Wilderness First Responder Bridge Course
The industry-standard certification for professional guides & outdoor educators
Duration
4 days in-person
PREREQUisite
16 years old
Valid WAFA
Cost
$735 + gst
CERT VALID
3 years
Upcoming Dates
May 4 - 7, 2026
Nov 9 - 12, 2026
Ready to Become a Certified Wilderness First Responder?
Searching Availability...
"Rachel made the WAFA course an absolute breeze! With loads of in depth hands-on training and experiences, I highly recommend this course for anyone who's going to be spending any amount of time outside in the bush!"
Overview
This course bridges from the Wilderness Advanced First Aid to the Wilderness First Responder in 4 days.
Perfect for: WAFA graduates with a valid certificate, and want to expand their learnings in wilderness medicine.
This course certifies you as a Wilderness First Responder. It is delivered in-person over 4 days. Students will have access to the pre-course assignments 2-4 weeks prior to the course and should complete the study guide in preparation for the course. The study guide is designed to familiarize students with the essential points in the curriculum. Instructors will collect it at the beginning of the course, but it will not be a part of the final grade.
Registration is preferred four weeks prior to the course to ensure adequate time for the online course work, and course work must be completed 3 days prior to in-person course start.
Please see the minimum technology requirements.
During the course you will be inside a classroom and outdoors practicing scenarios. You can expect to have long days, which may run a bit past 5 PM. We do our best to stay on time, but this is a curriculum-based course and in order for you to receive your certificate, you must complete the course curriculum. You will be examined during this course, and you must pass the exam to receive your certificate.
This course is taught by highly-trained Wilderness Medical Associates professional(s) within the medical industry.
Contact us to request a private course. We currently offer private courses in southwest Alberta.
Location: Polish Hall, Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
Prerequisites:
Students must be at least 16 years or older. If under 18 years of age, written consent is required by the parent or guardian.
Must have a current WAFA certification received within 3 years of the Bridge course.
Details
Cost: $735 + gst/person
Duration: 40 hours, 4 in-person days
Upcoming Dates
May 4 - 7, 2026
Nov 9 - 12, 2026
Certification:
This is a 4-day or 36 to 40 hours of instructional and practice time. All eligible students who successfully complete the WAFA to WFR bridge course will receive WMA International’s Wilderness First Responder certification including anaphylaxis, and BLS/Healthcare Provider-Level CPR or equivalent.
Certification is valid for 3 years.
To recertify your current WFR certification, you can take an Open Recertification course (this option must be taken within 3 years of the original certification) or retake the WFR course.
Course Topics:
- The general principles of wilderness and rescue medicine with an emphasis on identifying medical emergencies, critical thinking, and risk management.
- Patient assessment and emergency care including CPR and AED use, basic life support skills, the patient assessment system, patient reporting, and calling for help.
- Treatment of injuries from traumatic mechanisms and the treatment of musculoskeletal problems such as overuse syndromes and dislocations.
- Environmental medicine including illness and injuries related to altitude, temperature, lightning, submersion, and environmental toxins.
- Backcountry medicine including the assessment and treatment of common medical problems.
- Non-technical lifting, moving, and extrication of patients with an emphasis on spinal motion restriction when applicable.
- Practical Skills including bleeding control, wound management, bandaging, splinting, spine stable patient packaging, hypothermia management, medical kit preparation.
- WMA International wilderness protocols including treatment of anaphylaxis, wound management, CPR in a remote setting, spine injury assessment, reduction of simple dislocations, and treatment for severe asthma.
Inclusions
Included:
The Field Guide of Wilderness Medicine & Rescue Wilderness Medicine Workbook SOAP Notebook Wilderness First Responder Class Notes
Technology Requirements:
High speed internet access to complete the online course. A computer with:
>> a PDF reader
>> Anti-virus software
>> Internet browser (latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Edge). The system is NOT compatible with Safari.
Not Included:
🗶 Transportation
🗶 Outdoor gear and personal items (a recommended gear list will be sent out upon registration)
🗶 Accommodations (if needed)
🗶 Cancellation insurance
POLICIES
Please review our FAQs page for additional details, including our cancellation and weather policies. These policies are particularly important for our Wilderness First Aid courses, as they involve significant facilitation costs and require substantial preparation and commitment in advance of the course start date.