$1295
6 Hrs
80 Hours / 8 Days
Vancouver, Squamish
None
“Just completed our 40 hour WFA in Squamish with Dusty. I can’t say enough good things about the whole experience.”
“Excellent team and incredible knowledge. I had a blast working with them.”
Whether you are an outdoor pro leading people out of the comforting reach of urban ambulance services, or a seasoned adventurer exploring the best Canada has to offer, Wilderness First Responder will prepare you to manage accidents and medical emergencies in harsh environments where rescue might be hours or days away.
From improvised treatments to professional level gear, this is Canada’s top-tier training for anyone who spends time where resources are scarce, access difficult, and communications unreliable.
Wilderness First Responders can be found in a wide variety of roles throughout the backcountry, including guides, instructors, outdoor educators, ski patrol, search and rescue, and many more. These positions are diverse, but all expect a high level of personal responsibility, and require that you are prepared to take the lead in high-stress, high-reward situations where you must make decisions quickly, keep your head, and maintain your professionalism under extreme circumstances for extended periods of time.
If you think you are well-suited to such a position, than this program is for you.
WARNING: A WFR course is an experience you will never forget; to create this experience, the training is intensive and both physically and mentally challenging. 50% – 80% of your training will take place outside, no matter the weather, and the curriculum includes moderate hiking and an overnight experience.
Full participation is required. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns about this experience.
Our alumni are found in many diverse careers, including backcountry guides, coaches and instructors, high school and middle school outdoor education teachers, ski patrol, volunteer search and rescue and, many more.
Furthermore, WFR indicates that you can handle a medical emergency in an austere environment, and is a strong asset when applying to any job that takes place outside of easy EHS access.
WFR graduates can upgrade their certification to a 120 hour Emergency Medical Responder, which offers opportunities in formal EHS systems, fire departments, and with private ambulance companies. EMR license holders are also considered qualified for jobs that require Advanced First Aid (OFA-3).
Evening Scenario on Day 2
You'll need it...
Overnight Scenario on Day 8
This schedule is an estimate, subject to change by the course instructor instructor.
Our courses start in one of our training bases, but at least 75% of wilderness first aid courses take place in the great outdoors – rain or shine!
The WFR schedule includes an online pre-study study module followed by 8 days of in-person training starting on Friday and ending the following Saturday. The following is a typical schedule:
*Day 2 (Saturday) includes a 3-4 hour evening scenario.
** Day 7 (Friday) includes a full overnight scenario.
Reference materials are included in your tuition fee. For early access, please contact us.
Successful participants will receive a Red Cross Wilderness First Responder with Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. This certification is nationally recognized, and internationally recognizable.
WFR graduates can upgrade their certification to the 120 hour Emergency Medical Responder certificate.
EMR offers job opportunities in formal EHS systems, fire departments, and private ambulance companies. EMR also includes a pathway to achieving an Advanced First Aid (formerly OFA-3) certificate.
The following are a few of the professional organizations that recognize our WFR certification. If you are curious about another organization, please enquire with them or us for more information.
Unfortunately, the nature of wilderness medicine would make a prior learning assessment very difficult to conduct. That said, we have previously trained health care providers including paramedics, nurses, physicians, care aides, dentists, and psychiatrists, and they have all been surprised and delighted by how much they learned, how much fun they had – and how many CE credits they earned to maintain their license!
Yes! WFR is not usually a specific job title, but the certification is a requirement or strong asset for a wide variety of outdoors positions and careers. Adding a WFR certification to your resume can make you much more attractive to employers, and give you a step up when applying to the job of your dreams!
It is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to take on the WFR unless you can clear your schedule for the 9 days of the course. Our WFR is mentally and physically taxing, and if you are not able to come to each day well-rested, you will find it very difficult to give your training the necessary attention to be successful.
A list of recommended gear will be sent to you with your course information package. In short, you should prepare for each day as if for a day hike, including adequate footwear, layers, rain protection, snacks, water, and your ten essentials. It is very important that you prepare for the worst weather the season might offer – you will spend a lot of time outdoors, and being cold and wet will negatively affect your learning.
Courses are open for registration up to 6 months in advance. To register for courses scheduled later, please contact our office.
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“My instructors were Chantelle and Straun and they were amazing! Highly recommend Coast Wilderness Medical Training!”
“Great WFR. Top notch instructors – shout out to Straun, Dusty, and Ashley for being incredibly knowledgeable and patient.”