Wilderness Medicine
Kayaking can take you to some pretty wild places. To prepare kayakers for the demands of any situation on a kayaking excursion, First Coast Outfitters offers several classes in wilderness survival and first aid.
Wilderness First Aid (WFA)
This two-day, 18-hour class is designed for outdoor enthusiasts, trip leaders and camp counselors to earn their Wilderness First Aid Certification (WFA). This WFA course will help you learn the first aid skills that every outdoorsman should master, including:
- Splinting
- Patient assessment
- Musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries
- Providing care in bad weather and with non-standard equipment
- Coping with long-term care and emergency response
Students of this course will learn about a wide variety of topics relating to wilderness first aid through lecture and discussion, then apply those skills with practical exercises and real-life outdoor scenarios. This will help students develop the decision-making skills and confidence necessary to deliver crucial emergency care in the wild.
- Cost: $175 for both days
- Camping is permitted, but optional
Wilderness First Responder (WFR)
This course covers topics similar to the WFA course, but provides a much more extensive and comprehensive look at wilderness medical skills. Requiring 7 to 10 days and between 72 and 80 hours of training, the WFR is ideal for those in outdoor leadership positions (trip leaders, mountain and river guides, ski patrollers, camp counselors) who want a high level of medical training for extended wilderness trips.
During the WFR, you will be provided with the industry standard of wilderness medical expertise and develop skills for:
- Patient response and assessment
- Musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries
- Medical emergencies
- Environmental emergencies and survival skills
The WFR is offered by SOLO and is taught year round.
- Cost: Varies by sponsor; $895 at SOLO campus