40-hr Wilderness First Aid

Agenda

This course is 40 hours, delivered over 4 x 8-hour days, with additional online learning required to supplement your learning. The program is highly practical and is presented using a blend of theoretical concepts and practical activities, scenarios and simulations. There will be reading and quizzes to complete outside of the in -person sessions.

The curriculum covers Intermediate (Standard) First Aid Topics plus Wilderness First Aid topics with a focus on remote settings, where help is not immediately available and extended care in the field may be required

Days 1 & 2: Intermediate First Aid Blended:

• Medical, Legal and Documentation Issues
• Documentation
• Communicable diseases
• Patient Assessment System
• Airway, Breathing and Circulation Management
• Choking
• CPR Level C with AED training
• Soft Tissue Injuries and their care
• Shock
• Heart Attack, Angina and Stroke
• Bone and Joint Injuries
• Spine, Head and Pelvic Injuries
• Chest Trauma
• Medical Emergencies
• Bites, Stings, Poisons and Toxins
• Heat and Cold Injuries

Days 2 – 4: Wilderness Advanced First Aid:

• Principles of extended care
• Wound management in the field
• Burn Management
• Sprains and strains
• Fractures
• Dislocations
• Head and facial trauma
• Spinal injuries and packaging – includes spinal clearance
• Abdominal trauma
• Chest Trauma
• Lightning caused injuries
• Environmental Emergencies – Dehydration; Heat / Cold; Lightning; Drowning;
• Loss of consciousness
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Seizures
• Stroke
• Allergies and Anaphylaxis
• Hyperventilation
• Abdominal Emergencies
• Outdoor first aid kits
• Bivouac principles
• Moving, Packaging and transportation
• Critical incident stress management
• Packaging and transportation
• Backcountry CPR guidelines

Training focuses on the initial care, stabilization and management of an incident that occurs in a wilderness location.

For successful certification, participants must complete the following course components:

• All online course elements with a score of 75% or higher
• 100% attendance
• Demonstration of all required practical skills at the Wilderness First Aid and Intermediate First Aid levels

FAQ’s

1. My certification is already expired. Am I still able to take the recertification course? Unfortunately, no. You must currently hold a valid 40-Hour Wilderness First Aid certification in order to take the recertification course. If you allow your certificate to expire you must take the full 40-hour program again to regain your certification.
2. What time of year do you usually offer WFA courses, and how fast do they fill up/sell out? WFA programs are typically offered in the shoulder seasons- Spring (April/May) and Fall (September/October). Programs do tend to fill quickly (sometimes 2-3 months in advance), so be sure to register for the date of your choice as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
3. I took my original 40-hour course through a different company. Am I able to re-certify through Yamnuska and Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine? Yes. Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine can recertify any 40-hour Wilderness First Aid certification. Students who have not taken a course with Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine in the past will need to submit an electronic copy of their current (not-expired) 40-hour course certificate to the Yamnuska Office.
4. Which provinces in Canada is my certification valid in? Am I able to use this internationally? Your Intermediate (Standard) First Aid Certification is recognized in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Equivalence can be sought in BC at OFA1 level. The outdoor industry has no uniformity when it comes to recognition. Many outdoor companies simply want you to have a “wilderness” first aid. These courses can be anywhere from 16 hours to 120 hours in length. We recommend checking with your employer, especially if working outside of North America. Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Getting to Canmore

Canmore is a 1-hour drive west of Calgary. If visiting the area from far away you may want to rent a car so you can visit local attractions and enjoy the surrounding mountains.

Program Logistics

The course begins at the Yamnuska Summit Centre classroom at 8.30 am on Day 1. Map

Instructors

The course is being taught by professional instructors from Rocky Mountain Adventure Medicine (RMAM). They receive intensive vetting and training. Course quality is continually monitored and assessed to ensure it meets the most current standards.

Accommodation & Meals

These are your responsibility.

Accommodation and meals in Canmore are not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff, including campsites, hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites.  We recommend that you book your own pre and post-trip accommodations well in advance as all levels of accommodations in the Bow Valley fill quickly.

What to Bring

Please bring appropriate clothing for the location and time of year. Remember that rain or shine, much of our time is spent outside. You will also need a sleeping pad/mat (for simulations), pens, and a notebook.

• Something to write on
• Lunch unless you want to head into town for the break
• Clothing suitable for whatever the weather throws at us for the outdoor portions of the program
• For the field days, we would recommend you bring a pack containing items that you would normally take with you on a day out into the backcountry e.g. extra clothing, tarp, ski poles, duct tape, fire starter kit, ensolite/Thermarest, Swiss army knife/Leatherman.
• Additionally, participants are welcome to bring equipment with them that they regularly use in a backcountry setting to use as part of scenarios, examples would be snowshoes, skis, snowboards, ice axes, avalanche probes, etc.
• The First Aid kit you would normally bring on a trip.

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require full payment at the time of booking.

Detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.