Remote and Wilderness First Aid, and Wilderness First Responder Courses
The Canadian Red Cross Wilderness & Remote First Aid Program (WRFA) offers specialty first aid courses for those who live, work, and/or play in non urban, remote, and wilderness settings. With three levels of training, participants can choose the course which best meets their needs for personal safety and the safety of others in remote and wilderness environments.
Remote First Aid (*Formerly Called Wilderness First Aid)
This 2 day course is the perfect introductory course for the remote and outdoor environment. This course is designed to prepare you for providing first aid to yourself or others on a day or short duration in a remote/wilderness setting with evacuation generally possible within 24 hours.
Course Length: 20 hours (2 days) in class, approximately 50% of course taught in an outdoor setting
Course Content:
- Urban vs Wilderness
- Planning
- Assessment
- Choking (Adult, Child, and infant)
- Circulation Emergencies
- CPR and AED (Adult, Child, Infant)
- Breathing Emergencies
- Wound Care
- Head, Neck, and Spinal Injuries
- Bone, Muscle, and Joint Injuries
- Sudden Medical Emergencies
- Environmental Injuries and Illnesses
- Poisons
- Wildlife
- Extended Care
- Evacuation and Transporting the Ill or Injured Person
- Workplace Considerations
- Occupational Health and Safety
Certification Duration: 3 years
Wilderness First Aid
(*Formerly Called Advanced Wilderness First Aid)
This 4 day course is designed for individuals that spend significant time in wilderness or remote environments, or lead groups in the outdoors. The course focuses on extended patient care and evacuation when help may take a few days.
Course Length: 40 hours (4 days) in class, more than 50% taught in an outdoor setting
Course Content:
- Urban vs Wilderness
- Planning
- Assessment
- Choking (Adult, Child, and infant)
- Circulation Emergencies
- CPR and AED (Adult, Child, Infant)
- Breathing Emergencies
- Wound Care
- Head, Neck, and Spinal Injuries
- Bone, Muscle, and Joint Injuries
- Sudden Medical Emergencies
- Environmental Injuries and Illnesses
- Poisons
- Wildlife
- Extended Care
- Evacuation and Transporting the Ill or Injured Person
Certification Duration: 3 years
Wilderness First Responder
This 8 day course is designed for professionals who work in a formal rescue capacity or individuals that want to expand there knowledge and skills to provide extended care and evacuation in a remote/wilderness setting where evacuation may be challenging and delayed significantly.
Course Length: 80 hours (8 days) in class, more than 50% taught in an outdoor setting
Course Content:
- The Wilderness Responder
- Planning
- Responding to the call
- Infection prevention and control
- Anatomy and physiology
- Assessment
- Airway management and respiratory emergencies
- Circulatory emergencies
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Shock
- Hemorrhage and soft tissue trauma
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Chest, abdominal, and pelvic injuries
- Head and spinal injuries
- Acute and chronic illness
- Poisoning
- Wildlife
- Environmental illnesses
- Pregnancy, labour and delivery
- Special populations
- Mental and emotional health and wellness
- Reaching, lifting, and extricating patients
- Extended care
- Transportation and arranging transfer
- Multiple casualty incidents
- Pharmacology
- Workplace considerations and occupational health and safety
Certification Duration: 3 years