An entry-level course designed for professionals working in significantly remote settings for days or weeks. 

Wilderness Advanced First Aid is comprehensive medical training designed for remote professionals or wilderness leaders who venture into remote and challenging environments. Wilderness Medicine differs significantly from standard first aid courses and other training that are oriented toward urban environments. This course teaches how to manage medical emergencies when hospitals and rescue services may not be available for an extensive time period. We prepare students for emergency situations that involve prolonged patient care, severe environments, and improvised equipment. Skills and information generally covered in the course include: 

• The General Principles of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine with an emphasis on the prevention and identification of medical emergencies and risk management.
• Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR and basic Life support.
• Environmental Medicine including hypothermia and heat illness, lightning, submersion, and bites and stings.
• Backcountry Medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems.
• Musculoskeletal Problems including unstable and stable injuries.
• Wound management including lacerations, burns, blisters, and infection control.
• Practical skills including splinting, bandaging, litter packaging and medical kit preparation.

Mornings are generally devoted to lectures and exams with afternoons devoted to practical hands-on sessions and rescue simulations. Expect many rescue simulations with made-up victims and stage blood that will be videotaped for enhanced learning. Evenings are reserved for study and assignments. Successful completion of this course involves full participation in the field simulations and written exams. Students will receive WAFA and Adult CPR certification cards upon completion of the course. 

**If you are using this course to recertify a WMA WEMT it is your responsibility to let the sponsor know when registering and to inform the instructor on the first day of class.**

Day 0: For participants who will be staying at the Bunkhouse in the State Park, we encourage you to arrive the evening before the course-start to get familiar with the area, the shower facilities, and food instead of dealing with it in the rush of the first morning. Plan to arrive by about 8:00 PM before it gets dark.

Day 1: Continental breakfast available for those who are opting to include Outward Bound provided meals. Be in the main building, finished with breakfast, and ready to hand in forms and final payments by 7:45 am. The class will start after these final details are wrapped-up and we've made a few general announcements/introductions.

Days 1-4: WAFA class from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM each day. Continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided each day for those who have elected this option. Actual start/end times may vary depending on WAFA instructor preferences.  

Day 4: Finish the WAFA class and depart.  Plan to stay until the evening. 

Daily flow: Participants help themselves to breakfast before the course start time each morning. Lunch is at noon. About a half-hour of clean-up chores follows lunch each day, and then it’s back to class until about 5pm or so.  Dinner is at 6:00 PM and evening chores are done at 6:30 PM.  There may be evening activities or study groups.  The WMA instructors set the course schedule and topics and any variations or absences must be discussed with them at your first convenience.

These are intense courses and 100% attendance throughout is required.  The schedule is set by WMA instructor discretion and most days will be full, possibly continuing into the evening.  The WMA instructors will outline the course schedule during the first day.  There is no advance preparation needed for the WAFA. The required texts are released about 30 days prior to the course.

In Texas the temperatures vary between 35-95 degrees during the fall. Typically there will be little to no rainfall during the desert portion of your course, though an occasional storm will happen. 

Lodging is available onsite at the Bunkhouse with an indoor restroom and shower facility for an additional $150 fee. If you are planning to stay at the Bunkhouse, all bedding is provided, however, please remember to bring your own toiletries and shower supplies. Please also see the packing list for complete details on what to bring.

Daily commuters will have access to a kitchen for food storage and meal preparation.  Refrigerators, stoves, cooking utensils, etc. are all available.  If you are opting in for the Outward Bound provided food, a continental breakfast is available and lunch and dinner will be prepared for you throughout the course.

Maintenance of the community space, chores, and meal clean-up are completed by everyone using the facilities. Please expect to take part in these activities along with the other community members. Do inform us of any special requests beyond what’s on your medical form, such as mobility restrictions, medication refrigeration, or dietary concerns.

There are often evening study groups and optional practice sessions.  We will plan to have all participants at dinner to accommodate group study time.