The American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basics course is for those who work, live or play in remote areas - away from the usual EMS service. Even though the emergency workers near these areas may be trained to search for and rescue those in need, there may be a delay in the notification of assistance, the time required to get to the patient, or in moving the patient to more advanced treatment.

The types of activities and persons needing more advanced training in first aid could be:

● Hikers and backpackers
● Kayakers and canoers
● Farm workers
● Utility workers in remote areas
● Forest Rangers
● Law enforcement and rescue crews

This 16-hour course was developed to meet the unique area of the southern Appalachian mountains, but can be applied to other remote areas as well. It uses a combination of classroom, skills practice and role play learning to teach the response steps and treatment of injuries and illnesses in a delayed-help situation.

Learning Objectives:

 ● Identify how to respond to delayed-help emergency situations.
 ● Identify 3 types of delayed-help environments.
 ● Identify causes of injuries and ways injuries can be prevented in wilderness areas.
 ● Learn proper advance preparation for journeys into the back country.
 ● Learn the first aid Emergency Action Steps to use when EMS is not readily available.
 ● Learn basic and more advanced first aid techniques to use when injury occurs.
 ● Describe techniques for protecting the victim from weather.
 ● Discuss difficult decisions to be made in a delayed-help emergency situation.
 ● Learn how to respond to an emotionally upset victim.
 ● Learn short distance transfer and evacuation techniques.
 ● Experience providing wilderness first aid rescues that test knowledge and skills.

Wilderness First Aid 2008 Schedule  

Saturday, March 1st, 2008 ---&--- Saturday, March 8th, 2008

Saturday, October 18th, 2008 ---&--- Saturday, October 25th, 2008

All classes are from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 P.M.  You MUST attend BOTH Saturday classes for certification and pre-registration is required.

Minimum of 8 participants in each class.

Participants must be at least 15 years of age. Cost per student: $95.00.  For more information, call us at (615) 790-5785 or (800) 663-5785.