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Wilderness First Responder

Duration

80 hours

Age

16+ yrs

Tuition

$540 to $1,780

Learn about Financial Aid & Scholarships

See Dates

If you work or recreate in the outdoors or in other austere environments where access to medical care is delayed or communication is unreliable, our 9-10 day Wilderness First Responder course is for you! It is the industry standard for professional guides, trip leaders, search and rescue team members, outdoor recreationists, and international travelers.

Upon completion, you will be able to conduct a thorough physical exam, obtain a patient history, assess vital signs, provide emergency care in the wilderness, and make crucial evacuation decisions.

You'll learn both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather, so come prepared for wet, muddy, cold, or hot environments!

Course Policies
Please review our policies including cancellation policies, attendance requirements, minimum age requirements, and more. 

Also see dates for our Hybrid Wilderness First Responder courses.

Links/Downloads

WFR Course Outline

COVID-19 Disclosure

COVID-19 Video

WFR Course Overview

Student Agreement

Additional Details

Continuing Education (Learn More)
This course is pre-approved for 70 hours of EMT Continuing Education Hours by the Commission on Accreditation of Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE).

If you're an active member of the Wilderness Medical Society, you may earn up to 55 hours of credit towards a Fellowship of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) with this course. Check with the Wilderness Medical Society for your personal credit details.
 

Academic Credit (Learn more)
This course is approved for 3 college credits through the University of Utah and 3 college credits through Western Colorado University.
 

Course Approval
This course meets the American Camp Association 2012 Standards and the Boy Scouts of America Wilderness First Aid training requirements. Additionally, the Wilderness First Responder course (WILDMI-555) is approved by the United States Coast Guard to meet the first aid and CPR training requirements of 46 CFR 11.201(i)(1)(ii) and 46 CFR 11.201(i)(2)(iiI) for a merchant mariner credential.

Course Dates

77 courses

Dates

Geolocation

Woodinville, WA
REI Outdoor School

Jul 9, 2021 –
Jul 18, 2021

$765 to $800

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Boulder, CO
University of Colorado-Boulder

Jul 9, 2021 –
Jul 18, 2021

$725 to $775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Sun Valley, ID
Idaho Rescue Training

Jul 9, 2021 –
Jul 17, 2021

$775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Jul 10, 2021 –
Jul 18, 2021

$795 to $1,020

Enroll Now

Pomona, NY
REI Outdoor School

Jul 10, 2021 –
Jul 19, 2021

$765 to $800

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Fort Collins, CO
CSU Outdoor Program

Jul 19, 2021 –
Jul 28, 2021

$675 to $775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Allenspark, CO
Mountain Rescue Institute

Jul 23, 2021 –
Aug 1, 2021

$775

2 spaces Enroll Now

Boulder, CO
University of Colorado-Boulder

Jul 23, 2021 –
Aug 1, 2021

$725 to $775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Austin, TX
University of Texas at Austin

Jul 23, 2021 –
Aug 1, 2021

$775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Banner Elk, NC
Lees McRae College

Jul 31, 2021 –
Aug 8, 2021

$540 to $790

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Sausalito, CA
Ready SF

Aug 6, 2021 –
Aug 14, 2021

$800

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Gunnison, CO
NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Aug 6, 2021 –
Aug 15, 2021

$795

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Boulder, CO
University of Colorado-Boulder

Aug 6, 2021 –
Aug 15, 2021

$725 to $775

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Salt Lake City, UT
University of Utah

Aug 13, 2021 –
Aug 22, 2021

TBA

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff Field Institute

Aug 14, 2021 –
Aug 22, 2021

$795

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Lanesboro, MN
Winona State University

Aug 16, 2021 –
Aug 25, 2021

$1,299

Enroll Now

Mt. Hood, OR
Renee Jenkinson/Pacific Wilds

Aug 20, 2021 –
Aug 29, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Tahoe City, CA
Elevation Maritime LLC

