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Wilderness First Aid

Introduction to essential medical response skills

An intensive two-day introduction to essential concepts and skills in emergency medicine and first aid for remote and outdoor settings. The course covers the basics of patient assessment, basic life support including CPR, environmental emergencies, backcountry medical problems, and treatment of fractures, wounds, and more.

Recommended for those in outdoor, rural, disaster response or similar settings, but where access to advanced care is not highly delayed.

Course Overview

Wilderness First Aid

Course # 241102

Dates

November 16 –
November 17

Course Length

2 days

Location

Traverse City, Michigan

Notes

Prep day November 15 included.

Registration deadline

November 16

Cost

IDR 6.150.000,/- (USD 385)

Includes accommodation & meals

Language

English

Certification

Wilderness First Aid

Full Course Description

Course Description

The Wilderness First Aid curriculum is written by a team of remote medical rescue researchers and professionals. Ongoing evidence based research and review contributes to a unique and innovative approach to patient care in backcountry and austere settings. The curriculum is comprehensive, complete, and kept current on an annual basis. 

  • Wilderness Protocols including wound cleaning and exploration, and anaphylaxis.
  • General Principles of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine with an emphasis on the prevention and identification of medical emergencies, appropriate technology, and risk management.
  • Basic life support: circulatory system, nervous system, respiratory system.
  • Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR and the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
  • Environmental Medicine including hypothermia and heat illness, lightning, and submersion.
  • Backcountry Medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems, and improvised patient carries.
  • Musculoskeletal Problems including unstable and stable injuries.
  • Wound management including open fractures, lacerations, burns and blisters.
  • Practical skills including splinting and bandaging.

Recertification

Certifications are valid for three years. Learners may retake the WFA course to recertify. Graduates may also consider upgrading to the Wilderness Advanced First Aid and or Wilderness First Responder level of certification.

Contact us more information about recertification options.

Materials Provided

All teaching materials will be at no additional cost. Learners will receive the following books on this course:

  • Wilderness First Aid Guide
  • SOAP Notebook
  • Wilderness and Rescue Medicine textbook

Evaluation

Successful completion with certification is based on 100 percent attendance, satisfactory performance on homework assignments and written quizzes, demonstrated proficiency with practical skills, and a successful grade on a final written exam. Viristar is committed to making reasonable accommodation to any learner with special needs.

Certifications

Upon successful course completion, learners will receive certification in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR (based on ILCOR/AHA standards).

Certifications are valid for three years.

Prerequisites

Learners must be at least 16 years old to participate in this course. Those under 18 years of age require the written consent of a guardian or parent.

Syllabus

Download Full syllabus

Topics

Day 1

Welcome, registration, introduction
General Principles
Patient Assessment System
Basic Life Support & Adult CPR

Circulatory System
Respiratory System
Nervous System
Long Bone, Joint & Stable Musculoskeletal Injuries
Extremities Splinting

Day 2

Medical-Legal
Anaphylaxis
Improvised Patient Carries
Environmental Medicine: Thermoregulation, Submersion Injury, Lightning/Electrical Injury
Wounds & Burns

Lifting, Moving & Extrication
Backcountry Medicine
Testing, Conclusion

Instructor

Annie Linhart

Program Manager

Annie Linhart (she/her) is the Program Manager with Viristar. Annie has a proven track record of leadership in the outdoor industry, working in the experiential and adventure education sectors. She attended Southern Illinois University for her B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management, and obtained her M.S. in Outdoor Recreation at Indiana University. Some of Annie’s work experience includes instructing outdoor technical skills programs as well as experiential facilitation programs for collegiate outdoor programs, nonprofits, and instructing for Outward Bound California as well as the Colorado Outward Bound School. She most recently served as the Assistant Director for a nonprofit outdoor recreation and education center in Northern Michigan.

Annie is an EMT, a wilderness medicine instructor, an American Canoe Association L2 Kayak Instructor, a Leave No Trace Master Educator Trainer, and a Wilderness Lifeguard with Starfish Aquatics. Annie currently resides in Northern Michigan, a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. Her passions outside of work include snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, and throwing clay in the pottery studio.

Other Course Dates

List View Grid View
course name
Month/Year
start date
tuition
location

Wilderness First Aid

Dates: 16 November – 17 November, 2025
Cost: USD 123.45
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio USA
Instructor: Julie Marie Anderson
November, 2025
16 November, 2025
USD 123.45
Yellow Springs, Ohio USA

Wilderness First Aid

Dates: 3 May – 4 May, 2026
Cost: DKK 39.00
Location: Nuuk, Greenland
Instructor: Dr. Krystle Collins
May, 2026
3 May, 2026
DKK 39.00
Nuuk, Greenland

Course Description

The Wilderness First Aid curriculum is written by a team of remote medical rescue researchers and professionals. Ongoing evidence based research and review contributes to a unique and innovative approach to patient care in backcountry and austere settings. The curriculum is comprehensive, complete, and kept current on an annual basis. 

  • Wilderness Protocols including wound cleaning and exploration, and anaphylaxis.
  • General Principles of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine with an emphasis on the prevention and identification of medical emergencies, appropriate technology, and risk management.
  • Basic life support: circulatory system, nervous system, respiratory system.
  • Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR and the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
  • Environmental Medicine including hypothermia and heat illness, lightning, and submersion.
  • Backcountry Medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems, and improvised patient carries.
  • Musculoskeletal Problems including unstable and stable injuries.
  • Wound management including open fractures, lacerations, burns and blisters.
  • Practical skills including splinting and bandaging.

