I recently earned my “C”-level hiker classification with the Colorado Mountain Club. To move higher on their classification scale (see CMC Hike Classifications) to the “D” level or become a trip leader I’d need to have a current first aid certification. My last Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course had been 6 years ago (the certification is valid for 3 years).
Luckily, the CMC was offering a WFA course that fit easily into my schedule. Over three week night lectures we covered topics like victim assessment, bleeding and burns, bone injuries, snake bites and environmental hazards. The week day lectures also had short practice sessions to reinforce these skills such as splinting limbs, locating pulses and patient assessments.
Our final session was an all-day Sunday class. After a final lecture and review session we took the written exam (I passed!) and then did four more involved scenarios.
We dealt with victims with camping stove burns, 2 hypothermic hikers, a fallen hiker with a neck injury and finally a hiker who fell into a creek with a rash of problems (hypothermia, broken leg, and internal injuries). For each of these scenarios we rotated through different roles – acting as the leader or recording patient data, doing a physical exam, stabilizing the victim’s head and neck or rummaging through their pack looking for helpful items to split limbs or keep them warm.
Like the last time I took a WFA course, I left feeling better about doing the right thing if I have to respond to an accident in the backcountry. I’ve also started taking a critical eye to the items I carry in my first aid kit.
