Wilderness First Aid Course

Description of skills

The holder of this badge has successfully completed our Wilderness First Aid Course and/or has demonstrated proficiency in these skills:

• Central concepts and skills of wilderness medicine

what does this badge allow me to do?

Fulfill the first aid requirement for many Mountaineers courses and leadership roles.

HOW DO I GET THIS BADGE?

courses

Complete our Wilderness First Aid Course which consists of an independent WFA certification. The independent WFA certification that comes with course expires after two years, but the Mountaineers offers an additional grace year for the purposes of completing a course or leadership requirement within the Mountaineers organization. For example if you took the course in 2021 and were graduating from Basic Climbing in 2024 your first aid requirement would be up to date since this is within 3 years of when the course was completed.

Reciprocity

Reciprocity involves awarding a Mountaineers badge to a candidate who has the identical
credential from an approved external training provider. Review The Mountaineers First Aid Standards to learn more. 

Non-recertification WFA classes (“Full WFA”) must include a minimum of 16 hours of training.
The class format can be fully in-person or a mix of 8 hours of online self study and 8 hours of inperson training with an instructor (“hybrid”). Fully remote classes may also be accepted if they
include at least 8 hours of real time interaction with a live remote instructor who observes and
evaluates student competencies. Classes that are fully automated without any real time
interaction with a human instructor are not accepted.

WFA Recertification classes (“WFA Recert”) may consist of any mix of in-person and online
training. Fully automated WFA Recert classes can be accepted if they are provided by a
recognized training organization.

Approved WFA Training Providers

• Remote Medical Training
• Base Medical - The Base Medical fully online WFA Recertification class is also
  accepted.
• National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
• REI
• Wilderness Medicine Training Center

equivalency

Mountaineers volunteers and staff are not medical professionals, and are not trained or authorized to evaluate medical skills. We are able to award the badge via equivalency only if you have equivalent credentials. Equivalency candidates may be required to complete a skills review session in order to demonstrate their proficiency.  

In order to meet the equivalency requirement, any certification that has a limited time period
must be valid for at least 6 additional months at the time of the request.

To receive this badge through reciprocity or equivalency, please contact Member Services at info@mountaineers.org or a First Aid Committee Chair.