User:AlWickheim

Al grew up near Sooke, B.C. doing a variety of shipyard duties for his Dad. Everything from wreck salvage diving of the rugged Westcoast of Vancouver Island to pile-driving and running a modest machine shop. Al spent a fair bit of time "underground' as a spelunker on the Island in his youth - his prowess at acrobatics and ropework allowing, sometimes forcing, him into new and unexplored passages and territory.

Starting with the local fire department as a volunteer for a couple of years Al has worked for BC Ambulance for 28 years, the last 18 as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic. He has been involved in several major projects for BCAS including managing the EMS outfitting for the B.C. Summer Games in 1986 and refurbishing and preparation of 36 ambulances for the Commonwealth Games of '88. He was involved in the development and teaching of the recent H1N1 and Infectious Disease Control program for the employer as well as numerous other instructional efforts to peers and junior paramedics. Al contributes as a Preceptor and Mentor to ACP Students and Grads. He is a Level 11 CBRNE Tech. He managed and re-structured the air-evac medical supply management system for a well established operation in Iqaluit and does the occasional Med-evac tour on Baffin Island in Canada’s far north, to as far as Thule, Greenland. To his managers he's somewhat of a thorn, always hounding for improvements that are seldom in the budget, but tireless and dogged to the end.

Al's background of innovation and self-sufficiency has taken him through various ventures of construction, hazardous tree topping and falling, bull-dozer and excavator operations.

Al and his young family own and operate a log cabin resort in the rainforest of southern Vancouver Island (www.wilderquestadventures.com). He does wilderness and big tree tours to remote regions of Vancouver Island and has a couple of well hidden camps for his private expeditions. At home he works on managing the adventures established and coming up with new projects at a fairly constant rate. He enjoys astronomy and, well, work.

Too seldom he escapes on solo explorations to the more isolated rivers on the Westcoast of the Island.