Chief Seattle Council > Training > Wilderness and Remote First Aid (WRFA)

Wilderness and Remote First Aid (WRFA)

“Being prepared in Scouting often means being ready to render first aid. As we go farther into the backcountry with our units, some additional training is needed. Wilderness first aid (WFA), the next step up from the basic first aid, focuses on teaching assessment skills and using available resources when professional responders may be hours or even days away. It can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of emergencies, injuries, and illnesses. It can mean the difference between life and death.” —WFA Safety Moment on Scouting.org

In the Pacific Northwest, even a short day hike can be sufficiently remote to take us an hour or more from help. WFA is not just for high adventure.

Want to know more about Wilderness First Aid? Go to BSA Wilderness First Aid home page.

Find a Class

Chief Seattle Council classes are posted on the training calendar: seattlebsa.org/training/training-calendar.

Satisfying the CPR requirement

BSA Wilderness First Aid requires participants to have a current adult CPR/AED certification. (Hybrid classes are acceptable but an online ONLY class does NOT satisfy the requirement. A class that includes infant CPR or additional First Aid is not required.)

  • Local Fire Department: Call, many have suspended classes because of COVID.
  • American Heart Association: Course catalog
  • Red Cross: CPR certification classes. (Some classes seem to be split into an online course and an in-person hands-on course. You need both.)

There are several local groups certifying through the American Heart Association. Some will bring the class to your unit. Just make sure any CPR class you choose is certified by the American Heart Association or Red Cross.

Still looking for a Wilderness First Aid class?

Here are some non-BSA links that may help you. Make sure any class you choose meets the BSA requirement: the provider must be certified through ECSI (Emergency Care & Safety Institute) or the Red Cross, or be accredited by the American Camping Association under a certain standard  BSA Wilderness First Aid home page.

  • NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School): WFA classes
  • Mountaineers: WFA classes (Check, but the courses that are 10 hours in one day seem to have the necessary balance online.)
  • Red Cross: WFA classes