
Why take a wilderness first aid class?
Taking a Wilderness First Aid class will help you learn about a variety of medical issues, and what you should do for them, including: Making an Evacuation Decision: Whenever a condition is serious, you have to decide whether to evacuate and by what means: helicopter, carried by rescuers or with you and the patient walking out under your own power.
What do you learn in a first aid course?
You'll learn the Patient Assessment System, how to provide effective first aid treatments for injuries and illnesses common in the outdoors, and how to make appropriate evacuation decisions. You'll learn both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather, so come prepared for wet, muddy, cold or hot environments!
How to do first aid in the wild?
Wilderness First Aid Tips 1 If possible, have someone of the same gender perform the head-to-toe exam 2 Have someone help the examiner by writing down observations and vital signs 3 Assign other tasks, like boiling water for drinks or setting up camp, so that the patient feels like care is orderly and all rescuers have a role More items...
What will I learn in a wilderness medicine course?
Course participants will learn how to assess, treat, and when possible, prevent medical and traumatic emergencies within the scope of their training. Center for Wilderness Safety is a nationally-recognized provider of wilderness medicine programs, and is an approved provider of Wilderness First Aid by the Boy Scouts of America ( BSA ).

Why do you think learning wilderness first aid is important?
You need training that focuses on the injuries and illnesses you're most likely to see on a trip. Wilderness First Aid courses teach responses to what's common, more serious emergencies, and everything in between, including: Evacuation plans and emergency procedures.
How do you do first aid in the wilderness?
Wilderness First Aid BasicsSize up the scene.Identify life threats.Do a focused exam: head-to-toe check, vital signs and patient history.Make a problem list and care plan, which includes an evacuation decision.Treat the patient, providing both medical and emotional support.Monitor how the patient is doing.
What do you do in a wilderness emergency?
Here is what you should do:Accept the situation — Go ahead and panic, just for a second. ... Find shelter and warmth — Don't wait until it's dark and cold to build a shelter or a fire. ... Stay put — You might want to be proactive and begin trying to find your own way back to camp or your vehicle, but it's better to stay put.
What do they teach in first aid?
You'll learn to perform one-person CPR, CPR with rescue breaths, Hands-Only CPR, how to administer CPR as part of a 2 rescuer team, and how to administer a shock from an AED. You'll also learn how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants.
What are the important first aid skills in backcountry?
The 15 Backcountry First-Aid Skills Every Hiker Should KnowChecking Vital Signs. ... Cleaning & Sanitizing a Wound. ... CPR & Removing Obstructions. ... Crafting a Splint/Sling. ... Dealing With Poisoning. ... Identifying & Treating Heatstroke. ... Identifying & Treating Hypothermia/Frostbite. ... Removing Debris/Shrapnel.More items...•
How do you treat a stab wound in the wilderness?
Absorbent materials like gauze, cravats or rags can be helpful, and it's not required that they be sterile. While applying pressure, elevate the wound to use gravity to your advantage. Direct pressure and elevation should be sufficient to stop the bleeding from almost any wound.
What do you need to know to survive in the wilderness?
Here is a survival gear checklist of 10 things you need survive in the wilderness:Water. More than 70 percent of the human weight is water. ... Food. ... Knife. ... Shelter/ Shelter Building Equipment. ... First Aid Kit. ... Rain Jacket or Raincoat. ... Signaling Device. ... Lighter or Matches.More items...•
How do people survive being lost in the wilderness?
Self-rescue tips:Stop and rest when you start to feel tired. Don't wait until you are exhausted.Your body can't hike hard and digest food at the same time. ... Make sure to drink enough water to avoid dehydration. ... Stop and fix small problems while they are still small. ... Avoid hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on hot days.
What are the 8 survival tips?
