Herd of bison grazing in a grassy field with a few scattered trees and a cloudy blue sky.

Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

Upcoming Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Courses

Host A Custom Wilderness Medicine Course

  • Save Money

    Hosting a custom wilderness medicine course can significantly reduce training costs. For example, a standard WFA course costs $325 per person. However, a custom course for your organization with up to 12 participants costs only $3000, resulting in potential savings of up to $900.

  • Custom Content

    Custom courses allow for highly personalized instruction. We'll interview you to understand your specific needs and the conditions your group faces. This allows us to tailor scenarios to the medical emergencies you're most likely to encounter, ensuring the training is highly relevant and effective.

    For example, if you are a group of climbing guides who operate on multi-pitch routes, your training would emphasize:

    Musculoskeletal Trauma Management (e.g., severe fractures or dislocations) with limited splinting resources.

    Patient Packaging and Stabilization while managing a patient on a small ledge or during a difficult vertical evacuation.

    Treating Heat-Related Illnesses or Lightning Injuries common to exposed rock environments.

  • Convenience & Accessibility

    We make securing essential training easy by letting you choose the option that fits your team best. You have two flexible options for your custom Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course:

    Host at Your Location: We bring the training to you! You secure a suitable location with classroom space and access to the outdoors, convenient for your team. This eliminates your travel costs, such as gas, flights, and accommodation.

    Host at Our Custer Facility: Bring your team to us! You can hold your custom training at the Don't Panic training facility in Custer, SD, at no extra charge for the venue.

Contact Us to Learn More!

Wilderness First Aid:

Your first line of defense in the wilderness

  • This training is for outdoor leaders that are never far from the umbrella of the local EMS response. They are taught to recognize, treat, and stabilize basic injuries and medical issues and call for an evacuation.

    • Goes beyond basic first aid: This course builds on your existing knowledge by focusing specifically on wilderness emergencies and limited resources. You'll learn how to prevent, assess, and treat environmental illnesses and injuries unique to the outdoors.

    • Life support skills for remote locations: The WFA course equips you to recognize and stabilize life-threatening situations caused by trauma in remote environments. This includes vital skills for wilderness settings where rapid medical assistance might not be readily available.

    • Confidence in handling emergencies: Gain the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively call for rescue when faced with a wilderness emergency. Learn how to manage the situation effectively until help arrives.

    • CPR and AED (3 year certification)

  • None

    • Outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers

    • Camp counselors and outdoor educators

    • Trip leaders and guides

    • Anyone spending time in remote or rural areas

    • Individuals seeking a foundational understanding of wilderness medicine

  • Do you represent a group of individuals with similar interests? Tailor your training to your specific outdoor pursuits! We offer specialty WFA courses designed for

    • Rock climbers

    • Trail runners

    • Winter backcountry users

    • Mountain bikers

    • Hunters and anglers

    • You dream it up, we can tailor it to your needs

  • We are proud to teach Desert Mountain Medicine (DMM) courses and believe they are the highest quality wild med has to offer! Here are a few of the reasons:

    • Desert Mountain Medicine (DMM) has offered wilderness medicine training for outdoor recreationalists, outdoor professionals, medical professionals, government agency personnel, and industry professionals who operate in remote regions since 1998.

    • They are a founding member of the Wilderness Medicine Education Collaborative (WMEC) and take an active role in determining best practice and industry standards in wilderness medicine.

    • Their field manual and course curricula are updated regularly to ensure students receive the most up-to-date medical field research and treatment practices.

“Fantastic! Was more than expected.  Scenarios were incredible.  Couldn’t have chosen a better instructor.”

“I am confident that my training with you will save someone’s life if the situation arises.  Thank you very much.”

  • "Very well done and professionally run. Quality materials from the CPR dummies to the student kits. Good mix of interactive lessons and hands on practice."

  • "The repetition of key concepts and actually making us repeat them helped solidify learning. Scenarios can be intimidating, but were incredibly valuable to give us practical experience."

  • "Instructor was very effective, supportive, engaged with everyone in the class. Very good!"

  • "I was impressed. I learned a lot more than I do in other wilderness classes."

  • "Great information provided in a systematic fashion. Great reviews of material during course. I definitely feel more confident that I could provide care in an emergency situation."