10/03/2025
The Osage Nation Wildland Fire Department recently hosted a Medical Incident Technician Training, bringing together firefighters from the Osage Nation, Miami Agency, Wewoka Agency, and the Cheyenne–Arapaho Tribe. The weeklong course ran from September 22–26, 2025, marking the first training held at their new facility west of Pawhuska.
Each day began with classroom instruction, followed by hands-on breakout sessions. Firefighters practiced simulated emergencies, designed to feel as real as possible, to sharpen their response skills in the field. Each participant also received a medical kit, ensuring they not only gain the skills but also the equipment needed to do the job in real-world conditions.
“This is a 40-hour Medical Incident Technician training. As Wildland Firefighters, we act as both frontline personnel and first responders. The emphasis is on recognizing medical emergencies, reporting them properly to dispatch, and providing patient care that stabilizes someone until they can be transported to a higher level of care,” said Ross Walker, Wild Land Fire Management Officer. “Out on the fire line, we may be miles from the nearest road or hospital. It could be a cardiac arrest, trauma from a falling tree, or heat/cold illness. The key is recognizing the signs, treating what we can in the field, and moving the patient to safety as efficiently as possible.”
Carl Gilmore is a trainer with Emergency Training Solutions and Consulting (ETSC).
“These firefighters work in a very dangerous environment where resources aren’t always immediately available. This training ensures they can stabilize serious injuries right on the fire line,” Gilmore said. “Sometimes it may take hours before additional help arrives. That wilderness setting makes this training essential—so they can keep someone alive and safe until higher care is possible.”
The Medical Incident Technician training is required every three years for wildland firefighters.
“My group, ETSC, contracts with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to deliver these courses. While I’m based in northern New Mexico, our instructors come from across the country—Georgia, New York, and New Mexico,” Gilmore said. “We’re here to make sure firefighters have the skills they need to protect not only communities, but also each other.”
Photos by ECHO REED/Osage News
Read the article at https://osagenews.org/on-wildland-fire-department-hosts-first-training-in-new-facility/