Here are eight basic skills to learn and master so you are ready to tackle any survival situation.Building a Fire. A fire can keep you warm, ward off predators, and provide heat for cooking. ... Creating Potable Water. ... Foraging for Food. ... Tying Knots. ... Making a Weapon. ... Building a Shelter. ... Basic First Aid. ... Fishing and Trapping.
What does a 3 day first aid course involve?
This 3 day course includes course materials, expert tutoring and practical exercises to give learners in-depth training in the following information and treatments: Principles of first aid. Prevention of cross-infection. Basic life support (CPR & use of an AED)
What is the 3 types of first aid?
Achieve First Aid also offers Advanced First Aid Courses (First Responder, Advanced First Aid, and Emergency Medical Responder).
What are the 5 steps of first aid?
Here are the 5 Steps to First Aid:Recognize the emergency. Does someone look like they're in trouble? ... Call 911 if you think you should. ... Ask them questions in case the situation escalates to unconsciousness. ... Be kind and calm. ... Be a Steward of the person.
What does the S in dots stand for?
DOTS is an acronym used to remember what to look for when conducting a physical assessment of a casualty (i.e. looking for injuries). DOTS stands for: Deformities. Open wounds. Tenderness.
What does NOLS stand for?
National Outdoor Leadership School1965. The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is founded in Lander, Wyoming by legendary mountaineer Paul Petzoldt.
What Dr ABC stand for?
We can use DRABC to do this: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing and Circulation.
Which of the following burn situations require evacuation from the wilderness?
Rapidly evacuate any patient with partial and/or full thickness burns covering more than 10% TBSA, any patient with partial or full thickness circumferential burns, and any patient with signs and symptoms of airway burns.
Why Take Wilderness First Aid?
Time is the essential element distinguishing wilderness first aid from standard first aid. When calling 911 is not an immediate option, or when help could be an hour or even days away, the task of managing the injured and the ill will challenge you beyond basic first-aid knowledge, and require the skills you will learn in this course.
What is a BSA approved course?
A Scouts BSA Approved Course. Center for Wilderness Safety is a nationally-recognized provider of wilderness medicine programs, and is an approved provider of Wilderness First Aid by Scouts BSA ( formerly Boy Scouts of America ). This Wilderness First Aid course meets the requirements set forth for all BSA High Adventure programs, such as Philmont, ...
How old do you have to be to get certified in wilderness first aid?
Certification: Wilderness First Aid (valid 2 years) A digital certificate is available upon successful completion of course. This certification is accepted by the BSA and is ACA approved. Prerequisites: Be at least 14 years of age.**. ** The minimum age requirement to take Wilderness First Aid is 14 by the last day of the course, ...
How long is wilderness first aid valid?
Wilderness First Aid Kits. CERTIFICATION. Valid for two years, our Wilderness First Aid certification is nationally-recognized by the American Camp Association, Scouts BSA ( formerly Boy Scouts of America ), U.S. Coast Guard, JCC and many other organizations across the United States and Canada.
How often does the Wilderness First Aid course change?
Center for Wilderness Safety's Wilderness First Aid course curriculum changes every several years, as new and improved techniques and science move forward to offer better ways of providing patient care.
How many days does WFA take?
WFA is typically taught over two consecutive days (typically a weekend; 8am to 7pm both days). This course may also be taught over three consecutive days and weekdays upon request. A digital certificate is available upon successful completion of course. This certification is accepted by the BSA and is ACA approved.
How long is WFA?
WFA is typically taught over two consecutive days (typically a weekend; 8am to 7pm both days).
What is the WFA for wilderness?
The WFA may also be used to recertify your Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Wilderness First Responder and the wilderness portion of your Wilderness EMT certification. If you're using the WFA to recertify, you'll need to pass both a written and a practical examination.
What is Wildmi 554?
Additionally, the Wilderness First Aid course (WILDMI-554), and when included the CPR/AED course (WILDMI-134), are approved by the United States Coast Guard to meet the first aid and CPR training requirements of 46 CFR 11.201 (i) (1) (ii) and 46 CFR 11.201 (i) (2) (iiI) for a merchant mariner credential.
