Wilderness First Aid Courses

[Jasper]

I am looking at taking a wilderness first aid course this fall and would appreciate any advise the members can provide. It appears that there are to primary training companies: SOLO and Wilderness Medicine. Which is better?

I have CPR and Red Cross First Aid training but I am looking for something more advanced and suited to backcountry travel and foreign travel.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I don't know which one is better. I have attended SOLO for my Wilderness certification for my EMT upgrade and will be going again in October for the third time to recert for my wilderness portion. I am very satisfied with SOLO and think highly of the staff and curriculum. I would not hesitate to take any instruction from them.

I had investigated the WMA courses and when I looked it was hard to get information on them and harder still to find a course but that was several years ago. I have no knowledge of their courses or teacher qualifications.

Keith

 

[Waumbek]

I can't compare either but can vouch for an excellent experience with SOLO for a WFA course. It was very "hands-on" with mock scenarios outdoors. I suspect that SOLO is consistently good. I took the course through the Hulbert Center/Aloha Foundation at Lake Fairlee VT and appreciated the fact that they allowed "day" commuter students, so that locals who did not need overnight accommodations, and others who didn't want them, could avoid the lodging fee. That is not always the case with SOLO hosts.

 

[Chip]

About 5 years ago I took the WFA through the ADK at Heart Lake with Wilderness Medical Associates. I felt like there was too much time spent with Patient Assessment (identifying potential injuries for the hand-off to the SAR's or EMT's) and not enough time on actual Wilderness First Aid (what I can do for the injured NOW.) I plan to take the WFA again soon through SOLO around here, because I've heard alot of good things about SOLO, I need to re-cert and I'd like to see if their instruction is any different.

I see on SOLO's site there is an Advanced WFA course and the much more comprehensive WFR course also.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I have CPR and Red Cross First Aid training but I am looking for something more advanced and suited to backcountry travel and foreign travel.

What foreign countries are you talking about and how far from a hospital measured in days? That would make a big difference as to the level of training I would suggest.

Keith

 

[forestgnome]

Mrs. Forestgnome just began WEMT today at SOLO. We live 5 minutes away. She's very excited and her plans are to progress toward paramedic. She'd appreciate any advice from those who have attended, and we'll check in with comments in a couple weeks.

Happy Trails

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Mrs. Forestgnome just began WEMT today at SOLO. We live 5 minutes away. She's very excited and her plans are to progress toward paramedic. She'd appreciate any advice from those who have attended, and we'll check in with comments in a couple weeks.

Happy Trails

I didn't take my EMT classes from SOLO. I only got my wilderness certification from them. EMT and Paramedic is the difference between 120 hours of training and 1400 hours of training and while you won't become rich I cannot think of a more honorable profession. One thing though. They refer to an EMT as BLS (Basic Life Support) training and a Paramedic as ALS (Advanced Life Support). You must have a good background in BLS. You always must do BLS before ALS so all Paramedics should be and usually are exceptional EMT's first and foremost. Most good Paramedic programs will not even accept an EMT into a Paramedic program until they have around two years of EMT experience.

Best of luck to your wife on her journey. If there are any questions I might be able to answer she can PM me.

Keith

 

[sleeping bear]

I've only ever taken SOLO courses before and can't complain. It can be pretty dependant on the instructor too though.

Recently I heard that WMI was really the way to go, although I have no basis by which to measure that and one of the guys who said that bashed the school I'm currently going to.

Either way, WMI is run through NOLS so it's probably pretty damn good. I have no experience with WMA.

 

[forestgnome]

I didn't take my EMT classes from SOLO. I only got my wilderness certification from them. EMT and Paramedic is the difference between 120 hours of training and 1400 hours of training and while you won't become rich I cannot think of a more honorable profession. One thing though. They refer to an EMT as BLS (Basic Life Support) training and a Paramedic as ALS (Advanced Life Support). You must have a good background in BLS. You always must do BLS before ALS so all Paramedics should be and usually are exceptional EMT's first and foremost. Most good Paramedic programs will not even accept an EMT into a Paramedic program until they have around two years of EMT experience.

Best of luck to your wife on her journey. If there are any questions I might be able to answer she can PM me.

Keith

Thanks very much!