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Safety Standards

As a leader in wilderness therapy, we at WinGate are committed to the highest safety standards in the industry. We believe in using every safety feature available and employing every safety protocol necessary to run an effective and safety-driven program. We don't believe in taking shortcuts or doing the bare minimum when it comes to safety.

The state of Utah has extensive safety standards for working with clients in the wilderness. Because of our core belief in a culture of safety at WinGate, we use the same stringent safety standards in our teen program and our young adult program.

Our Standards for Safety

• Every WinGate client is evaluated for physical health at a local medical clinic by a doctor upon admission to the WinGate program.
• Every client is given a Mental Status Examination by a trained therapist before going out to the field.
• If clients are experiencing potentially dangerous detoxes off of alcohol or other drugs, we refer clients to a licensed medical detox program until clients are safe for the field.
• All staff is screened, given background checks, and drug tested. All meet state standards for working with children or vulnerable adults.
• Every WinGate young adult group has staff with CPR, Wilderness First Responder (WFR), and Postive Control Systems (PCS) certifications.
• Backup staff is available with training as Emergency Medical Technicians.
• We maintain a ratio of 1 staff for every 4 young adults.
• Staff is regularly trained in protocols for dealing with every possible medical or behavioral contingency.
• WinGate maintains two redundant forms of satellite communication, so if one fails the other is still available. These are used for two daily check-ins with base to pass on any needs or medical concerns, or for instant communication for any immediate concerns.
• An Emergency Response Team is always on-call 24/7, 365, and able to get to the groups with a short response time.
• In addition to the satellite phones, WinGate uses GPS units, regular satellite check-ins every couple hours, and a check in the middle of the night.
• Water is dropped for daily spots or can be called out for emergency camps.
• Every young adult is given appropriate clothing and food for the weather and season.
• WinGate has an ER medical doctor on-call at all times.
• For emergencies, clients can be taken to the local hospital or medical center in a very short amount of time.

These are only a few of the safety protocols that go above and beyond the state requirements for licensing of a therapeutic wilderness program and reflect our commitment at WinGate to a culture of safety.