What is a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Course?
The goal of a WFR is to make sure you have the knowledge to take helpful action, no matter what situation you find yourself in.
So, what is a WFR course?
A Wilderness First Responder course (WFR) is much more than just a course about first aid, CPR, or even emergencies. This course teaches you how to think critically, allowing you to apply your knowledge to unique situations that go far beyond typical backcountry-based trips.
A Wilderness First Responder course (WFR) is much more than just a course about first aid, CPR, or even emergencies. This course teaches you how to think critically, allowing you to apply your knowledge to unique situations that go far beyond typical backcountry-based trips.
What defines an emergency setting as “wilderness”?
One of the core components of a Wilderness Medicine Course is learning how to problem solve in a ‘wilderness setting’. Wilderness is defined as delayed access to care (you call for help but they can’t get to you right away), you have limited resources (perhaps what is on your back or what is in your boat), and a hostile environment (limited protection from, heat, cold, wind, rain, etc.). While this obviously applies to backcountry objectives, it also applies to front-country emergencies such as mudslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires – all of which can leave someone stranded in the wilderness even in their own home.
What do you learn in a WFR?
- Wild Med’s Six Wilderness Protocols (see below)
- A clear understanding of serious vs not serious issues
- What situations can be managed on your own, and when to call for help
- Identifying high-risk vs low-risk injuries, and what to do for each
- Clear and simple steps for patient assessment
- Prevention of the most common backcountry emergencies
- Risk management and decision-making during outdoor trips
- How to communicate clearly in an emergency to get the help you need
What can I do as a WFR?
Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) created six protocols for WFR’s in remote settings. They are designed to give WFR participants an enhanced set of tools that are practical in real-life situations. Many of them can aid in turning an emergency into a manageable situation while in remote areas.
These protocols include:
- Reducing certain dislocations in the field.
- Performing a thorough spine assessment
- Properly cleaning and caring for wounds
- Starting and stopping CPR in a wilderness context
- Identifying anaphylaxis and delivering epinephrine
- Delivering epinephrine for severe asthma attacks
What skills do I learn in a WFR course?
These additional skills are useful anywhere – be it at home or offshore sailing. Learning more about these situations and problems will come in handy and could save a life.
- Performing CPR for the Adult, Child, and infant at the professional rescuer level
- Managing any type of airway compromise, such as choking
- Controlling life-threatening bleeding
- Identifying a concussion
- Moving a patient who may have injured their spine
- Determining if someone has a spine injury and how to proceed
- Splinting basic for high-risk injuries
- Responding to heat-based challenges
- Thermoregulation and cold-based injuries
- Considering altitude illness
How long does a WFR take?
A WFR course can range from 10-5 days. Courses shorter than 7 days are in a hybrid format, meaning there’s some portion of online learning prior to the in-person course start date. All in-person classes will be broken up into classroom lectures and hands-on practice. Hybrid courses provide lectures, books, and foundational learning all prior to the course so that the 5 days are focused on hands-on skills.
Both full-length and hybrid medical courses are great options. Often people with less medical knowledge or remote experience enjoy the longer courses. The 5-day courses work well for people who are coming in with some experience in the realm of emergencies and perhaps previous medical training.
How is a Wilderness First Responder course structured?
Of course, a WFR course teaches medical concepts, but where all wilderness medical courses really shine is the hands-on learning! Practicing hands-on skills in the most life-like situations is a core component of the course. This means that all participants will spend a portion of the course role-playing both as a patient and as the rescuer. While participants don’t have to be an expert actor, there is an element of role-playing, dressing up, and moulage (wounds from makeup) that make the experience vivid and often intense.
This is one of the most fun elements of a course, but even more importantly, it’s part of the course that puts knowledge into practice. No amount of learning is useful if it can’t be applied to stressful, real-life situations. A WFR course helps mimic the stress of emergencies in a safe and supportive environment. This allows students to learn the valuable process of managing their own stress to make important decisions. Participants will graduate feeling far better prepared to transfer their knowledge into real-life emergencies.
Gaining a basic understanding of medical concepts will also be a foundational component of each course. This means there is some science, anatomy, and physiology in the core teaching. Thankfully, the curriculum does a great job of taking complicated medical concepts, simplifying them, and breaking them down into bite-sized chunks. The curriculum Gut-Z Journey licenses are provided by Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA), one of the leading educators in the business. WMA has a dedicated team of doctors, physician assistants, and other medical personnel reviewing the latest research and updating materials for students.
Is there a WFR exam?
To pass a WFR class, you must demonstrate a basic understanding of emergency medicine and the ability to turn this knowledge into hands-on assessment and actionable treatments. Thus, there is no single exam that defines your success. Rather, your completion of the course relies upon continued assessment throughout. These assessments include quizzes, exams, and practice skill sessions. The feedback process occurs throughout the course so that students can continuously hone their skills. By the end, all students are expected to perform full patient assessments, identify problems, and critically think through an action plan.
Still curious? You can see a complete list of all skills taught and assessed throughout the course HERE.
Who should take a WFR?
- Disaster Relief Personnel and Volunteers
- Outdoor Educators
- Outdoor Guides
- Avid outdoors people
- Those camping or traveling overnight into the backcountry
- Military
- Researchers
- Search and Rescue Personnel and Volunteers
- Offshore sailing and Seafarers
- Remote field work Personnel
- Those traveling over abroad
- Anyone with the desire to develop skills beyond the Wilderness First Aid level
How long does a WFR certification last?
Certifications with Wilderness Medical Associates last 3 years! Some companies grant 2-year certifications with a 1 year grace period for recertifying. During the grace period, you are no longer considered an active WFR. With WMA you will be an active certified WFR for your full 3 years but you MUST seek out a recertification course before the last day of the month your certification expires.
How much does a WFR cost?
Each course has a unique price based on the location, lodging, and food options, and instructor travel fees. Typically, Wilderness First Responder courses cost between $700 to $1,000. All forms of the WFR (hybrid 5-day or 8 days in person) provide over a week’s worth of focused training. This breaks down to $88-$125 per full day of instruction.
This course is hands down the best investment for people who live or play in remote areas, have field work or desire to work in the outdoor industries. It’s worth every penny of the investment. Don’t just take my word for it, check out these testimonials!
My satisfaction comes from the countless stories of how my students have helped someone in need and even saved lives because of this course!
Your instructor,
~ Natalie
