Wilderness first responder

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Wilderness first responders are people trained to handle medical emergencies in remote outdoor places. They’re part of a wide range of wilderness medical providers. The term usually refers to someone who has a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification.

History in brief
- In the late 1800s, volunteer groups taught basic first aid at mines and near railways. By the early 1900s, the Boy Scouts and the American Red Cross also taught first aid to many people. The idea was that definitive care would be nearby.
- In the 1950s, wilderness-focused training began to address the longer time patients might be without quick medical help.
- In 1966, the U.S. Department of Transportation created a national Emergency Management System (EMS), which led to standardized training for EMTs and First Responders. This later evolved into the Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) role.
- The first formal wilderness medical responder class beyond basic first aid was taught in 1967 for ski patrollers at Colorado State University.

Key developments
- Over the years, courses such as Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, Advanced Wilderness First Aid, and Wilderness Advanced First Aid appeared.
- The first course that granted an official Wilderness First Responder certification was in 1985, taught by Frank Hubbell (SOLO) and Peter Goth (Wilderness Medical Associates) at Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Florida.
- Today, WFR certification is a common requirement for outdoor jobs, and many organizations offer it.

WFR vs WEMR
- In the mid-2000s, the DOT renamed First Responder to Emergency Medical Responder (EMR). This created a distinction:
- WEMR (Wilderness Emergency Medical Responder) refers to formal wilderness responders within a regulated EMS system.
- WFR (Wilderness First Responder) is often for guides, outdoor professionals, or others who work in the wilderness and may not be in a formal EMS system. WFR is still unregulated.

What WFR training covers
- WFRs learn to assess scenes, manage injuries and illnesses with limited resources, and decide how to get the patient to definitive care.
- The training emphasizes improvising with available tools and documenting decisions, often using SOAP notes (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan).
- Typical content includes a mix of medical and trauma care, patient assessment, and evacuation planning in wilderness settings.

Hours and scope
- A standard EMR course is about 60 hours, focused on urban emergencies.
- A wilderness-first-responder course is about 80 hours, with extra emphasis on backcountry scenarios and getting patients to definitive care.

Terminology
- WFR holders are sometimes called “Woofers.”
- The EMS-era wilderness credential is WEMR, and holders are sometimes called “Wemmers.”

In short, WFRs are trained to provide initial care and stabilize patients in remote areas, bridging the gap until definitive medical help can be reached.