OwenKurth

Owen Kurth, RN

Bellingham, WA · hello@rvlz.net · owenkurth.com · PDF

Critical care nurse and firefighter/EMT. Six wildland fire seasons with the US Forest Service and Washington DNR, five-plus years of structural fire and 911 EMS, and ICU practice since 2023. On the side I build small software tools, mostly for maps, permits, and maintenance records.

Professional experience

  1. Registered Nurse, ICU

    2023 – present

    PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center · Bellingham, WA

    • Bedside critical care nursing in the intensive care unit.
    • Coordinates care across physicians, respiratory therapy, and families in a time-critical environment.

  2. Firefighter / EMT

    Feb 2021 – present

    Whatcom County Fire Districts 14 and 19 (Glacier) · Whatcom County, WA

    • Responds to 911 fire and medical calls, providing treatment and transport in a high-stress, time-sensitive environment.
    • Assesses and triages patients, administers medications, and performs basic life support procedures.
    • Communicates with patients, families, and receiving facilities to coordinate care.

  3. Instructor

    2023 – 2025

    Remote Medical Training · Washington

    • Instructed wilderness and remote medicine courses for lay responders and professionals.

  4. Senior Wildland Firefighter

    Fire seasons 2018 – 2023

    US Forest Service · Washington DNR · Pacific Northwest

    • Led crews conducting high-acuity wildfire suppression tactics safely and effectively.
    • Coordinated fire and medical actions, prioritizing crew safety.
    • Line construction, burnout, holding, and mop-up across six seasons with USFS and Washington DNR.

  5. Emergency Medical Technician

    Nov 2020 – Mar 2021

    Cascade Ambulance · Whatcom County, WA

    • Provided emergency medical care and transport in a private ambulance setting.
    • Charted patient information and vitals to industry standards; maintained infection control and equipment.

  6. Lead Instructor

    Summers 2017 – 2019

    Cascadia Adventure Education · Washington

    • Planned and executed multi-day wilderness trips for large groups of students as lead instructor.

Licenses and certifications

  • Registered Nurse · Washington State license.
  • Emergency Medical Technician · Washington State certification.
  • AHA Basic Life Support · American Heart Association.

Education

  • Associate Degree in Nursing, Whatcom Community College (2023)

Independent work

Founder of rvlz LLC: small software products including BeCited (AI search visibility audits) and GearLizard (vehicle maintenance records). Author of openWFA, a free self-paced wilderness first aid course. Details at owenkurth.com.

References available on request.