Wilderness First Responder & Recertification

This comprehensive curriculum includes the essential principles and skills required to assess and manage medical emergencies in rural, isolated, and extreme environments.

Learn how to identify common backcountry problems as serious vs not serious. Gain the confidence to make the right medical decisions, evaluate risk and take action to help yourself and others in an emergency. This course focuses on hands-on, practical skills to manage all aspects of an emergency. Course options include a traditional 8-day, 7-day, or hybrid 5-day course.

Full Wild Med Course Schedule & Register

UPCOMING COURSES

Hybrid WFR Schedule

Jan 13-17 WFR 2024 BISHOP CA

May 4-8 WFR 2024 BISHOP CA

June 8- 12 WFR 2024 MAMMOTH CA

Hybrid WFR

COURSE LENGTH 5 DAYS ~ 45 hours

ONLINE LEARNING ~30 hours

This hybrid WFR course has 2 fundamental components: online pre-course and in-person learning for hands-on practice.

The 5 days of the in-person course instruction will be focused on putting that foundational knowledge into practice. This will include group demonstrations, skills clinics, and a lot of role-playing. Students will practice patient care on live ‘patients’ in realistic drills and simulations for a hands-on approach to wilderness medicine.

ABOUT THE ONLINE LEARNING

The goal of the pre-course online learning is to establish the foundational concepts of prehospital medicine and patient assessment. Pre-course work will involve educational videos, reading, at-home practice activities, and knowledge assessments.

Budget for ~ 8 hours a week over 4 weeks prior to the start of the course

Must have access to a computer & high-speed internet

The dynamic hands-on learning is what makes these courses some of the most effective and memorable experiences a student can have.

Full WFR Schedule

Mar 23- 29 2024 UC Santa Barbara 7 Day

Jun 17-23 2024 UC San Diego 7 Day

Full WFR

COURSE LENGTH 8 DAYS ~ 75 hours

OPTIONAL 7-DAY COURSE ~75 hours

These full-length WFR courses are the traditional course format for a wilderness first responder certification. These courses are a complete package where all foundational learning and practice is done during the course.

Course day will be divided between instructional lectures and hands-on practice

Instructional lectures will help to establish the foundational concepts of prehospital medicine and patient assessment.

Homework and course reading will also be a critical part of learning during the course.

The dynamic hands-on learning is what makes these courses some of the most effective and memorable experiences a student can have.

Hands-on practice will include group demonstrations, skills clinics, and a lot of role-playing. Students will practice patient care on live ‘patients’ in realistic drills and simulations.

WFR Recertification Schedule

Jan 11-12, 2024 Recert BISHOP CA

May 4-8 2024 Recert BISHOP CA

June 6-7 2024 Recert, MAMMOTH CA

Recertification courses are hybrid programs

2 days of hands-on practice 9 hours of pre-course work is required

Wilderness Protocols

Learn how to reduce certain dislocations
Be able to assess someone for a spine injury
Properly clean and care for wounds
When to start and stop CPR in a wilderness context
Learn how to deliver epinephrine to someone in anaphylactic shock
Deliver of epinephrine for severe asthma attacks

General Concepts

Additional Medical Concepts

Certification Included

Who Typically Takes the WFR Course

REQUEST PRIVATE COURSE

Testimonials

"Natalie is an inspiration. She is very knowledgeable, including extensive Search and Rescue experience, best instructor I've ever had, and has a delightful personality!"

Kelly

"...thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for showing me the kind of person I can be and empowering me in every way to help others in need. The WFR course alone has opened so many doors for me and I know that I will carry this for the rest of my life."

Ku

"I thought I had seen the best, but N.B. is right up there and earlier in her career. Top echelon of outdoor professionals. This is clearly in her blood!"

Andrew

"It is because of the lessons that you taught me that I saved a life today. I can never thank you enough for passing down the knowledge that I did not think I would ever have to use. I may have responded but you are the true hero Natalie. Thank you."

Allen

"I felt insanely confident when evaluating her injuries and creating a communication/evacuation plan.. So happy to have had your amazing instruction and would take the class again in a heartbeat."

Kyle S

The class was challenging. Patient engagements often hard. And I am truly grateful for the opportunity to learn by doing; the drills are so valuable and essential. I'm a much better prepared WFR for it

Bill Voight

Natalie blew me away with her knowledge, passion, and excellent teaching skills. Throughout her WFR Recertification class, I felt challenged, supported, and empowered. A great teacher, making greater guides.

Felicity

Your passion for wilderness education was evident ... and immediately attracted me to your offerings. Your instruction style was direct, corrective, repetitive, when necessary, and the entire time I could still feel the love you have for the curriculum and the desire to send us onward as stewards of your studio...I was grateful for every piece of instruction.

Aaron R

Natalie’s Credentials

Natalie is a Corporate & Lead Instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates International (WMA) and the American Heart Association (AHA). As a seasoned outdoor educator, medic and guide, she has experienced first hand the power of the life saving skills taught through WMA. Natalie brings an incredible depth of experience and knowledge along with an unparalleled passion for teaching.

Medical Certifications:

CA EMT, National Registered EMT, Wilderness First Responder (WMA),Basic Life Support (AHA)

Emergency Response:

Current work includes US Antarctic Program Joint SAR team, Previous Yosemite SAR team member, Inyo County SAR, ambulance work, field and set medic for film industry, hypothermia & survival consulting expert for film industry

Education Outdoor:

Guiding and teaching clinics since 2002, 7 years managing UC Santa Barbara Outdoor Program & Ropes Course, WMA instructor since 2016, curriculum development for WMA since 2019

Outdoor Industry:

Along with the above qualifications she has worked as a NPS Park Ranger, Alpine Guide in Sierra Nevada & Cascades, and currently work Field Safety for the US Antarctic Program

Natalie has certified 1,000’s of students, join her for a course- you won t regret it!

gutzjourney@gmail.com