serving as base for Spring Semester EMT training and health clinic operations. Provides immersive learning environment and community partnerships for rural medicine experience.
• Whitewater Rescue InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for swiftwater rescue technician training and REMS (Rapid Extraction Module Support) training. Located in Alberton, Montana. Students earn SRT certification and learn high-angle rescue skills.
• Jack Creek PreservecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeautiful facility near Big Sky, Montana hosting Fall Semester EMT training. Students live and study at the preserve during intensive certification coursework.
• Rich RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNear Seeley Lake, Montana. Hosts Spring Semester wilderness EMT and Red Card wildland fire training section.
• US Forest Service and BLM SmokejumpersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOngoing training for smokejumpers and wildland fire personnel. Provides Red Card certification and specialized wilderness medical training for federal fire operations.
• Student Conservation AssociationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOngoing training partnership for youth conservation corps members. SCA staff trained through Aerie to ensure members are prepared for field work.
• Northwest Youth CorpsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegular training for conservation corps crews and staff. Aerie helps plan trainings to ensure member safety in backcountry settings.
• National Park ServicemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKeynote speaker for Mount Rainier National Park All-Staff Safety Training. Ongoing training for park rangers and staff.
• Wilderness Medical SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's leading physician-based wilderness medicine organization. Aerie has presented at numerous WMS conferences on drowning, swift water rescue, and management of envenomations.
• Partnership Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Project Community Connect, providing medical services to Missoula's homeless population. Aerie provides volunteer medical support.
• Montana State University Nursing ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Project Community Connect. MSU nursing students participate in annual homeless services event.
• Missoula Emergency ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Project Community Connect. Also provides clinical observation opportunities for Aerie students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross Training Services: American Red Cross offers nationally scaled CPR, AED, and First Aid certifications that overlap with Aerie's CPR/WFA entry-level products; a much broader incumbent whose wilderness offerings are less specialized but whose brand reach shapes the competitive landscape.
• American Heart Association: AHA sets the standards underlying Aerie's CPR/ACLS/PALS certifications and offers its own network of training centers; a broad incumbent that anchors the certification ecosystem in which Aerie operates.

Direct peers

• Wilderness Medical Associates: WMA International provides wilderness and remote medical training (WFA, WAFA, WFR, WEMT) for outdoor professionals, guides, and EMS providers globally; directly competes with Aerie across certification tiers and target audiences.
• SOLO Schools: SOLO (Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities) is one of the longest-standing wilderness medicine training schools, offering WFA, WFR, WEMT, and EMT programs with hands-on curriculum closely paralleling Aerie's offerings and customer segments.
• Center for Wilderness Safety: Center for Wilderness Safety offers wilderness medicine and outdoor safety training programs in the mid-Atlantic and beyond; a more regionally focused but product-comparable competitor to Aerie in WFA, WFR, and related certifications.
• Remote Medical Training: Remote Medical Training (formerly RMI) offers wilderness and remote medical programs including WFR, WEMT, and EMT; competes with Aerie across core certification products with similar instructor-led, scenario-based methodology.
• NOLS Wilderness Medicine: NOLS Wilderness Medicine (formerly WMI) is the largest and most established wilderness medicine training provider in the US, offering WFA, WFR, WEMT, and EMT curricula with scenario-based instruction; directly comparable to Aerie across product tiers, target customers (outdoor professionals, guides, EMS providers), and certification offerings.
• Desert Mountain Medicine: Desert Mountain Medicine delivers wilderness EMT and wilderness first responder courses with field-based, scenario-heavy instruction; competes with Aerie in the WEMT/WFR tier, particularly for outdoor professionals and expedition leaders.

Others

• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT): NAEMT is the professional association for EMTs and paramedics, providing continuing education frameworks (PHTLS, AMLS, etc.) referenced in Aerie's Paramedic Refresher; an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor but materially shapes curriculum requirements.

Regional players

• Montana State University Fire Services Training School: Montana State University and its affiliated fire service training programs deliver wildland fire and Red Card courses overlapping with Aerie's Response Training Division; a regional public-sector peer in fire/EMS training rather than wilderness medicine writ large.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aeriemedicine
• Facebookfacebook.com/aeriemedicine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aerie-backcountry-medicine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aerie Backcountry Medicine