After a 6-day stay in Idyllwild, where I attended a 4-day Wilderness Advanced First Aid course, I’m back in San Diego with the mountain view from our cabin still fresh in my mind.
The course was challenging. Long days of lecture and simulations with tons of information to process before the next day where we did it all again. Thankfully, the guy who taught the course was hilarious and not only was he an expert on the material but he knew how to connect with the participants and break the day up with a mix of lectures and simulations both inside and outside.
Here’s a good overview of what the course covered from the Wilderness Medical Associates website:
Day 1: 9 hours - Introduction/Registration; General Concepts; Infection Control; Patient Assessment System; Circulatory & Respiratory Systems; Adult CPR; Basic Life Support
Day 2: 9.5 hours - Quiz/Case Studies; Nervous System, Spine Management; Musculoskeletal Injuries; Lifts, Moves, and Extrications; Splints - Extremities; Patient Assessment Drills
Day 3: 9.5 hours - Quiz/Case Studies; Thermoregulation; Bites and Stings; Lightning; Elective Topics; Wounds and Burns; Allergies and Anaphylaxis; Improvised Patient Carries; Patient Assessment Drills
Day 4: 8 hours - Case Study Review; Elective Topic; Backcountry Medicine; Medical and Legal Issues; Patient Assessment Drills; Simulations; Final Exam; Conclusion
I met some interesting folks who were also taking the course -- military, outdoor educators, fellow weekend warriors -- there were approximately 25 of us. But since I wasn’t staying on site and we were so busy all day long, it was hard to get to know everyone.
This ended up being one of my wisest investments of time and money. Logging off the web for a week was in itself a treat but the knowledge and experience I gained from the WAFA course is invaluable. Who knows when the day will come where I can lend someone in need my assistance. Obviously, I hope the day never comes.. but if it does, I’ll be ready to “Face Any Challenge, Anywhere.”
The cabin we stayed in was amazing. In the past, we’ve gone with the A-frame in town because its affordable and centrally-located. This time we wanted to kick it up a notch so we treated ourselves.
The view from the deck was perfect and on the last day we discovered a waterfall only a half-mile walk from the front door.
We’ll definitely stay there again some day. Hopefully much sooner than when I will need to go back to take the re-cert course or the WAFA to WFR Bridge course.
If you ever want info about visiting and recreating in Idyllwild, I’d be happy to share my resources. Drop me a comment or email. Stay tuned for my training update coming soon in a separate post.
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