Wilderness First Responder

B

beachbunny

WKR
Joined
Oct 12, 2013
Messages
1,156
Can anyone recommend a good school for this. ?
I would like to get squared away for this season.
tia, bb
 
Just a heads up you're better off taking a regular Emt-B class and when out in the field thinking outside the box when it comes to splinting, treatments etc. if that makes sense. Most EMS systems DO NOT recognize wilderness first responders. In other words you get some cool wall candy from NOLS and you can do nothing with it...but hey you took the class! Check with your local EMS authority before you spend the time and money on the class. Sorry if I sound negative but I've been a Medic for a long time in a busy EMS system and I have seen countless people waste their time and money on a wilderness first responder course. I'd like to save you the hassle. If you have any questions don't be shy!
 
If your interested contact your state department of health. They can point you in a direction of state certified EMS classes. An EMT class is good but it is time consuming if you don't plan on using it for work and what not. Your state may have some basic first aid classes that a state run. Or call your local ambulance, rescue, fire dept. they would probably have the NFL available.
 
Talk with the local community college and/or your local fire department. In some areas you may find off duty guys who have their own business or work for someone who does and they teach a course or you may need to attend an educational institution. Both may be available. Your local service providers should be able to steer you towards the best local offering.
 
Last edited:
goph707 said:
Just a heads up you're better off taking a regular Emt-B class and when out in the field thinking outside the box when it comes to splinting, treatments etc. if that makes sense. Most EMS systems DO NOT recognize wilderness first responders. In other words you get some cool wall candy from NOLS and you can do nothing with it...but hey you took the class! Check with your local EMS authority before you spend the time and money on the class. Sorry if I sound negative but I've been a Medic for a long time in a busy EMS system and I have seen countless people waste their time and money on a wilderness first responder course. I'd like to save you the hassle. If you have any questions don't be shy!
Click to expand...

X's 2.... depending on what your motives are the EMTb course is a nationally recognized accreditation. It's a standard that agencies from coast to coast, north to south all realize what it is. When you get into some of the wilderness FA or national ski patrol (oec) certs.... they're great and useful, and if you're workplace wants you to take them go for it but they aren't universally accepted across agency lines....

If it's just for self improvement and knowledge anything is better than nothing and a wilderness FA course is very advantageous.
 
goph707 said:
Just a heads up you're better off taking a regular Emt-B class and when out in the field thinking outside the box when it comes to splinting, treatments etc. if that makes sense. Most EMS systems DO NOT recognize wilderness first responders. In other words you get some cool wall candy from NOLS and you can do nothing with it...but hey you took the class! Check with your local EMS authority before you spend the time and money on the class. Sorry if I sound negative but I've been a Medic for a long time in a busy EMS system and I have seen countless people waste their time and money on a wilderness first responder course. I'd like to save you the hassle. If you have any questions don't be shy!
Click to expand...

It kinda depends on what he wants out of it. emt courses are what? Minimum 3 weeks, most over that time frame . The first responder course is 9 days some are 5, I'd hope EMS doesn't recognize it. If he's trying to use it to get a job that's one thing, but I think for most guys an EMT class ( which I have taken) is a little much, and frankly unneeded if it's just for personal use.
Your flippant response about any first responder class is a little unfair as well, it's not like they teach you nothing.
 
goph707 said:
Just a heads up you're better off taking a regular Emt-B class and when out in the field thinking outside the box when it comes to splinting, treatments etc. if that makes sense. Most EMS systems DO NOT recognize wilderness first responders. In other words you get some cool wall candy from NOLS and you can do nothing with it...but hey you took the class! Check with your local EMS authority before you spend the time and money on the class. Sorry if I sound negative but I've been a Medic for a long time in a busy EMS system and I have seen countless people waste their time and money on a wilderness first responder course. I'd like to save you the hassle. If you have any questions don't be shy!
Click to expand...
I couldn't disagree more.
An EMT course teaches you to work off a truck with very specific gear under (hopefully) fairly strict medical direction. It is expected that you will have short contact times with support and ALS intercept at some point. And even though there is a national standard you and I both know that the quality of EMT education is all over the map these days.
I have been teaching EMS courses at all levels for almost 20 years, used to be an instructor for WMI before Buck sold the company to NOLS, and ran my own school for several years after waiting out my non compete.

A good WMR or WFR program will give you a much better bang for your investment of time. They are all too expensive imo, but that's a different argument. You will have a small but highly usable skill set that you can use the minute you walk out of the class.

In my personal experience I prefer the way WMA presents the information, but either will put on a decent program.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
National Registry of EMT is a good place to start. Here in Texas you basically have to get your National Certification before you can apply for a state license. I'm not sure how other states work. I think the lowest level is EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) used to be called ECA. That's your basic first aid and then some, I think it's about a 40 hour class and then you can take the test. EMT is going to take a bit more time and studying but is lowest level here in Texas most agencies will employ you to work.

I don't know anything about the Wilderness First Responder class, but I've been in fire and EMS a long time volunteered and paid, and know how the certification works with regards to the medical side.
 
I'm not saying NOLS or any wilderness first responder programs are bad I'm saying most EMS agency's do not recognize them. Thus making it useless. Like other people here have stated go to your local community College to get a Emt B. You can only get your national registry Emt if it is through an accredited college. That being said if you just want the general knowledge take whatever class you want. Stay away from "accelerated" Emt programs. Most Emt programs are a college semester. I know here in CA they just raised the class hours from 120 to 140 and are possibly raising it again.
 
The EMT course I took here in Iowa was almost 3 months long, for 2 nights a week, before you tested out. I think that course would get you the higher level that you are looking for and then start researching and reading up on field expedient methods.

As a side discussion: Has anyone heard talk of deregulating EMTs in states to try and open the door for people to get jobs faster and not having the debt of the class? I thought I had heard that Texas and North Carolina were or have done this and many other states are talking about doing it, in many other professions also.
 
i'm not trying to make a living from it,to old for that now. I just want to be prepared for when I am doing my thing,FA/CPR required for my job
 
Then a wfa or wfr course will do exactly what you're looking for. When I took my emtb it was 110 hours and as others have said many states have increased the hour requirement. A wilderness first aid class sounds like it'll be right up your alley if all you want is some extra KSA's
 
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