Wilderness First Responder- I Fell Down and I Can’t Get Up
The vibe when you enter a room of 15+ people who are into the outdoors has an instant calming effect and smells slightly of coffee and sweaty hiking boots. Everyone wants to talk about gear and their favorite spots to hike, bike, climb…insert outdoor adventure here. We’re all there for the same thing, our Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification. Some just want the knowledge for their backcountry adventures, a handful are working at summer camps, another group are working as guides for outdoor companies and others for working on ski patrols. Either way, we’re all here to learn how to keep others safe and to help with medical emergencies in the backcountry.
What is a Wilderness First Responder?
Wilderness first responders are individuals who are trained to respond to emergency situations in remote locations. They are part of a wide variety of providers who deal with medical emergencies that occur in wilderness settings. While wilderness first responder can generically refer to anyone providing first response, this term typically refers to individuals trained and certified with specific Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification.
What is considered backcountry?
According to the oxford english dictionary. “The back country is any sparsely inhabited area also known as the wilderness”. This can include anything from state parks, trails in the national forest/national parks, ski resorts and even well traveled hiking trails. If it is difficult for paramedics or EMTs to get to you or will take more than 30 minutes to get to a hospital, it's considered backcountry.
What kind of training do they have?
Typical courses require approximately 80-90 hours of education/training, this includes up to 30 hours online and 40+ hours in person, depending on the class options. Courses include a mix of lecture, drills with practical skills and full blown simulations. During simulations, you’re expected to triage the patient, assess their level of consciousness and any issues. You then need to decide the best way to evacuate the patient. Either by full helicopter and being packaged in a litter, a walk out or carry out.
What is a WFR trained to do?
A WFR is able to access multiple medical emergencies in the backcountry. This includes the list below but they are also trained to give epinephrine in cases of anaphylaxis and severe asthma.
Initiate and provide basic life support (CPR)
Respond to and stabilize a physical injury which includes;
signs and symptoms of circulatory shock
wounds and burns
wound cleaning and care
management of bone and joint injuries such as fractures, sprains, strains and dislocations
splinting long bone fractures
seduction of shoulder, patella and digit dislocations
splinting of joint injuries
responding to the onset of sudden illness
Recognizing a traumatic brain injury or spine injury
spinal evaluation
sroper stabilization techniques of an injured spine
ability to recognize signs of increasing intracranial pressure
Evacuation planning and implementation
How to become a WFR?
There are a few different organizations which provide courses and certification. The one STWA received certification through was Wilderness Medical Associates, the other is National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Both involve an online course with 30+ hours of studying and then anywhere from 5-7 days of in person training, drills, simulations and testing. A background in medicine is not required. The certification is good for 3 years and requires recertification.
Why is having a WFR along on a guided trip important?
When recreating in the backcountry, you can be hours to days from emergency care. Being able to assess a patient and their symptoms and make decisions on their care is crucial in a situation where there is illness or injury. Anything from GI upset to a major fall resulting in a traumatic brain injury requires medical care and the ability to decide when that patient needs to be evacuated either by walking out or by helicopter.
With this in mind, if you’re looking to book a guided trip of any kind (rafting, backpacking, hiking, horseback riding ect), make sure to check that the company has their guides WFR certified. While we all hope to never be injured or ill, it is best to have a guide that is trained to respond to emergencies. If you’re someone who recreates in the backcountry on a regular basis, it may be a certification you look into getting yourself.
To learn more about the course the WFR certification that STWA obtained, you can visit their website at Wilderness First Responder.
