Honours and Awards

Blair Doyle

Blair Doyle has been a keystone member of the wilderness medicine community in Eastern Canada for decades. A paramedic by training, not only is Blair a highly sought after wilderness medicine instructor, he has taken on a variety of leadership roles within the wilderness medicine community. Blair has been involved in Search and Rescue (SAR) since 1988. He has held many leadership roles within his local team (Halifax SAR) including serving as Search Director since 2008. He teaches SAR management courses across Eastern Canada. Blair was the first provider to bring the Canadian Red Cross’s (CRC) Wilderness and Remote First Aid program to Eastern Canada. Blair organized this first course for his SAR team, recognizing the group required training beyond urban first aid. Blair has run numerous other courses for groups who look after Canadians in the wilderness, such as local SAR teams and provincial and national Parcs staff. Blair also became one of the region’s first Instructor Trainers, thereby building the community and multiplying his impact on wilderness safety.

At a national level, Blair volunteered with the CRC’s First Aid Technical Advisory Group from 2010 – 2019 serving as the Specialty Chair (Wilderness). He was also involved in developing the national CRC Wilderness and Remote First Responder curriculum. Blair is an instructor with Paddle Canada, a Rescue Canada Swift Water Rescue Instructor, and a PADI Divemaster. He is a Past President of both Paddle Canada and Canoe Kayak NS. Combining his SAR and paddling backgrounds, Blair was instrumental in the development of the national PaddleSmart program. Blair’s impressive contributions have previously been recognized by a Governor General Sovereign’s Medal, and National SAR Program Award of Excellence.

Matthew Smith

Matthew is a critical care flight paramedic working for British Columbia Emergency Health Services. He works for the Whistler Bike Park patrol in summer, with Blackcomb Ski Patrol in winter. He has been a paramedic for 20 years, and has worked as a land ACP, Tactical medic, and member of the Paramedic Bike Unit. He has worked as lead educator for the Advanced Care Paramedic program at The Justice Institute of British Columbia, and is currently a Paramedic Practice Educator for BCEHS. He is currently the director of www.canadianoutdoormed.com, a wilderness first aid training and risk management agency. Matt has lived and worked across Canada and the US, from the Yukon to BC to Wyoming, and has experience as a raft guide, ski patroller, ski instructor, a PMBI level 1 mountain bike instructor, and is working as a tail guide for mechanized and self propelled ski operations. He holds a diploma in Adult Education from St FX, and a diploma in Outdoor Education from Columbia College. He lives in the Coast mountains in Squamish with his family and a rescue puppy.

James Dahmer

James Dahmer is the program director of the CSMM’s AHEMS program. He has been in the public service since the age of 17, from the Canadian Forces infantry to structural and wildland firefighter, Ski Patroller, Paramedic, Search and Rescue Technician, Rope Access and Rescue instructor, and hoist operator. He maintains a strong passion for driving relevant, realistic, and relatable training in the fields of paramedicine and technical rescue. From Tactical Combat Medicine to Advanced Care in austere settings, he has a healthy respect for the fine line between patient care and rescue complexity. When time allows, he sails the gulf islands, restores vehicles, and can be found adventuring with his dog, Timber.

James performed an incredibly complex high risk rescue for two critically injured climbers in the summer of 2024. This involved a longline rescue, load transfer to an anchor, packaging of patient, transfer back to long line, and then repeat. Injuries included pelvic and femur fractures.