About
The Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is the most widely accepted standard in wilderness medical care for professional outdoor leaders including mountain and river guides, wilderness trip leaders, expedition leaders, camp and outing club leaders and rangers; anyone who is responsible for the safety and care of a group of people in the backcountry. The curriculum uses the principles of long-term care, improvised resources and varying environmental conditions as the framework for learning. The course was created to provide outdoor leaders and adventurers with the knowledge and skills needed to deal with emergencies in remote settings. The course takes an in-depth look at the underlying physiology of common and uncommon emergencies that might be encountered in the wilderness context. It goes well beyond most first aid courses, particularly those that are oriented to 'urban/street medicine.' The primary components of the course include personal/group safety & hygiene, backcountry survival, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, patient assessment, documentation, trauma medical emergencies, environmental emergencies, long-term care, teamwork, organizing/improvising rescues, decision-making, leadership, judgment and prevention.
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