A couple months ago I posted a message on my experience with first aid training. That was a 20 hr. workplace sponsored Standard F/A with CPR. Well that was all and good but I wanted more training and training more suited to the outdoors, so I signed up for Wilderness First Responder (Wilderness Medical Associates, Canada).

This was an 80 hr. course and taught a much broader spectrum of first aid and even how to administer some common drugs. (ASA, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, etc. and some specific meds like albuterol, epinephrine, prednisone). I was in a relatively small class of 11 people - we must have run through about 100 different simulations and exercises over a span of 8 days. Everyone took turns playing the "patient", primary rescuer and secondary rescuer, where the simulations ran anywhere from 10 min. to 2 hr. Mornings were mostly lecture and afternoons mostly simulations. We covered a few extra topics like O2 administration, AED usage, emergency childbirth and Search/Rescue. I personally "died 2x, heart attack, ulcer stressed, knife cut, dislocated a shoulder and knee, experienced heat exhaustion, asthma attacks and screamed" my way though the scenarios -- hey, I was a good actor!

At least 2 of the simulations were full out, multi-patient, multi-hour, make-up enhanced sessions. We elected an overall group leader (Incident Commander) who's job it was to manage the resources at the scene and to call the shots as whom to evacuate and when to conduct S&R. I was fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your p.o.v.) choosen to be the group leader in the last simulation. I had two immediate patients with trauma conditions, a third medical condition patient that had to have S&R, and just for good measure -- one of my "rescuers" became my fourth patient because of a hypoglycemic condition at the scene! (The instructor loves throwing curve balls!)

6 specific wilderness protocols were taught: anaphylaxis, wound management, CPR, spline injuries, joint dislocations and severe asthma. The protocols differ from the urban context because of the time to transport to Advanced Life Support (ie. more than 2 hrs). I think the WFR is more useful to the layperson than urban F/A courses - BUT, and this is a big BUT, the wilderness protocols can and should only be used in a wilderness context. WMA will not back you up if you use these protocols in the urban.

WFA (wilderness first aid), WAFA (pronounced WAFA), WFR (pronounced WoFeR) and WEMT are the courses taught by WMA. The WFA is appropriate for recreational participants. The WAFA course is required for most assistant outdoor recreational leaders while WFR is required for most prime outdoor recreational leaders. Presumably WFR and WEMT qualifications are best suited to S&R techs. Regardless - I highly recommend taking the WFR course for anybody whether you are an outdoor leader or not. It challenges you to think on your feet and quickly assess a scene.

WMA is loosely associated with Outward Bound, another company WMI is associated with NOLS. Both are highly rated companies. Wilderness medicine is almost brand new as a concept (began around 1980) and is rapidly becoming the standard or outdoor recreational leadership.

ASA- Aspirin?

AED- Automated External Defibrillator? Antiepileptic Drug?

S&R- Search and Rescue? Segmentation & Reassembly? Storage and Retrieval? Squeaks and Rattles?

NOLS- National Outdoor Leadership School?

If they're not commonly used here, let's spell them out (at least the first time). I've been here for a couple of years, now, and hadn't seen any of these before.

It sounds like a great program.

Sue

I reccomend WFA training -- Its more advanced and more in depth than the standard ( red cross) first aid classes. It also assumes that you will be a bit farther away from help and will have to do some things on your own.

S&R = Well, I could have said SAR-techs but outside of the military even fewer people would realize who I speak of.
ASA = I honestly thought everybody knew what that was.
But AED and NOLS, I admitt I should have spelled those out.
Maybe the abbreviation thread needs to be expanded a bit, huh?

And btw, Canadians aren't just crazy, we're a little kooky as well. (Hey, I'm just trying to keep the alliteration going.)