This 4-day skills based program represents the minimum standard of training for field personnel, remote workers and those who work in environments where access to emergency services is limited. It provides a comprehensive and practical perspective on dealing with common wilderness injuries through to life threatening situations.

The program is divided between classroom and practical skills, utilizing scenarios and simulations to enhance learning and develop effective interventions and competent patient care.

Topics Covered

Day 1

  • First Aid and Wilderness Emergency Care
  • Leadership & Liability
  • Anatomy & Physiology 101
    • Homeostasis
    • Principal Body Systems – ‘The Big 3’
    • Practical Activities – Assessing CNS Function / Evaluating an Airway
    • Respiratory and Circulatory Systems Assessment
  • Patient Assessment System
    • Scene Survey
    • Primary Survey – drills & practice
    • Rapid trauma Survey
    • Secondary Survey – scenarios / drills & practice
    • Documentation
  • Basic Life Support
    • CPR in the Wilderness

Day 2

  • Traumatic Injuries
    • Head / Chest / Abdomen / Spine – practical scenarios
  • Shock: Recognition & Management
  • Patient Stabilization and Evacuation
    • Patient Positioning / Carries – drills & practice
    • Spinal Cord Injury Management – drills & practice
  • Musculoskeletal Injuries
    • Sprains / Strains / Fractures / Dislocations
    • Immobilization & Splinting Techniques – scenarios / drills & practice
    • Issues

Day 3

  • Environmental Emergencies
    • Heat Illnesses / Hyperthermia
    • Cold injuries / Hypothermia – practical scenario
    • Drowning / Near Drowning
    • Animal / Reptile Issues
    • Lightning
    • Allergies, Anaphylaxis & Epinephrine – practical scenario
    • AMS / HACE / HAPE
  • Acute Abdominal Pain
    • Medical Emergencies
    • Abdominal Assessment & History Gathering
  • Scenario / Assessment Drills / Study

Day 4

  • Wound Management in a Remote Setting
    • Guiding Principles
    • Short Term / Long Term Care
    • Penetrating Injuries
    • Burns / Blisters / Eyes / Teeth
    • Practical Skills / Drills & Scenarios
    • Water Disinfection – What Works / What is Available
  • Medical Problems
    • Diabetes
    • Seizures
    • Medications
    • Practical Scenario
  • Common Expedition Problems
    • UTI / Blisters / Constipation / Diarrhea / URTI

Recertification Information

To maintain an OFARE level of certification, you need to complete a two-day scenario based reassessment every two years.

Course Notes

OFARE courses are usually arranged through employers and delivered in a custom format to enable consistency in language and situations that are applicable with your industry and current occupational health standards.

This course can be used as the foundation course to upgrade to a Wilderness First Responder (WFR). Upgrade must be completed within 12 months of the original certification.

CWMT does recognize the training standards of other credible wilderness first aid providers and can recertify in accordance with our standards of care.

Course Information

Course length: 36 hours

This Course is For

Field personnel, resource industry workers, researchers and operators in remote locations.

What You Will Gain

Patient assessment and care skills to manage critical incidents that involve patient care in remote setting.