Wilderness First Aid
This is a fast paced, fun weekend course that teaches and strengthens skills needed to assess, treat, and extract patients in a wilderness setting that are over an hour from professional medical assistance. The cost of instruction is highly subsidized by the OWA Safety & Training program. Accidents happen and whitewater is inherently dangerous. This course is designed to help provide the skills to keep yourself, your group, and our river community safer on the water and in all our wilderness adventures.
Any questions, please send an email to .
Logistics
Event: Wilderness First Aid Class
Location: Kingfisher Group Camp at Milo McIver State Park in Estacada, OR
Dates: Friday, Sept 26th to Sunday, Sept 28th, 2025
Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, both Saturday and Sunday. Attending the entire class is necessary to receive the certifications.
Registration Fee: (Non-Refundable):
OWA Members $85 per person - This amount is highly subsidized by OWA
Non-Members $115 per person (comes with a free 1 year membership!)
Lunch: Lunch will NOT be provided. We will have drinks and snacks
Gear: Bring weather and scenario appropriate clothing. There will be washable fake blood and likely some dirt. Please bring a camp chair. Coffee cup is a good idea for the drink/snack table.
Contact: Safety Director: William Brezinski
Camping: Note: This is the location and date of this year's 2025 Wilderness First Aid Training. Associated details, enrollment costs and sign up will not be available until late August or early September 2025. The OWA has reserved the Kingfisher Group Campsite at Milo McIver State Park for this training course from Thursday, Sept 25th @ 4:00 p.m. through Monday, Sept 29th @ noon. You can arrive as early as Thursday, late afternoon at 4:00 p.m. or come in anytime on Friday or Saturday morning. WFA course will conclude at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. However, we'll still have the group camp reserved through Monday at noon and your welcome to spend the evening there or camp over night on Sunday.
Food: Coffee, water, drinks, sweet and salty snacks will be provided but you are on your own for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please bring lunch with you so you don't have to leave the area to go get it.
Course Summary
The Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course provides introductory medical skills to individuals working or playing in remote environments. Through a hands-on and scenario-based approach, this course offers the skills and confidence needed to make informed medical decisions when definitive care is hours away. The WFA includes short lectures, interactive labs, and realistic practice scenarios that help students master the central concepts of remote medicine and effectively respond to an emergency if necessary. The WFA includes an introduction to a broad range of medical skills and topics, including:
- Scene Safety and Site Control
- Patient Assessment System
- Lifting & Moving Patients
- Musculoskeletal & Spinal Injury Management
- Wound Management & Infection
- Respiratory & Cardiac Emergencies
- Metabolic & Allergic Reactions
- Immersion & Submersion
- Cold / Heat Emergencies
- CPR & AED and More.
Course Sign Up
Step 1: OWA Membership
Membership in OWA is required for Wilderness First Aid. If you are already a current member, you may skip to the next section.
Not a member of Oregon Whitewater yet? Please sign up for a membership first and then come back to sign the waiver and pay for the course.
Join the Oregon Whitewater Association
Step 2: Payment
