Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

The Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is the standard level of medical training for professional outdoor recreation industry field staff that work multi-day, overnight trips in remote environments, military, technical rescue personnel, and those working in disaster relief. Our comprehensive, contextual and practical curriculum has gained popularity among outdoor enthusiasts, endurance athletes, and adventure travelers who push their boundaries in remote areas with limited resources, unreliable communication, and the potential for delayed or self rescue.

Course participants will develop strong patient assessment skills, adopt treatment tools to stabilize life-threatening conditions, and learn how to provide extended patient care in austere environments. Most importantly, this training will prepare individuals to prevent many environmental illnesses and proactively manage pre-existing conditions in the field. Individuals will also develop the confidence to professionally call in a rescue in the event of a backcountry emergency and manage the evacuation of a medical or trauma patient.

Our 80-hour course curriculum is robust and comprehensive encompassing all Core topics and several Elective topics set forth by the Wilderness Medicine Education Collaborative‘s (WMEC) Scope of Practice (SOP) document for the Wilderness First Responder. We offer our Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course in two different formats; Standard 8-Day and Hybrid 5-Day courses. Our Hybrid WFR format meets the WMEC’s minimum requirement of 45 hours delivered in person and devoted to hands-on, practical skills and simulations. The learning outcomes of both WFR curriculum delivery methods are the same.

HYBRID WFR

DMM’s hybrid wilderness first responder (WFR) course format consists of a 30 hour self-paced, online instructional component, followed by a 50-hour in-person, practical component which takes place over five consecutive days.

The online section is hosted on CANVAS®, a cloud-based classroom and powerful learning management system that allows individual students to work at a their own pace. An instructor team assigned to each course supports participants with navigation of the online material and facilitates interactive elements and skill-based learning. The online material consists of reading assignments, case studies, videos, photos, animations, quizzes, and discussions, culminating in a comprehensive midterm exam. The online section is available to course participants approximately 1 month before the practical section is to begin.

The hybrid format works best for self-motivated individuals with good time management skills that have access to a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop and high-speed internet. This instructional format provides the opportunity for course participants to learn at their own speed, in their own space, at their own schedule.

Participants then apply knowledge and skills learned from their online WFR training to the 50 hour in-person section, which takes place mainly outdoors . This practical section consists of drills, skill stations, scenarios, and discussions with the same instructor team that supports the online section.

Important Information Regarding the Coronavirus Pandemic:

Registration for the Hybrid WFR course includes both the online and practical section. In the event that an individual is unable to meet in-person, or a practical section is canceled, course participants have the flexibility to transfer to another 5-day practical section as long as it is within 1-year of completing the online component. In addition to our COVID-19 Safety Guidelines we will deliver our course curriculum 100% outdoors (weather permitting) when we meet in-person.

Hours: 80

Length: Self-paced online component + 5 days in person

Training: WFR, WAT, CPR

Prerequisite: None

Credit: College credits are available when registering for a course sponsored by an institution of higher education.

CEU: A Total of 17 continuing education credits (CEU) can be applied towards the National Component of the 2016 National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) for the NREMT – EMT Refresher.

TRADITIONAL WFR

The traditional WFR course format offers in-person instruction in a classroom-style setting over eight or nine days. Course participants quickly integrate into the WFR curriculum with a balance of lecture and hands-on learning. The days are full of targeted lectures, skills stations, scenarios, drills, simulations, and discussions. The intensity of this course allows for camaraderie and strong teamwork to develop quickly throughout the group. In turn, this simulates the dynamics of a true backcountry expedition and reveals how individual group members would utilize their knowledge and skills in the event of an emergency.

Hours: 80

Length: 8 Days

Training: WFR, WAT, CPR

Prerequisite: None

Credits: College credits are available when registering for a course sponsored by an institution of higher education.

CEU: A Total of 17 continuing education credits (CEU) can be applied towards the National Component of the 2016 National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) for the NREMT – EMT Refresher.

OVERVIEW OF COURSE CONTENT

Urban Vs Wilderness Medicine
Wilderness Medicine Guidelines
Wilderness Recreation Law & Liability
Wilderness Risk Management
Wilderness Anaphylaxis Training
Genitourinary Issues
Mental Health Illnesses
Complex Environmental Medicine
Avalanche Burial Resuscitation
Patient Assessment
Basic Life Support
Airway Management & Adjuncts
Backcountry Communication Devices
Professionally Calling A Rescue

Basic Vs Expedition First Aid Kits
Improvised Litters
Professional Incident Documentation
Micromedics
Complex Traumatic Injuries
Dislocations
Spine Injury Management
Vacuum Spine Board
Complex Backcountry Medical Problems
Backcountry Medication Management
Incident Management
Leadership & Critical Thinking During An Incident
Complex Night Scenario Simulation
Psychological First Aid