Wilderness First Aid?

Q

Quirt

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I realize there are several EMTs and SAR trained medics on this forum and perhaps graduates from other medical/1st Aid courses...so what are your recommendations and suggestions for those of us who live and work in remote wilderness settings for extended periods of time?

I've been considering attending the NOLS/WMI 1st Responder ten-day course but wanted to gain some insight and/or recommendations from those with medical training and/or graduates of NOLS/WMI or other similar courses.

I am currently 1st Aid/CPR "urban" qualified, have had Tactical Medical training for IED & GSW but all of this training is based upon an evacuation expected within 5 to 30 minutes. I'd like to expand my training to wilderness related specific incidents with evacuation expected in days rather than in minutes.

What training do you guys have?

Suggestions?
 
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ARC (American Red Cross) has a Remote Wilderness First Aid course. Depending on if you currently hold an instructor certification in CPR and or first aid, you can bridge the course (meaning you can just take it online, pass the test, then receive ARC certification as an instructor in remote wilderness first aid). It's a good course with lots of outdoor first aid scenario practice. Much cheaper than the NOLS WFR course, although admittedly probably not as thorough.
 
I am a big fan of SOLO out of NH. WMI courses are also very good. Remote Medical provides almost a one stop shop. They have links, courses, and gear available. WFA/WFR is probably where you want to be. I am always a proponent of more training but this the place to start.

If you are truly talking long term I recommend the classic read "When There is no Doctor". It is a lot of Ditch Medicine and that is a good thing.
 
I've taken a couple of Wilderness First Responder classes and they are always informative and fun. I took mine from Wilderness Medical Associates, which I would definitely recommend if you can find a course. Having an emphasis on long term and remote medicine is always a good idea, if you're the type to move away from the computer long enough to actually get outdoors (not me, so much, lately). Oh, and I'm an EMT and I still found the WFR class helpful because of it's specificity.

Also consider taking an EMT course at a local community college. It's one semester, cheap and very useful. Then you can get your Wilderness-EMT, if you can pony up the cash and time for those very expensive classes.
 
I took the WMA, it was a week long (8 h/day) and very thorough. Highly recommended to get you up to speed on dealing with trauma. The best part is the high emphasis on setting up scenarios complete with actors and fake blood (my instructors love to use clam chowder soup as a puke simulator). You have to go in, diagnose the issue and perform the right kinds of actions. The simulations build on one another through the course and by the end the simulation can be one of any of the conditions they taught you about. I thought it is a very effective learning experimence. My certificate lasts for another 3 years and I plan on doing it again when this one expires.
 
Howdy... I work as a full time EMT here in NYC, I'm also an EMT instructor , as well as a certified wilderness EMT and wilderness first aid and frist responder instructor..
Taking a wilderness first aid course is an outstanding idea if your planning on taking estended trips out. but it sounds like you've got allot of the bases covered ) as long as the air goes in and out and the red stuff goes round and round..everything else is minor (lol)
seriously though I;ve heard nothing but good things about the NOLS courses

When my teaching partner returns from Afghanistan this winter we will finish prepping for a course we wanted to do along time ago for the for an interested folks here n the North east.. if it gets off the ground all w&ss are welcome to atend with no training charge.
I'll keep everyone updated astop if and when this gets moving (as it;s bneen on hold now since his tour got extended.)
 
Quirt said:
I realize there are several EMTs and SAR trained medics on this forum and perhaps graduates from other medical/1st Aid courses...so what are your recommendations and suggestions for those of us who live and work in remote wilderness settings for extended periods of time?

I've been considering attending the NOLS/WMI 1st Responder ten-day course but wanted to gain some insight and/or recommendations from those with medical training and/or graduates of NOLS/WMI or other similar courses.

I am currently 1st Aid/CPR "urban" qualified, have had Tactical Medical training for IED & GSW but all of this training is based upon an evacuation expected within 5 to 30 minutes. I'd like to expand my training to wilderness related specific incidents with evacuation expected in days rather than in minutes.

What training do you guys have?

Suggestions?
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I'm a NOLS WFR and can't recommend it enough. I think the key is how remote you're talking about. If you are going to have access to "relatively" fast evacuation (you have communication and access) then the WFA may be enough. If you're going to be really remote with extended time to evac (days?) then I think the WFR might be the way to go. WFR assumes no assistance forthcoming and extended care. It also addresses those in between situations where someone may have an injury or illness that may or may not justify aborting a mission/expedition. You're 3 days in by foot with 2 more to go. One of your party falls and hurts themselves. Do you abort the mission/trip for everyone to get them out or do you continue?