Recertification

Certifications are valid for three years. Learners may retake the WFA course to recertify. Graduates may also consider upgrading to the Wilderness Advanced First Aid and or Wilderness First Responder level of certification.

Contact us more information about recertification options.

Materials Provided

All teaching materials will be at no additional cost. Learners will receive the following books on this course:

  • Wilderness First Aid Guide
  • SOAP Notebook
  • Wilderness and Rescue Medicine textbook

Evaluation

Successful completion with certification is based on 100 percent attendance, satisfactory performance on homework assignments and written quizzes, demonstrated proficiency with practical skills, and a successful grade on a final written exam. Viristar is committed to making reasonable accommodation to any learner with special needs.

Certifications

Upon successful course completion, learners will receive certification in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR (based on ILCOR/AHA standards).

Certifications are valid for three years.

Prerequisites

Learners must be at least 16 years old to participate in this course. Those under 18 years of age require the written consent of a guardian or parent.

Syllabus

Download Full syllabus

Topics

Day 1

Welcome, registration, introduction
General Principles
Patient Assessment System
Basic Life Support & Adult CPR

Circulatory System
Respiratory System
Nervous System
Long Bone, Joint & Stable Musculoskeletal Injuries
Extremities Splinting

Day 2

Medical-Legal
Anaphylaxis
Improvised Patient Carries
Environmental Medicine: Thermoregulation, Submersion Injury, Lightning/Electrical Injury
Wounds & Burns

Lifting, Moving & Extrication
Backcountry Medicine
Testing, Conclusion

Instructor

Annie Linhart

Program Manager

Annie Linhart (she/her) is the Program Manager with Viristar. Annie has a proven track record of leadership in the outdoor industry, working in the experiential and adventure education sectors. She attended Southern Illinois University for her B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management, and obtained her M.S. in Outdoor Recreation at Indiana University. Some of Annie’s work experience includes instructing outdoor technical skills programs as well as experiential facilitation programs for collegiate outdoor programs, nonprofits, and instructing for Outward Bound California as well as the Colorado Outward Bound School. She most recently served as the Assistant Director for a nonprofit outdoor recreation and education center in Northern Michigan.

Annie is an EMT, a wilderness medicine instructor, an American Canoe Association L2 Kayak Instructor, a Leave No Trace Master Educator Trainer, and a Wilderness Lifeguard with Starfish Aquatics. Annie currently resides in Northern Michigan, a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. Her passions outside of work include snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, and throwing clay in the pottery studio.

Other Course Dates

List View Grid View
course name
Month/Year
start date
tuition
location

Wilderness First Aid

Dates: 16 November – 17 November, 2025
Cost: USD 123.45
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio USA
Instructor: Julie Marie Anderson
November, 2025
16 November, 2025
USD 123.45
Yellow Springs, Ohio USA

Wilderness First Aid

Dates: 3 May – 4 May, 2026
Cost: DKK 39.00
Location: Nuuk, Greenland
Instructor: Dr. Krystle Collins
May, 2026
3 May, 2026
DKK 39.00
Nuuk, Greenland
  • It was such a great experience!

    Nguyen Thu Thao

    Senior Instructor, Outward Bound Vietnam, Cát Hải, Bình Định, Vietnam

  • I learned a lot about medical conditions and how to treat and respond to them in the wilderness.

    Kamna Mishra

    Lead Instructor, Outward Bound Vietnam, Cát Hải, Bình Định, Vietnam

  • Great program. Amazing teachers.

    Andri Svansson

    WFR student, Keilir Academy Adventure Guide Studies Program, Reykjanesbaer, Iceland

  • The instructors were amazing.

    Guadalupe Navarro

    Community Engagement Manager, Sonoma County Regional Parks, California, USA

  • In-depth and helpful.

    Kris Roney

    WFR student, Keilir Academy Adventure Guide Studies Program, Reykjanesbaer, Iceland

  • Learned A LOT in a short time. The presenter was very approachable and was excellent at teaching learners of all backgrounds.

    Josh Doppelt

    Washington state, USA

  • Inspiring…got a new paradigm of first aid knowledge.

    Participant, Wilderness First Aid course

    Odyssey Institute, West Java, Indonesia

  • Great information made understandable, and skills needed explained and demonstrated well.

    Kalea D’Atre

    Wilderness First Aid student, Washington state, USA

  • We were very pleased with the top notch instruction from Viristar instructors for our Wilderness First Responder Course at Green School in Bali! THANKS Viristar!

    Kenny Peavy

    Head of Risk & Safety, Green School Bali & Green Camp Bali, Bali, Indonesia

  • We have been extremely pleased with the outdoor safety-related trainings…world-class.

    Gabriel Côté-Valiquette

    Program Coordinator, Keilir Adventure Studies, Reykjanesbær, Iceland

  • Derek Angevine

    Director of Experiential Education, Spring St International School, Washington state, USA

  • Great course–I feel much more prepared for wilderness emergencies.

    Tuva Rødningsand Kirkerud

    Keilir Academy Adventure Studies Program, Reykjavik, Iceland

  • This course is useful for humanitarian workers in remote contexts.

    Paul Harper

    Humanitarian aid worker, Cambodia

  • I’ve learned more than I expected…it was a hands-on inquiry-based learning journey with excellent guidance.

    Hanneri Coetsee

    Teacher, Satit Bilingual School of Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand

  • Very well done program and presentation.

    Gil LeFrancois

    Upper School Teacher, Charles Wright Academy, Washington state, USA