[Anatase]

I'd like to start getting certified on a whole bunch of things (first aid, mountaineering, search and rescue stuff ). Can anyone recommend a decent facility?

[Lagerman]

I would join your local volunteer fire department. You can get first responder trained, swift water rescue, water rescue(depending where u live), plus FF1 trained. Usually search and resuce is Sherrifs department, so you would have to contact them and see when the next time they were running a group through training. A volunteer fire department is the best way to get training on alot of stuff, and give something back to the community. You also don't have to spend any money on classes(unless you want to go above and beyond the reasonable classes)