Wilderness First Responder

Accessible, innovative, and practical
WFR Certification and Recertification

Base Medical’s Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses provide essential training for those working or adventuring in remote areas. Combining hands-on practice with realistic scenarios, WFR courses teach participants to assess, stabilize, and treat injuries and illnesses when advanced care is delayed.

Designed for outdoor professionals and serious adventurers, the curriculum emphasizes decision-making, leadership, and critical thinking, and is taught by experienced instructors with strong medical and field backgrounds. Base Medical’s courses stand out for their real world and practical focus - teaching students skills that their most likely to use and practicing scenarios that they’re most likely to encounter. All WFR courses include discussion of working with SAR teams and advanced rescue personnel.

Online, remote, virtual, in-person, hands-on WFR. Wilderness First Responder courses and recertification. NOLS

Part One: 24 Hours Online Learning

Take the online lessons at your own pace.

Just be sure to complete the lessons before you attend the practical training.

Online, remote, virtual, in-person, hands-on WFR. Wilderness First Responder courses and recertification. NOLS

Part Two: Practical Training

The Initial WFR certification practical trainings are 4-7 days in length.

The in-person and remote recert practical trainings are 2 days in length (~16 hours)

Wilderness First Responder for

Private Groups and Organizations

Request a Custom Course

Base Medical is proud to work with outdoor professionals to develop customized Wilderness First Responder courses and Recertification. We work with non-profits, guiding companies, land management agencies, and adventure groups to lead personalized courses with relevant content.

Become an Education Center

We empower organizations with the capability to deliver standardized, affordable, and even profitable wilderness medicine training. Learn more about becoming an instructor or education provider to provide independent, in-house training.

Upcoming In-Person WFR and WFR Recert Courses

Our certified instructors and education centers coordinate practical training independently of Base Medical. Clicking on a course below may navigate you away from the Base Medical site to the instructor's site for Initial course registration, course payment, and course access. Base Medical has a grace for an expired WFR certification of 1 year. Certifications from other organizations are accepted.

April 21-25, 2025

Abiquiu, NM

In-Person WFR

This course is offered independently by The Ghost Ranch as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by The Ghost Ranch upon enrollment.

October 3-12, 2025

Portland, OR

In-Person WFR - $995 for Members, $1,350 for Non-Members

This course is offered independently by The Mazamas as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by The Mazamas upon enrollment.

November 12-17, 2025

Abiquiu, NM

In-Person WFR

This course is offered independently by The Ghost Ranch as a Base Medical Education Center. Further details will be shared by The Ghost Ranch upon enrollment.

Upcoming Remote WFR Recert Courses

Base Medical’s Remote WFR Recertification combines thorough online, self-paced learning with two days of practical training via Zoom. The practical includes hands-on skills practice and scenarios and unique learning approaches to give students an active, engaging, and in-depth opportunity to learn Wilderness First Aid.

WFR certifications last two years. Students have a one year grace period where certifications are honored to recertify. Base Medical accepts certifications from other training organizations.

April 26-27, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote WFR Recert

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

Search & Rescue

May 24-25, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote SAR WFR Recert - Join SAR responders from around the nation!

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

This course is specifically tailored to Search and Rescue. A volunteer or a fellow responder will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

June 21-22, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote WFR Recert

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

Search & Rescue

July 19-20, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote SAR WFR Recert - Join SAR responders from around the nation!

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

This course is specifically tailored to Search and Rescue. A volunteer or a fellow responder will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

August 30-31, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote WFR Recert

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

Search & Rescue

September 27-28, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote SAR WFR Recert - Join SAR responders from around the nation!

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

This course is specifically tailored to Search and Rescue. A volunteer or a fellow responder will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

October 25-26, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote WFR Recert

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

Search & Rescue

November 22-23, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote SAR WFR Recert - Join SAR responders from around the nation!

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

This course is specifically tailored to Search and Rescue. A volunteer or a fellow responder will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

December 20-21, 2025

Live via Zoom

Remote WFR Recert

Saturday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm MT

A volunteer will be needed to act as a patient from 10 am -12 pm MT and 3 pm - 5 pm MT on Saturday and 1pm-3pm MT on Sunday. Students are required to have a laptop and basic first aid supplies. More details will be shared upon enrollment.

Base Medical has a grace for an expired WFR certification of 1 year. Certifications from other organizations are accepted. Remote courses are non-refundable. Students who fail to show up to the training forfeit all course payments and will be required to pay full price to sign up for another training date. For questions contact Course Administration at admin@base-medical.com

Wilderness Medicine Training FAQ

  • Base Medical WFA and WFR courses are designed to be practical and applicable to real world use. Our instructors focus on decision making and providing tools are relevant to the experience of our students.

    Our courses get students thinking about the ongoing situation and next phase of care through robust online content and thoughtfully considered scenarios.

    Base Medical is a leader in remote online wilderness Medicine courses and learning. We’re also proud to be blazing the path in SAR specific WFA and WFR education.

  • Base Medical courses are appropriate for students of all experience levels

    WFA courses are most intended for non-professional rescuers such as volunteer group leaders or adventurers who like to get outdoors for fun. These courses focus on what to do in the immediate aftermath of an injury or illness and how to stabilize a patient until higher trained rescue arrives.

    WFR classes are great for outdoor professionals such as guides, expedition leaders, SAR volunteers and pros, and other folks who are tasked with caring for other people in the outdoors. These classes also focus on the immediate response to an emergency, but dive a bit deeper into long term patient care, risk management, and decision making.

    We also offer WFA courses specifically designed for SAR providers. These classes are taught by instructors with extensive SAR experience and apply real world application and extra time on evacuation and ongoing assessment.

  • Students in a remote course complete online, self-paced course work in advance of their practical. The practical part of the course is held on zoom with a Base Medical instructor. WFA courses are one full day and WFR Recert Courses are two full days.

    The practical day is a combination of content review, skills practice, and scenarios using a volunteer subject. The session is interactive, hands-on, and includes lots of opportunities to put skills to the test.

  • Students are encouraged to have items from the remote supply list handy to use. However, if you have concerns about securing these items in advance or if cost a barrier, our instructors can suggest alternatives for use.

    Volunteer patients are needed for two 2-hour stretches on day one (WFA). Students enrolled in the WFR Recert will also need a volunteer for the end of day two. Volunteers can be family, friends, partners, or coworkers. Alternatively, students in close proximity to one another can pair up and work as one another’s volunteers. Students who enroll together and take this option are eligible for a discount.

    Volunteers do not need any previous medical training. They just need to be an adult who can follow instructions and commit to making scenarios as realistic as possible.

  • Our remote instructors are highly trained individuals - EMTs, first responders, paramedics, and above. They have developed online-specific teaching tools and methods to engage students in a remote learning format. Learn more about our team here.

Outdoor Non-profits, Guide Groups, and SAR Teams

We provide affordable training opportunities for groups big and small, including in-person and remote training. 

What Our Students Say

  • "This course gave me much more detail than previous trainings. I appreciated the videos accompaniments to the text, as hearing the material reinforced what was written.

    -Sandra R.

  • “I was really worried because in my area there is no where I can go to get a recertification. The closest locations are normally a days drive away and I didn't gave the time for that. So I searched for anything else that I could find and found Base Medical... The course material was very well done, the testing did an amazing job of reminding you of what was important, and I could go at my own pace.

    -Erin Q.

  • "I have to admit I was dubious of the online format, but I appreciate the care and effort that went into creating the WFR recert. This really helped me when I was in a pinch between geographic location and timing for recertification."

    -Brendan M