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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Exiled from Maine
    Posts
    418

    Anyone taken Wilderness First Aid with NOLS and REI?

    Being in Chicago, I believe this course was previously only offered up behind the cheddar curtain in Milwaukee (which is pronounced mill-e-wah-que and is Algonquin for "out of the wildcard").

    Curious if any have taken it and if they found it to be worth the $245? I might be able to use professional development funds to cover it. Of course around here, it'll probably be heavy on patching holes in people.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Your Mom's House
    Posts
    8,291
    Not through them, but I have taken a Wilderness First Aid class and found it to be extremely worthwhile.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    on the banks of Fish Creek
    Posts
    7,474
    ditto

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    923
    I'd say the opposite really.
    The course is so short that everything covered is mostly common sense. It is nice to formalize a bit of intuition and common sense into their standard format, however, it didn't seem super applicable to scenarios I might find myself in with skiing/mtb.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    NAZ
    Posts
    500
    Took my WFR and one of my re-certs through NOLS/WMI. I would highly recommend them. Solid first aid skills are always good to have.
    It sucks to suck.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    DownEast
    Posts
    3,208
    More than anything it is worthwhile to be able to learn the protocols and language of first responders/ski patrol/search and rescue personnel to be able to quickly and concisely communicate information regarding patient status in an emergency. A “SOAP note” greatly aids more highly trained persons expedite help.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,843
    Quote Originally Posted by DolphinSki View Post
    Took my WFR and one of my re-certs through NOLS/WMI. I would highly recommend them. Solid first aid skills are always good to have.
    WFR and WFA are pretty different. One is a quick weekend of classes (WFA), the other is a 9-10 day intensive experience (WFR).

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Driggs
    Posts
    689
    I found the WFA to be great first class. Great content for the time spent. I've take it from both NOLS and Jackson hole outdoor leadership. Jake with Jackson hole knows his stuff.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    NAZ
    Posts
    500
    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    WFR and WFA are pretty different. One is a quick weekend of classes (WFA), the other is a 9-10 day intensive experience (WFR).
    Yep, I originally took a WFA a few years before my WFR and have used WFA courses for my re-certs. Just speaking to the way NOLS/WMI handles their classes and the quality of their instructors, I would highly recommend them.
    It sucks to suck.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    mammoth lakes, ca
    Posts
    113
    just did my wfr with nols (specifically with brandon schwartz in tahoe). it was super painful to give up a week and a day of precious vacation time, but my gf and I both came away from it psyched on the experience.

    a++ would recommend for sure

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    9,300ft
    Posts
    21,921
    I highly recommend Colorado Mountain College, Desert Mountain Medicine and WMA as providers for backcountry medical training. They are at least as good as NOLS, if not better, and typically cheaper, sometimes way cheaper.
    Quote Originally Posted by blurred
    skiing is hiking all day so that you can ski on shitty gear for 5 minutes.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
    Posts
    4,336
    Quote Originally Posted by Summit View Post
    I highly recommend Colorado Mountain College, Desert Mountain Medicine and WMA as providers for backcountry medical training. They are at least as good as NOLS, if not better, and typically cheaper, sometimes way cheaper.
    Our local guy is affiliated with WMA, and also provides our WorkSafe level 1 with endorsements. Highly recommend WMA. Also great fun to do both series seeing difference between 15min to a hospital vs several hours or more in the woods. The tricky part is always the extra protocols needing medical sign-off under the employer or other association for legal application in formal settings. I need to recert my 80hr WFR this fall.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Where the climate suits my clothes.
    Posts
    5,601
    Have taken WFA, WFR and WEMT courses through NOLS, WFA and SOLO. Honestly don't have a bad thing to say about any of them.

    I would agree that if you have basic 1st aid knowledge, were a boy scout, etc.. the WFA is probably nice but not a ton of new useful info.

    WFR on the other hand, is something that I wish all backcountry travelers had. Huge step up in terms of stabilizing and minimizing evacuation level injuries.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    on the banks of Fish Creek
    Posts
    7,474
    Quote Originally Posted by JayPowHound View Post
    WFR on the other hand, is something that I wish all backcountry travelers had. Huge step up in terms of stabilizing and minimizing evacuation level injuries.

    I agree, especially so that folks can understand what it really takes to evacuate somebody over rough terrain for a long distance. It’s a lot harder than it sounds.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,943
    Echo the above: WFA not worth it unless you need the specific cert for a job or you have no experience at all with first aid. WFR however is a great course and I left that 10 day experience with skills that could actually make the difference in someone’s life.

    Later I did the whole Wilderness-EMT and worked in wilderness SAR and EMS and most of what I used I learned in the WFR training (except for the rare EMT-specific tools which honestly don’t come out that much.)

    NOLS was a great organization. As a side benefit, NOLS alumni are eligible for some discounts on ExpertVoice (previously Promotive).

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