Aug 21, 2021 –
Aug 29, 2021

$815

Full, Waitlist Available Enroll Now

Ogden, UT
Idaho Rescue Training

Aug 28, 2021 –
Sep 6, 2021

$775

Enroll Now

Santa Cruz, CA
NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Sep 3, 2021 –
Sep 12, 2021

$845

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Sep 4, 2021 –
Sep 12, 2021

$795 to $1,020

Enroll Now

Jackson, WY
Teton Science Schools

Sep 6, 2021 –
Sep 15, 2021

$990 to $1,780

Enroll Now

Estes Park, CO
Mountain Rescue Institute

Sep 8, 2021 –
Sep 17, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Mt. Hood, OR
Renee Jenkinson/Pacific Wilds

Sep 10, 2021 –
Sep 19, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Crested Butte, CO
Irwin Guides

Sep 13, 2021 –
Sep 22, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Woodinville, WA
REI Outdoor School

Sep 17, 2021 –
Sep 26, 2021

$765 to $800

Enroll Now

Ranikhet, India
NOLS India

Sep 17, 2021 –
Sep 26, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Thoreau, NM
Cottonwood Gulch Foundation

Sep 18, 2021 –
Sep 26, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Kobarid, Slovenia
Crossing Latitudes

Sep 22, 2021 –
Oct 2, 2021

$1,150

Enroll Now

Reykjavik, Iceland
Icelandic Mountain Guides

Sep 28, 2021 –
Oct 7, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

St Paul, MN
REI Outdoor School

Oct 1, 2021 –
Oct 10, 2021

$765 to $800

Enroll Now

Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff Field Institute

Oct 1, 2021 –
Oct 10, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Bend, OR
Bend Park & Recreation District

Oct 5, 2021 –
Oct 14, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Leavenworth, WA
Wilderness Medicine Northwest

Oct 9, 2021 –
Oct 17, 2021

$850

Enroll Now

Salt Lake City, UT
University of Utah

Oct 9, 2021 –
Oct 17, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Kandersteg, Switzerland
Crossing Latitudes

Oct 12, 2021 –
Oct 22, 2021

$1,450

Enroll Now

Mt. Hood, OR
Renee Jenkinson/Pacific Wilds

Oct 15, 2021 –
Oct 24, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Oct 16, 2021 –
Oct 24, 2021

$795 to $925

Enroll Now

Estes Park, CO
Mountain Rescue Institute

Oct 25, 2021 –
Nov 3, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff Field Institute

Nov 6, 2021 –
Nov 14, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Coeur d’Alene, ID
Idaho Rescue Training

Nov 8, 2021 –
Nov 17, 2021

$780

Enroll Now

Bishop, CA
Sierra Mountain Center

Nov 9, 2021 –
Nov 18, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Mt. Hood, OR
Renee Jenkinson/Pacific Wilds

Nov 12, 2021 –
Nov 21, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Kilijava, Finland
Crossing Latitudes

Nov 15, 2021 –
Nov 25, 2021

$1,150

Enroll Now

Midpines, CA
Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Nov 30, 2021 –
Dec 9, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Estes Park, CO
Mountain Rescue Institute

Dec 1, 2021 –
Dec 10, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Vernon Hills, IL
REI Outdoor School

Dec 3, 2021 –
Dec 12, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

McCall , ID
McCall Outdoor Science School

Dec 3, 2021 –
Dec 12, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Flagstaff, AZ
Flagstaff Field Institute

Dec 3, 2021 –
Dec 12, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Boone, NC
Appalachian State University - Outdoor Programs

Dec 9, 2021 –
Dec 17, 2021

$795

Enroll Now

Santa Cruz, CA
NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Dec 10, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

$845

Enroll Now

Woodinville, WA
REI Outdoor School

Dec 10, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

$765 to $800

Enroll Now

Boulder, CO
University of Colorado-Boulder

Dec 10, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

$725 to $775

Enroll Now

Tampa, FL
University of South Florida - Tampa

Dec 11, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Dec 11, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

