Essential Wilderness First Aid Classes for Hikers and Outdoor Adventurers 

If you are an adventurer, nature enthusiast or love to wander in the heart of the wild, you know the risks of being outdoors. Accidents can happen anywhere, at any time, whether it be in your own backyard, park or mountain you are hiking on. And things are not always convenient; help is not always accessible. But what if you could be the one to step up and take responsibility? Learning first aid is the only answer. To be practical and cautious, everyone should know how to perform first aid, especially hikers and adventurers who love exploring the wild’s wonders and challenges. Read what wilderness first classes are all about, along with our top recommendations to save your and someone else’s lives. 

What is a Wilderness First Aid class? 

Wilderness First Aid (WFA) classes are specialized training courses that teach you how to perform first aid, assess, treat, and prevent injuries, wounds, and illnesses in areas where help is unavailable, in remote environments, and outdoors. These courses are not just about managing emergencies; they’re about potentially saving lives. The skills you learn in these classes could be the difference between life and death in a wilderness emergency.   

These classes develop your decision-making skills in difficult situations, such as treating a severe allergic reaction or a broken bone in a remote area and teach you how to handle such situations with care.   

What does Wilderness First Aid Class teach you?   

The course includes teaching students a comprehensive range of life-saving techniques and treatments for situations that could occur in the wild, such as:  

1. Identifying and treating different injuries in areas such as the abdomen, pelvis, head and chest.  

2. Performing patient assessment, doing a physical checkup and gathering family history data for a complete assessment.  

3. Evacuation of patients with spinal cord injury.  

4. Teaching the degree of emergency and when immediate evacuation is required.  

5. How to perform CPR.  

6. How to use AED.  

7. How to address, care for, puncture wounds, treat, clean and dress cuts and abrasions.  

8. Treating burns.  

9. Treating sprains and fractures, splinting and immobilizing injured wounds.  

10. How to treat severe bleeding and use tourniquets and other tools.  

11. Treating animal and insect bites.  

12. How to use an epinephrine auto-injector in case of allergic reactions.  

13. How to safely evacuate an injured person from a remote environment and use satellite phones or radios for help.  

And many more. 

Types of Wilderness First Aid classes 

There are three to four types of wilderness first aid classes, depending on the time of the course and the level of certification. 

Basic Wilderness First Aid (WFA) 

This course, designed for those who enjoy outdoor activities, is a manageable 16-20 hours long.  

It includes basic first aid, trauma management, medical emergencies, evacuation strategies, etc.   

The certificate is valid for 2 years. 

Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) 

This course is for outdoor professionals and trip leaders and is mandatory for guides in Canada and the USA. It is an intermediate course of 40 hours and a more detailed one.  

It is a comprehensive course that builds on the basics and provides advanced and additional training, including long-term care in the wilderness, patient assessment, etc.  

The certificate is valid for 2 to 3 years. 

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) 

This is the most advanced course for people looking to make a career in this field and professionals like wilderness instructors and guides. It is an extensive and detailed 80-hour course.   

The course covers in-depth aspects of first aid, treatment of complex medical emergencies, fractures, heart attacks, severe trauma, and more, ensuring you are well-prepared to handle any situation and feel reassured and safe.  

The certificate for WFR is valid for 3 years.     

Top Wilderness First Aid Classes 

Here is the list of top wilderness first aid classes you can consider learning from: 

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) 

NOLS is a global wilderness school. It is a non-profit, internationally renowned institution that educates students driven by love and commitment to the wilderness. The first school was opened in Wyoming, USA, and NOLS now has numerous global branches. The school’s primary goal is to make every student a leader, a person with the right intellect, skills, and knowledge to handle any situation and overcome challenges anywhere. The institution teaches students wilderness values, environmental ethics, and sustainability. NOLS strongly supports diversity, inclusivity, and equality. 

NOLS has schools all over the world, but most are located in the USA in various locations like New York, Arizona, Washington, etc. Other international locations include Patagonia (Chile), Costa Rica, Peru, Nepal, Tanzania, and India. However, not all locations offer WFA courses. 

