Wilderness Medicine
Wilderness First Responder Recertification – Oregon (Hybrid)
Adventure First
NCOAE’s Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Recertification course in Oregon is a hybrid program that combines 15+ hours of online self-study and testing with a two-day, hands-on, practical training session in a wilderness setting. The hands-on training session is conducted on the outskirts of Tygh Valley in Wasco County, Oregon — about an hour’s drive southeast from Mount Hood and very close to the Deschutes River.
The purpose of this course is to refresh and recertify your Wilderness First Responders (WFR) certification. During the course, you review essential skills and wilderness protocols, get up to speed on updates to wilderness medicine training protocols, and test for competencies required to recertify as a Wilderness First Responder.
You can recertify through our program regardless of the school or program that issued your most recent WFR certification (unless the program was online only, meaning it didn’t include a practical hands-on component). Students with a current Wilderness-Emergency Medical Technician (W-EMT) license can also recertify the wilderness portion of their certification through this course in Oregon.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification valid for three (3) years, as well as an equivalent Wilderness CPR certification that meets the American Heart Association’s Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR standards.
EDUCATION ALWAYS
- Wilderness First-Responder certification, valid for three years.
- Adult and Child Wilderness CPR and AED certification, valid for three years.
- This NCOAE-sponsored training exceeds the Wilderness First Responder & WEMT Scope of Practice requirements endorsed by the Wilderness Medical Society.
- Course topics include: Allergies and Anaphylaxis, Basic Life Support (including BLS/Healthcare Provider-level CPR), Circulatory System, Dislocations, Environmental Injuries, Lifts, Moves and Extrications, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Nervous System, Patient Assessment System, Respiratory System, Spine Management, Splinting, Wounds and Burns.
COURSE MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT
Once you enroll in the NCOAE Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Recertification course, you’ll receive:
- NCOAE Wilderness Medicine Field Guide: The NCOAE Wilderness Medicine Field Guide helps you provide the best care possible, wherever you may find yourself. This 150-page guide contains evidence-based guidelines and recommendations that will prove helpful in the outdoors — whether you are sailing to a remote island, exploring remote peaks, enjoying your local wilderness, or anything in between.
- SOAP Notebook: This point-of-care SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) notebook assists your efforts to create and document simple but structured notes whenever and wherever patient care occurs.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
We invite graduates from other wilderness medical schools or programs who have a current WFR certification (unexpired or within the grace period allowed by your current certifier) to recertify with us.
Eligible graduates from other wilderness medical schools must have completed one of the following courses:
- WFR course with a minimum of 72 hours of in-person instruction
- 72-hour Hybrid course with a minimum of 45 hours of in-person instruction
- WFR Recertification course with a minimum of 16 hours of in-person instruction
Please note: If your original WFR certification or most recent recertification is from an online school or program — meaning your current certification didn’t include a practical / hands-on component — you may not participate in an NCOAE WFR recertification course.
Course Details
This training includes a foundation of wilderness medicine philosophy, with an emphasis on preventing and identifying medical emergencies, using appropriate technology, and understanding risk management.
The Hybrid WFR recertification combines 15+ hours of online independent study with a two-day (16 hours) hands-on practical training. Upon successful completion, students will receive a Wilderness First Responder certification and Adult and Child CPR and AED certification which are valid for three (3) years.
To ensure there’s enough time to complete your self-paced coursework before your in-person session, you must register at least 30 days before your desired course date.
Your work during our Hybrid Wilderness First Responder Recertification Course may be eligible for college-level credits.
Highlights
- Complete and pass a 15+ hour self-study course beforehand, and complete the hands-on training at the NCOAE campus or other hosted training sites.
- Given the short duration of this course, NCOAE places an emphasis on scenarios and hands-on activities, to complement online learning material.
- Participants will be involved in patient assessment drills and simulations in the field.
On the Map
- NCOAE Tygh Valley, OR
Talk to Us
Have any further questions about the course location, what you'll learn, or what else to expect? Contact us, we're here to help!
DATES
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Hybrid Wilderness First Responder (WFR) different from other WFR courses?
The hybrid training is unique in that it requires you to be away from home, work or school for only five days instead of the nine-day program required with traditional Wilderness First Responder training.
What exactly makes your Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training ‘Hybrid’?
Our Hybrid Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training requires you to spend 30 to 50 hours with at-home study and testing prior to attending the five-day practical skills training. After registering and paying for your training, we will send you two emails. The first will be to access the online study site; the second will be for taking the test online. You need to make sure you give yourself enough time to thoroughly read the information on the website in order to properly prepare for testing.
As a certified Wilderness First Responder (from your organization), how do I replace a missing WFR certification card?
You can contact us at officeadmin@ncoae.org and write “lost card” in the subject line to purchase a new card. When seeking to buy a new card, please include your full name, mailing address, date and location of your course, and the name of your WFR instructor. Or if you prefer, you can call us at (910) 399-8090.
What do certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR) graduates receive after completing the course?
Grads receive a certification card, a WFR patch and a sticker. Graduates or potential employers can call or email us at any time to verify your certification. For those who contact us online, we will happily send them proof of certification by return email. Proof of Certification requests should be sent to officeadmin@ncoae.org with “WFR Proof of Certification Request” in the subject line.
How many years is my Wilderness First Responder certification in effect? And how do I get recertified?
Your Wilderness First Responder certification expires three (3) years from the date the certification was issued, but Wilderness EMT and WFR grads can become recertified by taking a standard or hybrid course. Students who let their certification lapse must take the entire course again. But even with current certification, we strongly suggest you take the full course every six (6) years as a refresher.
Can I get an extension on my Wilderness First Responder certification?
There are no exceptions here — Wilderness First Responder certifications cannot be extended beyond the expiration date listed on your WFR certification card. And being late by one day past that expiration date makes for a sad story, but there is no grace period. It’s advisable to recertify before the expiration date, which requires only a minimum of planning on your part. That’s why we send out an e-mail reminder to graduates about four months prior to their expiration date. To assure you receive your email reminder to renew your Wilderness First Responder, please make sure your current e-mail address is on file with our office.
What if I received my certification elsewhere? Can I recertify with you?
When you sign up with us, make sure to indicate you’re taking our Wilderness First Aid training for recertification and that your current certification hasn’t expired. You can recertify by successful completion of either the Hybrid WFA or the Standard WFA. We’ll need you to provide your card with its expiration date. And, as mentioned above, if your card has expired, you must take the entire course again until you successfully pass our recertification course.
Will I receive CPR training and certification along with my Wilderness First Responder certification?
You will receive a two-year certification in Wilderness CPR (WCPR). Our WCPR training follows the guidelines of the American Heart Association (AHA).
