Wilderness First Aid Course
When: Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30, 2025
Where: Ozark Natural Science Center-Lake Fayetteville Campus
This two-day course immerses participants in essential wilderness medicine procedures, preparing individuals to take immediate action when an outdoor activity doesn’t go as planned and 911 responders are hours away. Time is split between interactive classroom sessions and hands-on field scenarios to prepare participants and help them quickly develop basic backcountry medical care skills. The course focus is on patient assessment, stabilization and emergency treatment of issues such as hypothermia and snakebites, as well as understanding when and how to attempt evacuation. Participants will emerge capable of calmly responding to a wide variety of emergency situations.
This course will be taught by Tom Burroughs, who is the head of the Washington County AR Search and Rescue team. Tom has been an emergency responder since 1990 and is an NREMT/WEMT and WildMed Instructor Trainer. Tom brings a background of many years of backcountry rescue experience and has been teaching these courses since 2006.
All participants will need to be dressed in clothing that can be stained and/or damaged, as the program is heavily hands on, and moulage will be used to promote training authenticity.
Participants will need to be prepared to be outside for many of the training hours, regardless of weather conditions, unless hazardous (storms or extreme heat or cold). Participants should bring whatever items they commonly carry on their persons in the performance of their duties, as improvisational concepts are an important aspect of this course.
All program supplies and a waterproof field guide which becomes property of the participant, provided by Ozark Safety and Rescue Educators (OSRE) as part of the program cost.
Successful completion of the entire program will result in a three year nationally recognized Wilderness First Aid Certification through Sierra Rescue International, and meets the requirements of BSA, NICA,and the American Camp Association for Wilderness First Aid Training.