5 Day Wilderness First Responder | Jan 14 - 18 | La Crosse, WI

What is Wilderness First Responder? 

The Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is the ideal medical training for outdoor educators, wilderness guides, members of the military, professional search and rescue teams, wildland firefighters, researchers, and those involved in disaster relief. The course provides essential training in wilderness medicine, leadership, and critical thinking for professionals and leaders working and traveling in outdoor, low-resource, and remote environments. 

The WFR curriculum is both comprehensive and practical and involves a minimum of 70 hours of instruction. During the course, students learn the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical problems in isolated and extreme environments for days and weeks if necessary. To earn certification, students must meet the criteria set forth in our Functional Position Description as well as the minimum WFR performance and testing standards by the last day of course. 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will receive a Wilderness First Responder certification and certification of CPR taught to an equivalent health care provider level.

Course Curriculum

The Wilderness First Responder curriculum is written in-house by a team of remote medical rescue researchers and professionals. Ongoing evidence-based research and review contributes to a unique and innovative approach to patient care in backcountry and austere settings. The curriculum is comprehensive, complete, and kept current on an annual basis. This is the most current and cutting-edge course of any first response medical training (urban or remote) in the world.

• The general principles of wilderness and rescue medicine with an emphasis on the prevention and identification of medical emergencies, appropriate technology, and risk management.
• Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR, basic life support, and the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis and asthma.
• Environmental medicine including altitude illness, hypothermia and heat illness, frostbite and cold injury, lightning, submersion, and environmental toxins.
• Backcountry medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems.
• Musculoskeletal problems including unstable and stable injuries, overuse syndromes, and dislocations.
• Wound management including open fractures, lacerations, burns and blisters.
• Practical skills including splinting, bandaging, litter packaging and medical kit preparation.
• WMA wilderness protocols including wound cleaning and exploration, spine injury assessment, dislocation reduction, CPR in the remote setting, and anaphylaxis and asthma.

Included materials

• Wilderness and Rescue Medicine Textbook
• The Field Guide of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine
• Wilderness First Responder Class Notes
• SOAP Notebook

Evaluation

Successful completion with certification is based on 100% attendance, satisfactory performance on homework assignments and written quizzes, demonstrated proficiency with practical skills, and a successful grade on a final written exam. WMA is committed to making reasonable accommodations to any student with special needs.

Certifications

Upon successful completion, students will receive a Wilderness First Responder certification and certification of CPR taught to an equivalent health care provider level. Certifications are valid for three years. The course is registered for 70 hours of continuing education credit through the CAPCE.