Can you learn outdoors in the classroom?
You'll learn both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather, so come prepared for wet, muddy, cold or hot environments!
What Do Wilderness First Aid Courses Teach?
Most commonly, wilderness first aid courses are presented in person. The instructors explain basic life support skills and general medical concepts that can be used in remote locations when medical facilities and healthcare professionals aren't immediately available.
Can I Complete These Courses Online?
Since much of first aid training requires active participation, courses in wilderness first aid are typically offered on-site or on-campus, and in many instances can be completed in short workshops of 2- or 5-day classes. Hybrid (online and on-site) programs allow students to complete some coursework online, take an exam, and then participate in shorter in-person sessions to round out the training. It is possible to earn your wilderness first aid recertification completely online.
What can you learn from wilderness training?
Wilderness training will help you check for a person's level of consciousness, their respiratory and heart rate, their skin temperature and condition, and their overall alertness. You may learn to detect if their pupils are equal and reactive to light, and to test their blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate.
What can a fracture in the wilderness do?
A fracture in the wilderness can cause a great deal of pain and greatly impair a person's mobility. Wilderness first aid training will teach you how to use large tree branches to make a splint and crutch. Other related topics may include where and how to tie a splint, what to do with an open fracture and how to realign and stabilize a bone.
What is wilderness first aid?
Wilderness first aid courses provide the knowledge and skills necessary to treat injured parties when there is delayed access to medical care and communication is unreliable. Learn more about courses in wilderness first aid, online and hybrid options, and the topics these classes cover.
Can you perform first aid without a tarp?
Depending on the circumstances, performing first aid may not be enough, and you may need to transport an individual out of your location to receive medical attention. You may learn how to fashion a 'drag bag' using a tarp or how to tether together large branches to form a stretcher.
Our Wilderness Training Uses a 4-Pronged Approach
CLASSROOM: This is the didactic part of our training, the traditional setting where the instructor stands before the students and gives lectures, presentations, and demonstrations, writes on chalkboards or white boards, and sometimes shows videos or PowerPoint presentations.
SIGNUP FOR WILDERNESS FIRST AID CLASS
payment is done through PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account and all credit and debit cards are accepted.
How many courses does NOLS offer?
NOLS offers over 1,000 courses each year in all 50 states, as well as in 43 countries around the world. That’s a lot of options! And it means no matter where you live, there’s likely a course coming up in your area. Take charge of your adventures, your preparation, and your safety with a Wilderness First Aid course.
What is wilderness first aid certification?
You’ll earn a Wilderness First Aid certification that is great for taking a leadership role with your group or club, getting a job in the outdoors, or simply sharing your experience with your family and friends.
How does confidence come from?
Confidence comes from experience. When you start a course, you might not know a lot. But when you finish, through real-life scenarios and classroom time, you'll have learned about—and practiced—how to respond to common outdoor emergencies.
What is wilderness first aid?
You need training that focuses on the injuries and illnesses you're most likely to see on a trip. Wilderness First Aid courses teach responses to what's common, more serious emergencies, and everything in between, including: Evacuation plans and emergency procedures. Spinal cord injuries. Shock.
Why is first aid based on NOLS?
Because the first aid skills taught on your course are based on NOLS’ data on what actually happens on remote outdoor trips, gathered from over 50 years of NOLS Expeditions (hiking, rafting, skiing, and more, all around the world).
Can you splint a broken bone with a tent pole?
Having the ability to splint a broken bone with a tent pole, create an arm sling using only a jacket, or effectively warm someone with hypothermia with the contents of your backpack when help is delayed or unavailable? That’s pretty powerful.
Who is Ben from NOLS?
Ben is the former NOLS Wilderness Medicine Marketing Coordinator and a Wilderness First Responder graduate. He enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, kayaking, and hopes to someday adventure in the mountains on each of the 7 continents.
