ERIK FORSYTHE
Flight Paramedic
Erik began teaching wilderness medicine and EMT training programs in 1994 and has been an
instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates® since 2000. Erik’s three decades of experience in
EMS includes working as a Critical Care Flight Paramedic, as well as in mountain rescue, ski
patrol, ambulance, and fire agencies, and he has held the positions of Ski Patrol Director, EMS
Chief, and Training Supervisor. He owns and operates Professional Rescue Training,
specializing in instruction in technical rope rescue, EMS, and wilderness medicine. Erik is also a
Search & Rescue specialist for Black Canyon National Park, has provided medical support for
treks in Nepal, and is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder.
Erik lives in the small but mighty ski town of Crested Butte in the Colorado Rockies where he
enjoys rock and ice climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and mountaineering.
ARNE VAN BRABANT
EMT
He joined Wilderness Medical Associates® as an instructor in 2019. He works as an EMT for the
Port of Antwerp and the greater Antwerp region ambulance services. Arne is also currently
studying nursing with a specialization in prehospital emergency care. His experience in non-
urban rescue and first aid stems from his years as an on/offshore wind turbine safety instructor,
where his specialty was creating emergency drills with a focus on self-reliance in first aid and
technical rescue.
Arne lives in Ghent, and as an outdoor person, he has always been attracted to the mountains.
Over the last years, canyoning has become his passion in addition to hiking, climbing, and
camping.
VILLE MELKKO
Advanced Level Paramedic
Ville has taught wilderness medicine since joining Wilderness Medical Associates® in 2017.
Ville works for Lapland hospital district as an Advanced Level Paramedic for ambulance and
has worked for search & rescue helicopter services throughout Finnish Lapland. He completed
Finnish Emergency Services College in 2011, then gained experience as a firefighter-paramedic
before deploying to a 2014 UN peace keeping operation, where he served a full year as part
of a Finnish medical platoon. Ville graduated from Lapland University of Applied Sciences as a
Registered Nurse in 2019 and an Advanced Level Paramedic in 2020.
Ville lives in the Arctic capital of Rovaniemi where he enjoys skiing in its many forms – alpine,
nordic, and backcountry—as well as mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking. He has worked as a ski
instructor throughout Finland and has backpacked in Australia and South-East Asia.
JOHAN HOVELYNCK
WFR
Johan had been an instructor with Wilderness Medical Associates® since 2015. He combines
work as a team trainer with specializations in outdoor training and Crew Resource Management.
His passion for experiential learning and the outdoors brought him to Outward Bound early in
his career. He was a group leader for several European, American, and African Outward Bound
Schools and acted as a Safety Review Leader for Outward Bound International. Johan is a safety
auditor for the Belgian Federations for Nature Sport Enterprises (BFNO) and Adventure Tourism
(WANT). He is also an instructor in the state certificate training for caving and canyoneering
guides (VTS).
Johan took his first Wilderness Medical Associates® course when working in North Carolina in
1989 and was part of introducing WMA's curricula in Europe in the following years. Keeping
his focus on accident prevention during programs, he gained first-aid experience as an EMT.
Johan was a member of the Belgian cave rescue and rock rescue systems. Johan is the co-owner of
Exponent, specializing in ropes rescue training.
