Northern Cairn, LLC | P.O. Box 172, Charlevoix, MI 49720
231-437-3400 | toll free: 866-221-8176 | info@northerncairn.com
History of Northern Cairn - Wilderness EMT, Michigan Wilderness First Responder Training
A cairn is a man made pile of stones, often erected in a conical form. The word cairn is derived from the Scottish Gaelic word cairn (pronounced Karn, as in car). They are most often found in uplands, on mountaintops, or near waterways and are often navigational markers. Today, cairns are used to mark hiking trails or cross-country routes in mountain regions at or above the tree line.
In Greek mythology, cairns were also associated with Hermes, the god of overland travel. His name coming from herma, the plural being hermai which means "pile of marker stones". But Hermes also has roots in medicine. Many "medical" organizations use a symbol of a short rod entwined by two snakes and topped by a pair of wings, which is actually the caduceus of the Greek god Hermes.
Northern Cairn’s roots lie in both of these sources, Medicine and the out of doors, and our home station lies above the 45th parallel, hence Northern Cairn, Remote Medicine, Education and Consultation. Since its inception in 1999, Northern Cairn has provided excellence to every student, in every class it offers. Our motto is quality not quantity. Our instructor cadre consists of some of the most experienced providers in the industry. There are many schools where students can learn about Wilderness Medicine, but only one Northern Cairn. Let us show you how we are giving students the knowledge to make good decisions in bad environments.