Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Course
TBA
Duration: 6 full days of instruction
Dates: TBA
Location: Truckee, CA
Cost: $1150, includes WFR book
Refresher Course: September 16-17, 2023
Refresher Cost: $475
This is a 7-day course for wilderness professionals, guides, group leaders and others including recreational skiers and climbers who want a higher level of training or require WFR certification. More advanced anatomy, physiology, and first aid skills will be taught in the classroom and practiced hands-on in the wilderness environment. Some of the skills and training include how to assess an injured person, improvised bandaging of a wound, splinting a fracture including traction splints, dealing with head, neck and back injuries including immobilization, recognizing altitude sickness and developing a plan to rescue an injured person.
In addition to learning skills, students are faced with real life scenarios that require decision-making practice. CPR is included in this course. After successful completion students are certified for 2 years by the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI), a nationally recognized organization.
Skills covered will include:
- Patient assessment
- Recognizing and treating shock
- Bandaging and bleeding control
- Splinting fractures, sprains, and dislocations
- Assessing head and spinal injuries
- Treating hypothermia
- Recognizing altitude sickness
- Identifying various medical problems
- Using non-standard and improvised equipment
- Evacuation techniques
- CPR
Student Notes:
- Students are encouraged to bring their own first aid kit to the class if they have one. See the list of recommended items for a wilderness first aid kit
- American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI) WFA Certification card is good for 2 years
- Course includes American Heart Association CPR card good for 2 years
Course Instructors: Bill Seline and Nick Bliss
Bill Seline
Bill Seline has been a Mountain Guide and Instructor for Alpine Skills International for the past 14 years. Bill also teaches level 1 and level 2 avalanche courses and has served on the American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), Education Committee. Bill is also a Certified Paramedic and has worked on an ambulance for over 30 years; he is currently the Fire Chief of the Truckee Fire District and also teaches CPR, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and Wilderness EMT classes.
Nick Bliss is the owner and lead instructor at Blisswilderness.com. He is also a RESCUE instructor, avalanche educator, wilderness medicine instructor, former YOSAR Helicopter Paramedic, former ski patrol, and backcountry ski guide. Nick is a 20-year Truckee local from Lassen and Plumas counties originally.