Inclusions
Tuition price includes tuition, first aid supplies and certification for WAFA, Anaphylaxis and adult CPR
Full Room and Board includes the above plus three meals a day and dorm-style lodging.
• Are you working in an outdoor environment or a wilderness context?
• Does your employer want to you to have basic medical training?
• Is your time off limited and does 10 days for a Wilderness First responder seem too long?
• Counting cash and worried about he expense of the WFR?
• You want to do the right thing and take responsibility to take care of incidents and not simply try to dial 911 on the cell phone – assuming you even have service.
Then maybe you should consider the four-day Wilderness Advanced First Aid certification (WAFA).
It gives you a good grounding in the basics to take care of yourself and others in your party.
The great thing about the WAFA is that you can also upgrade this at a later date to a WFR by taking a four day, 36-40 hour, bridge course .
You can also use the WAFA to recertify your WFR certification
We offer this in conjunction with local Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) instructors and our goal is to provide cost effective quality instruction to anyone traveling outdoors. This entry-level course designed for professionals working in significantly remote settings for days or weeks and is comprehensive medical training designed for remote professionals or wilderness leaders who venture into and challenging remote environments.
Wilderness Medicine differs significantly from standard first aid courses and other training that are oriented toward urban environments. This course teaches how to manage medical emergencies when hospitals and rescue services may not be available for an extensive time period. It prepares students for emergency situations that involve prolonged patient care, severe environments, and improvised equipment.
Sample Syllabus
Day 1 - Introduction/Registration; Systems Based Critical Thinking; Infection Control; Patient Assessment System; Circulatory & Respiratory Systems; Adult CPR; Basic Life Support
Day 2 - Quiz/Case Studies; Nervous System, Spine Management; Musculoskeletal Injuries; Lifts, Moves, and Extrications; Splints - Extremities; Patient Assessment Drills
Day 3 - Quiz/Case Studies; Thermoregulation; Bites and Stings; Lightning; Elective Topics; Wounds and Burns; Allergies and Anaphylaxis; Improvised Patient Carries; Patient Assessment Drills
Day 4 - Case Study Review; Elective Topic; Backcountry Medicine; Medical and Legal Issues; Patient Assessment Drills; Simulations; Final Exam; Conclusion
Included Materials
All teaching materials will be at no additional cost. Students will receive the following books on this course:
• The Field Guide of Wilderness Medicine & Rescue
• SOAP Notebook
• The Wilderness and Rescue Medicine Text Book
• Wilderness Advanced First Aid Class Notes
Certifications
This course is scheduled for 4-days or 36 to 40 hours of instructional and practice time. Upon successful completion students will receive certification in Wilderness Advanced First Aid and Adult CPR. Certification is valid for three years.
Recertifications
The WAFA to WFR Bridge course upgrades the Wilderness Advanced First Aid to a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) in 4 days. This course must be taken within 3 years of receiving the WMA International WAFA certification or an equivalent from another provider. The WFR is the definitive medical training course for all outdoor professionals and enthusiasts. The WAFA course may be used as a recertification for those holding a current WFR certification or equivalent from another provider whose original WFR training was at least 64 hours in length. Current WMA International Wilderness EMTs may also use this course to recertify the wilderness portion of their certification.
Location
Cardinal Village Resort. Cardinal Village Resort is located at Aspendel in the North Fork of Bishop Creek, about twenty minutes west of Bishop.
Meals and Lodging
The full room and board option includes all meals and lodging in dorm-style cabins. Meals are family style and participants are expected to help clear tables.
Instructors
This course is sponsored by Sierra Mountain Center and with instructors provided by The Wilderness Medicine Associates.
Wilderness Medical Associates International is dedicated to the development of remote and practical medicine around the globe. They are medical rescue professionals, researchers, experienced educators, and advocates for healthcare in wilderness contexts. Curriculums, overseen and continually revised by a committee of medical practitioners and academics, are taught on all seven continents.
Wilderness Medical Associates International annually trains over 8,000 medically and non-medically trained students around the world. Participants include colleges and universities, medical schools, camps, outdoor adventure companies, rural ambulance services, private industry, and government entities.
Class format
Course days run from 8:00am to 6:00pm. The Lodge building is comfortable and to maximize room we remove most of the tables and chairs. You will probably want a Crazy Creek type chair for classroom sessions. Much of the practical lessons take place outside, rain or shine, warm or cold. Bring a small tarp to spread out on and your own foam pad that you don’t mind getting dirty or even cutting up to make splints.
Notes
Pets are not allowed on site so please leave Fifi or Sparky at home. Lodging at Cardinal Village is in cabins and we will separate these into men's and women's for shared accommodations. The Village is at high elevation (8500 feet) and those of you coming from the low lands you need to be prepared to deal with this elevation. We highly suggest getting to the area beforehand and acclimatizing slowly especially if you have had prior problems with altitude. We cannot be responsible if you rush to this elevation and have problems with acclimatizing.
Students should bring old clothes that can get torn, cut off and covered in fake blood.
Also a watch with the ability to count seconds is necessary.
Physical difficulty
