Wilderness First Responder
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This hands-on medical course is taught by NOLS Wilderness Medicine and has become the standard for back country rangers, river guides, outdoor leaders, as well as NOLS and Outward Bound instructors. It’s also valuable for preparing to help with disaster relief and other emergencies in remote areas. College Outdoors at Lewis & Clark College has hosted Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses since 1996, and all student Assistant Leaders and Trip Leaders are expected to have this level of training.
WFR training is offered at L&C each January (prior to Spring semester) and May (after Spring semester)
No experience necessary, and there are no pre-requisites for this course.
How to Register
Fee:
The fee for this course covers instruction, tuition, books, and first aid materials for the scenarios.
- $695 for Lewis & Clark College undergraduate students
- $850 for the general public
How To Register:
Please call our office at (503) 768-7116 to register, or register at the College Outdoors office in person in East Hall
- Student registration begins the first day of the term. Payment plans are available.
- General public registration begins on the first business day of October (January course) or February (May course). Payment in full at the time of registration is required to secure your space.
Cancellation Policy:
There is an administrative cancellation fee of $50, and after 45 days or fewer before the course start date the entire course fee is non-refundable unless we can fill your spot off the waitlist. If we are able to fill your spot less than 45 days before the course, the the tuition fee is refundable less a $100 “late drop” fee.
More Info:
Visit the Wilderness First Responder info page
Trip Type
- On Campus
Physical Demands
Participants should be prepared to sit, stand, kneel, bend, twist, walk, and carry >20lbs. The class involves classroom learning and outdoor rescue scenarios on uneven terrain in all weather conditions. Participants will be in close contact with one another, including physical contact (disposable gloves are provided). Participants will need to be able to make visual observations of patients.
Accessibility accommodations are available, contact outdoors@lclark.edu.
What to Expect
- ☐ Sleeping indoors
- ☐ Sleeping outdoors
- ☑ Electricity
- ☑ Wifi
- ☑ Cell phone service
- ☑ Heating
- ☐ Beds
- ☑ Bathrooms
- ☑ Gender-inclusive bathrooms
- ☐ Showers
- ☐ Wheelchair accessible
- ☐ Food for any Dietary Restrictions
Details
Schedule:
This 80-hour course will meet 8 to 12 hours per day over the 10 scheduled days, starting at 7:45am the first day and at 8:00am on all other days. Class length may vary, due to outdoor scenarios and rescue training being taught. Day 6 of the course is a day off, and days 3 and 8 of the course are when the evening sessions are scheduled to occur. Click here for a general outline of the course schedule. We recommend you don’t have any other commitments while taking this course, as you will be busy!
Course Location:
This course is held at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Material is taught indoors with frequent scenarios performed in the natural outdoor settings around campus and in the nearby forests.
Housing & Transportation:
On-campus housing is available only to LC students with a current housing contract, for an additional fee per night, paid directly to Campus Living. Housing is not available for the general public. Public transportation is not a viable option for accessing Lewis & Clark College during all of the course days, but parking on campus is free during this course.