Wilderness First Responder Course (WFR) @ Radford, VA
Date/Time
5/17/2018 - 5/25/2018
8am-5pm
Event Type(s)
Wilderness Medicine
Event Description

The NOLS Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is designed to provide you with the tools to make critical medical and evacuation decisions in remote locations. Classroom lectures and demonstrations are combined with realistic scenarios where mock patients will challenge you to integrate your learning.

The 80-hour curriculum includes standards for urban and extended care situations. Special topics include but are not limited to: wound management and infection, realigning fractures and dislocations, improvised splinting techniques, patient monitoring and long-term management problems, up-to-date information on all environmental emergencies, plus advice on drug therapies. Emphasis is placed on prevention and decision-making, not the memorization of lists. Half of your time will be spent completing practical skills, case studies and scenarios designed to challenge your decision-making abilities. Adult CPR is included in this course.

Learning takes place both in the classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather conditions. Come prepared for wet, muddy, cold or hot environments.

Location
Claytor Lake Aquatics Base
4100 Adventure Base Road
Radford, VA 24141

click here for Google Maps
Contact Person
Landmark Learning
(phone: 828.293.5384)
Details
Course Expectations
The WFR course is rapidly becoming the industry standard certification for guides and trip leaders. It is a 9-10 day intensive program, with greater than 80 hours of contact time in a learning setting. Teaching methods include an emphasis on didactic lectures and hands-on, experiential workshops and scenarios. There will be two evening sessions - one on the 3rd day of the course, and one on the 7th day (subject to rescheduling based on local weather and other logistics). The night mock rescue is one of the highlights of the course, pulling it all together in a backcountry setting, and illustrating what it truly takes to evacuate an injured or ill person. Your rescue gear needs to be packed and ready to go at any moment throughout the course. Please refer to and follow the WFR Gear List closely, and contact us with any questions you may have.
 
an earlier departure or you will have to make alternative testing arrangements at a later course. NOLS provides its own CPR certification within this course. It incorporates the American Heart Association’s 2015 curriculum guidelines with wilderness protocols to deliver a set of skills that is pertinent to our use in a wilderness setting. If you require, for your job description, an AHA training certificate we can discuss this with you prior to the course.
 
Bad things happen outdoors and usually in bad weather! So, be prepared for the weather...dress in layers that you can be removed indoors or in the sun, and layer up when we go outside. Full rain protection is a necessity, both rain tops and pants. Your comfort and ability to pay attention during this intense course will be helped if you stay well-hydrated and have snacks on hand to munch during class. The course ends with a written exam and a scenario-based practical exam. You must score 70% or better on the written exam and pass the practical exam to be eligible for certification. It is your responsibility to pass the exams on your own, and to let us know throughout the course when you are finding challenges and needing additional help. It is our job as educators to help you know where you are succeeding and where we see you are needing additional help, so that you can focus your energies and be successful at course end.
 
The course ends near 5PM on the last day with the exams, student evaluations of the experience, and graduation. Please do not make travel plans that require

Costs
Course is $725

Meals are $15 per day or pay for the ones that work for you.  $4 breakfast, $5 lunch, and $6 for dinners.  We can accommodate most dietary needs and will provide refrigerator space if needed for personal needs.  Total cost for meals are $135 for the course.

Lodging will be bunk house style, no more than four people per cabin.  $15 per night  Please bring a sleeping bag and pillow, linens can be provided for $15 for the week.  

If you are flying into the area the Roanoke, VA airport is the closest, we can offer a shuttle to the course if you need it.


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