Location: Campuses that conduct WFA classes are located in Wyoming (Lander), Colorado, California, Utah, and the Pacific Northeast.  

Courses:  Wilderness First Aid (2 days) and Wilderness First Responder (4 days) 

Check out their site for more information  

Site: https://www.nols.edu/en/ 

Wilderness Medical Associates International (WMA) 

WMA teaches practical wilderness medicines and provides professional courses to students worldwide. The company was founded by Dr. Peter Goth in Maine in 1984. Their courses are high-quality, hands-on, practical medical courses taught by medical practitioners and experts. The curriculum is edited annually by the medical director and Curriculum director and updated according to new advances in the field. The institution prepares students to face and handle any problem or emergency anywhere by teaching them expert skills and providing knowledge and practical training along with them. 

WMA is located in various international locations, including numerous US states, Canada, Japan, Finland, Nepal, and Tanzania. 

Location:  WMA offers Wilderness First Aid courses in Pennsylvania (USA), Ontario (Canada), Virginia (USA), Nagano (Japan), Oulun lääni (Finland), and Alberta (Canada). 

Courses: Wilderness First Aid (2 days), Wilderness Advanced First Aid (4 days), Wilderness First Responder (9 days) and various other hybrid and recertification courses.  

Check out their site for more information 

Site: https://www.wildmed.com/ 

Global Emergency Medics (GEM) 

Global Emergency Medics provides wilderness and remote medical training to people worldwide. They specialize in training outdoor enthusiasts and people who work in remote, wild, and challenging environments. The GEM team comprises experienced professional trainers and experts who provide practical, situation-based, and hands-on training. They aim to make students confident, knowledgeable, and skilled so that they can go on exciting adventures with high spirits.  

GEM is located internationally and offers courses in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. 

Location: GEM offers wilderness first aid courses in numerous locations in the USA, various European countries like the UK, Switzerland, etc., South American countries like Peru, Chile and Argentina, Canada, Nepal, Tibet, New Zealand, Australia, African countries, and many more. Check out their website for the exact location and list of courses. 

Courses: Wilderness First Aid (2-3 days), Wilderness First Responder (7 to 10 days), Wilderness EMT Upgrade (5 days), Wilderness Herbal First Responder (3 days), Wilderness Advanced Life Support (4-5 days), etc. 

Check out their site for more information 

Site: https://globalemergencymedics.com/ 

REI 

REI stands for Recreational Equipment Inc., a co-op that sells outdoor gear, apparel, and recreational products along with recreation services. REI is well known for providing high-quality Wilderness First Aid classes for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and campers. Partnered with the expert institute NOLS, REI provides wilderness first aid classes conducted by qualified experts. 

Location: Numerous states in the USA, including Alaska, Texas, Washington, California, Colorado, Utah, Maine, etc. 

Course: Wilderness First Aid (2 days) 

Check out their site for more information 

Site: https://www.rei.com/events/46423/wilderness-first-aid-2-day-class 

Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) 

SOLO is the world’s oldest, continuously running, innovative wilderness medicine school and a respected leader in this field. The training this school provides is raw and practical. SOLO is well known for its exceptional quality of education and hands-on training. The course includes studying in the classroom, practical training, and situational and scenario training of realistic situations presented with the help of the same props used in Hollywood, like fake blood and broken bones, mock accidents, etc. 

Location: Primarily in states across the USA, such as New Hampshire, California, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina, and many more. International locations include Nepal, Peru, Costa Rica, etc.  

Courses: Wilderness First Aid (2 days), Wilderness First Responder (8-9 days), Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (4 weeks) 

Check out their site for more information 

Site: https://soloschools.com/ 

Conclusion 

Wilderness first aid classes are more significant than they seem. Everyone should take these courses since they can save lives. Learn these necessary skills and face the challenges and unexpected events in life with confidence and knowledge of how to deal with them.