$795 to $1,020

Enroll Now

Eugene, OR
City of Eugene

Dec 11, 2021 –
Dec 19, 2021

TBA

Enroll Now

Greensboro, NC
Landmark Learning

Dec 13, 2021 –
Dec 21, 2021

$820

Enroll Now

Boulder, CO
University of Colorado-Boulder

Dec 27, 2021 –
Jan 5, 2022

$725 to $775

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Jan 1, 2022 –
Jan 9, 2022

$825 to $1,050

Enroll Now

Incline Village, NV
Sierra Nevada University

Jan 4, 2022 –
Jan 13, 2022

$735

Enroll Now

Apopka (Orlando area), FL
Lewis and Clark College

Jan 5, 2022 –
Jan 14, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Arcata, CA
The Trustees of the CSU, on behalf of Humboldt State University

Jan 5, 2022 –
Jan 14, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Walla Walla, WA
Whitman College

Jan 7, 2022 –
Jan 16, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Brevard, NC
Brevard College

Jan 15, 2022 –
Jan 23, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Tucson, AZ
NOLS Southwest

Feb 8, 2022 –
Feb 17, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Feb 21, 2022 –
Mar 1, 2022

$825 to $1,050

Enroll Now

Kathmandu, Nepal
Idaho Rescue Training

Feb 24, 2022 –
Mar 5, 2022

$1,190

Enroll Now

Ranikhet, India
NOLS India

Feb 25, 2022 –
Mar 6, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

La Paz, Mexico
NOLS Mexico

Feb 26, 2022 –
Mar 7, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Mar 5, 2022 –
Mar 13, 2022

$825 to $1,050

Enroll Now

Coeur d’Alene, ID
Idaho Rescue Training

Mar 5, 2022 –
Mar 13, 2022

$790

Enroll Now

Walla Walla, WA
Whitman College

Mar 12, 2022 –
Mar 21, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Mar 19, 2022 –
Mar 27, 2022

$825 to $1,050

Enroll Now

Cullowhee, NC
Landmark Learning

Apr 9, 2022 –
Apr 17, 2022

$825 to $1,050

Enroll Now

Santiago, Chile
NOLS Patagonia

Apr 15, 2022 –
Apr 24, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Conway, WA
NOLS Pacific Northwest

May 6, 2022 –
May 15, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Arcata, CA
The Trustees of the CSU, on behalf of Humboldt State University

May 18, 2022 –
May 27, 2022

TBA

Enroll Now

Topics Covered

  • Patient Assessment System
  • Documentation
  • Medical Legal
  • CPR
  • Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Long-term Patient Care
  • Chest Injuries
  • Shock
  • Head Injuries
  • Wilderness Wound Management
  • Athletic Injuries
  • Fracture Management and Traction Splinting
  • Dislocations
  • Cold Injuries
  • Heat Illness
  • Altitude Illness
  • Cardiac, Respiratory and Neurological Emergencies
  • Abdominal Emergencies
  • Mental Health Emergencies
  • Bites, Stings and Poisoning
  • Allergies and Anaphylaxis
  • Diabetes
  • Search and Rescue
  • Leadership, Teamwork, and Communication
  • Communicable Disease
  • Lightning
  • Submersion
  • Urinary and Reproductive System Issues
  • Medical Decision Making
  • Common Wilderness Medical Problems
  • Wilderness Drug and First Aid Kits
Curriculum details

Financial Aid & Scholarships

NOLS supports a variety of outside financial aid options:

  • AmeriCorps
  • 529 College Savings Plans
  • Veteran's Benefits (In Wyoming only)

If you are fluent in American Sign Language or Signed Exact English, you may be eligible to receive a full scholarship to your wilderness medicine course. 

Keep Your Certification Current

Your Wilderness First Responder certification will be current for two years. Recertify your course with a WFR Recert or Hybrid WFR Recert course, or look into our WAFA and WFA courses for other recertification options.

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