ECP Wilderness First Responder Course

A comprehensive course compliant with Wilderness Medical Society content and duration guidelines (65 hours, not including pre-reading). Pre-requisites for this course are either an in date First Aid at Work or 2-day ECP Exploration Medicine course, or equivalent qualification.

This course includes the Royal College of Surgeons (Edin.) accredited First Person on Scene (Intermediate) course content, with further lectures and scenarios to cover a variety of wilderness medical issues to allow students to operate as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) for an expedition or Field Team.

This course lasts 7 days (a week including the following weekend) and includes evening lectures and night-time scenarios. The course is tailored to the outdoor, expedition, and remote-area market as it includes multiple extended outdoor scenarios allowing attendees to benefit from significant practical experience in a supportive environment. The course is complimented by a comprehensive WFR manual and is certified with the First Person on Scene Intermediate certificate that is clinically endorsed by the Royal College of Surgeons (Edin.).

Course content:

• Wilderness First Responder vs. Urban First Responder
• Medical legal issues
• Safety
• Blood-borne pathogens
• Resuscitation and CPR
• Airway management
• Shock
• Wound management, including bad bleeds
• Thermal burns
• Sprains and strains
• Fractures and dislocations
• Head and facial trauma
• Spinal column and cord injuries
• Chest trauma
• Abdominal trauma
• Environmental injuries (heat, cold, lightning, etc.)
• Bites, stings, poisons, and toxins
• Allergies and anaphylaxis
• Altitude emergencies
• Drowning
• Water and food-borne illnesses
• Neurology and changes in levels of consciousness
• Respiratory distress
• Cardiology and chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Gender-related injuries and illnesses
• Diabetes
• Common simple expedition problems
• Expedition medical kits
• Search and rescue
• Packaging and transportation
• Critical incident stress management