Just my .02

BTW I like Shaving Sharps recommendation too, but I think it requires considerably more maintenance and overhead. :p
 
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RescueRiley said:
When my teaching partner returns from Afghanistan this winter we will finish prepping for a course we wanted to do along time ago for the for an interested folks here n the North east.. if it gets off the ground all w&ss are welcome to atend with no training charge.
I'll keep everyone updated astop if and when this gets moving (as it;s bneen on hold now since his tour got extended.)
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This sounds great. I'll keep my eyes open for any updates. :thumbup:
 
Well, I hate to take an opposing position, but if it were me I'd just take a standard EMT course first. Wilderness EMT or First Aid just isn't that common. In many rural places you can volunteer for an EMS or SAR team and get your training paid for by the service.

Once you have EMT training AND EXPERIENCE under your belt, you can look into a WEMT course or just study from WEMT manuals and military manuals. You can get experience volunteering for a local EMS or even in the local emergency room.

Experience is really the key IMO. I'd take an experienced EMT with no extra training over an inexperienced person with just WEMT or WFR.
 
nemoaz said:
Experience is really the key IMO. I'd take an experienced EMT with no extra training over an inexperienced person with just WEMT or WFR.
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Hey buddy, let me say if I come across you in a coma. I'll check your back pocket....(for a wallet) and then see if there is a pulse. Then I'll call EMT-Lee and Riley to have a looksee's :D :D: D
 
nemoaz said:
Well, I hate to take an opposing position, but if it were me I'd just take a standard EMT course first. Wilderness EMT or First Aid just isn't that common. In many rural places you can volunteer for an EMS or SAR team and get your training paid for by the service.

Once you have EMT training AND EXPERIENCE under your belt, you can look into a WEMT course or just study from WEMT manuals and military manuals. You can get experience volunteering for a local EMS or even in the local emergency room.

Experience is really the key IMO. I'd take an experienced EMT with no extra training over an inexperienced person with just WEMT or WFR.
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I see your point but why should one have to choose? Learn all you can whenever you can, and hope you never need it. :)
 
nemoaz said:
Well, I hate to take an opposing position, but if it were me I'd just take a standard EMT course first. Wilderness EMT or First Aid just isn't that common. In many rural places you can volunteer for an EMS or SAR team and get your training paid for by the service.

Once you have EMT training AND EXPERIENCE under your belt, you can look into a WEMT course or just study from WEMT manuals and military manuals. You can get experience volunteering for a local EMS or even in the local emergency room.

Experience is really the key IMO. I'd take an experienced EMT with no extra training over an inexperienced person with just WEMT or WFR.
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I would have to disagree with you to a certain degree. You're making assumptions on the training. My instructor is also an active EMT/Paramedic instructor. He emphasized how Wilderness Medicine was substantially different from urban medicine and EMT's have to basically take the WFR course to become a WEMT. BTW, there is no real standard certification for WEMT only WFR. The course's teach EMT's, PA's, physicians how to adapt their knowledge to work in the wilderness. I attended a wilderness medicine training seminar at Chapel Hill Medical School that reiterated the same idea. Typical urban medicine relies heavily on the stabilize and transport model. EMT's I have known have expressed their frustration on how much they cover in training, but never get to use. Experience does trump inexperience and goes a long way, but that takes time. I believe EMT is currently 200hrs. BTW, they also discussed how war zones and even space is considered wilderness medicine, limited access to "definitive" medical care. (i.e. hospital)
WFR's and WEMT's work on a different protocol. For example, a dislocated shoulder or broken bone in the urban environment is a stabilize in place and transport for the ER guys to work on. For a WFR, we will reduce or reset the dislocated shoulder or broken bone and monitor the patient. A WFR will administer meds and stick you with needles without waiting for a the physician they can't get to. Improvising is also a hallmark of a NOLS WFR. A WFR knows how stabilize your cervical spine with a jacket and how to put you into skeletal traction with rope and a stick. :D
 
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glee said:
WFR's and WEMT's work on a different protocol.
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So how does this work? You have a physician who has signed off on this protocol? Are there geographic limits (only in the state, only in the region, only in a county etc.)?

Improvising is also a hallmark of a NOLS WFR.
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Yeah, good stuff. The military does this as well.
 
kgd said:
Hey buddy, let me say if I come across you in a coma. I'll check your back pocket....(for a wallet) and then see if there is a pulse.
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Nope, you'll go straight for the cranial osteotomy and labatomy.

And nothing but plastic in the wallet. :)
 
nemoaz said:
Nope, you'll go straight for the cranial osteotomy and labatomy.

And nothing but plastic in the wallet. :)
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Can't really do that. But I can poke you in the ass with a needle of epinephrine. As you wake up in a rush, I'll ask you if you are diabetic and shove a cookie in your mouth (because I really don't need to know the answer)....If I have more time, I'll evaluate your choice of cutlery...
 
kgd said:
Can't really do that. But I can poke you in the ass with a needle of epinephrine. As you wake up in a rush, I'll ask you if you are diabetic and shove a cookie in your mouth (because I really don't need to know the answer)....If I have more time, I'll evaluate your choice of cutlery...
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I like like epi and cookies! This is sounding good.
 
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