About the Ohio Wilderness Leadership School

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 The Ohio Wilderness Leadership School (OWLS) is the official training division of Rescue 101 Search and Rescue, Inc., dedicated to building competent, confident, and compassionate responders for both urban and austere environments. Founded on the belief that leadership begins with readiness, OWLS provides high-quality training designed for first responders, outdoor professionals, and anyone who wants to be prepared when it matters most. 

As an authorized Health & Safety Institute (HSI) Training Center, OWLS delivers nationally recognized certification courses covering a full spectrum of emergency care and rescue disciplines, from basic community lifesaving skills to advanced medical response.

Curriculum includes:

• CPR, AED, Basic First Aid, and Advanced First Aid for the general public and workplace responders 
• Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Cardiac Support (ACLS) for healthcare providers and emergency responders 
• Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) training options
• Active Violence Immediate Response Training (AVIRT) is active shooter response training with the addition of techniques on how to stop the bleeding of victims. 
• Custom group training for schools, businesses, churches, and organizations seeking OSHA-compliant health and safety education
   

All courses are taught by experienced instructors with field backgrounds in EMS, fire, law enforcement, and search & rescue operations, ensuring every lesson is practical, relevant, and mission-ready.

Beyond traditional first aid, OWLS specializes in Wilderness and Austere Medicine, preparing students to provide lifesaving care in remote or resource-limited environments. 

Curriculum includes:

• Wilderness First Aid (WFA) 
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR)  
• Austere Medical Provider (AMP) 
• Wilderness EMT (W-EMT)
   

These courses emphasize improvisation, patient assessment, prolonged care, and medical decision-making when evacuation is delayed, vital skills for search and rescue personnel, outdoor guides, missionaries, and disaster responders.

At the Ohio Wilderness Leadership School, our Survival and Leadership Courses are designed to push boundaries, build confidence, and prepare individuals and teams to lead effectively under pressure. These immersive, hands-on experiences teach practical skills and mental resilience that apply both in the wild and in everyday life.

Curriculum includes:

• Basic Wilderness Survival – Learn essential survival priorities, including shelter, fire, water, navigation, and signaling. Ideal for beginners or outdoor enthusiasts looking to gain confidence in backcountry environments. 
• Advanced Wilderness Survival – A rigorous field-based course focused on long-term survival, food procurement, primitive tools, and advanced navigation in austere environments. Students apply their skills in realistic, stress-based scenarios. 
• Basic S.E.R.E. (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) – Introduces participants to the core principles of S.E.R.E. training, emphasizing mindset, adaptability, evasion techniques, and the will to survive in high-stress conditions. 
• Advanced S.E.R.E. – A physically and mentally demanding program designed for first responders, military, and field leaders. Participants train in small-unit survival, resistance under duress, and leadership through adversity. 
• Group Courses & Team Leadership Training – Custom-designed programs for corporate teams, youth groups, and community organizations that focus on leadership, communication, and teamwork through outdoor challenges and survival simulations.
   

All courses are rooted in the Six Pillars of Survival:
Fire • Shelter • Water • Food • Navigation • Positive Mental Attitude

Through every course, students learn not only to survive, but to lead, adapt, and inspire others when conditions are toughest.