Wilderness First Responder (WFR) with Basic Life Support (BLS) is an intensive nine-day course for outdoor professionals and experienced backcountry users who may need to manage medical emergencies when evacuation is prolonged and advanced care is many hours away. Delivered through the Canadian Red Cross, Wilderness First Responder develops the advanced patient assessment, treatment, leadership and decision-making skills needed to manage complex emergencies in remote and wilderness environments.

Delivered almost entirely outdoors, this course provides an immersive learning experience in the environments where participants are most likely to use their skills. Terrain, weather and season shape every course, bringing genuine challenges and learning opportunities. Camping or shared cabin accommodation is typically included, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the experience. Rather than simply learning wilderness first response, you will live it.

Participants develop skills in advanced patient assessment, prolonged patient care, medical and trauma management, leadership, evacuation planning and incident management while working with limited equipment and resources. Through realistic scenarios and extended simulations, participants learn to think critically, adapt to changing conditions and lead the medical response until evacuation or transfer of care is possible.

Ideal for: Professional guides, outdoor educators, expedition leaders, search and rescue personnel, ski patrol, conservation officers, park staff, wilderness therapy staff, remote workers and experienced outdoor enthusiasts seeking the highest level of non-EMS wilderness medical training.

Price: $1,320
Earlybird: $1280

Course length:

10 days

Example Course Schedule:

Prerequisites:

No previous first aid experience is required. Previous wilderness experience or first aid training is recommended, but not required.
Learners must be equipped, capable and prepared to spend most of each day outdoors, potentially for up to 10 hours, in all weather conditions and in overnight scenarios.
Learners staying on site are responsible for bringing their own camping equipment where applicable, and for arranging their own food and beverages. A course information package will outline the available facilities, accommodation arrangements and venue rules.

Included:

Personal CPR pocket mask
Access to digital learning materials, including the Emergency Care for Professional Responders eBook
A physical copy of the Remote and Wilderness Field Guide
Basic shared camping or cabin accommodation, where stated for the specific course
A digital Canadian Red Cross Wilderness First Responder certificate, valid for three years
BLS with Oxygen Therapy and Airway Management certification, valid for one year
One opportunity to reattempt unmet competencies within 30 days at no additional cost

Professional recognition and continuing education

The Canadian Red Cross Wilderness First Responder certificate is recognised by a range of outdoor and guiding organisations as an advanced wilderness first aid qualification.

It is accepted by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) toward the first aid requirements for its Alpine Guide, Ski Guide, Rock Guide and Hiking Guide training and assessment programmes.

The Wilderness First Responder with Basic Life Support certification is also recognised as a qualifying prerequisite by:

Canadian Ski Guides for the CSGI Level 1 programme
Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC (SKGABC) for Level 2 and Level 3 guide programmes
Recreational Canoeing Association of British Columbia (RCABC) for Canoe Expedition Guide certification
Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) for all instructor-certification levels

For currently licensed Emergency Medical Assistants in British Columbia, Canadian Red Cross Wilderness First Responder is an approved continuing-education activity worth 20 credits*.

*EMA licensing and continuing-competence requirements are set by the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board and may change. Learners should confirm current requirements before relying on a course for licence renewal.

Further training and career pathways

Wilderness First Responder is not an EMS licence or a job title in itself. It is, however, a well-recognised qualification and a strong asset for roles involving outdoor leadership, guiding, ski patrol, remote operations, education and search and rescue.

WFR graduates who want to pursue formal pre-hospital emergency-care work can pursue EMA First Responder licensing or continue into Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) training. Successful WFR candidates also receive a First Responder certificate, which may make them eligible for a shorter EMR bridge programme where available. EMR is a separate, more extensive programme that can provide a route toward work in certain emergency-health-services, fire-rescue and private medical-transport roles, subject to provincial licensing and employer requirements.

Wilderness First Responder is also a strong foundation for further wilderness-medicine study, including Wilderness Advanced Life Support (WALS) programmes and expedition-medicine training. Learners interested in working internationally as expedition medics or wilderness medics may wish to explore programmes such as Wilderness EMS (WEMS) or Wilderness Paramedic certification (WP-C). Expedition medics work in a range of roles worldwide, from non-profit and humanitarian work to film and television consultancy.

Is WFR right for you?

This course is demanding. It requires full attendance, active participation and the ability to remain engaged through long outdoor days, realistic scenarios and at least one overnight scenario.

You should be prepared to work in rain, snow, wind, cold, uneven terrain and low-light conditions. The aim is not to make the course unnecessarily uncomfortable, but to develop the judgment, resilience and practical competence needed when a real emergency happens in conditions that are inconvenient, unpredictable or genuinely unpleasant.

If you are unsure whether WFR is the right level of training for your goals, contact us before registering. We will help you determine whether Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness First Aid, Remote First Aid or another course is the best fit.