Implementation of the Wilderness First Aid Basics course involves the selection of appropriate instructors, upgrading of those instructors, acquiring the additional equipment to teach the course, and entering the appropriate information into the CHERS program for data processing.

Instructors for the Wilderness First Aid Basics Course should be chosen carefully. They should have a background in outdoor education, wilderness first aid from another organization, or be determined by the unit to have the experience to teach the material knowledgeably. The instructor must also be a first aid instructor. The certification must include the First Aid Basics course, since the basic level information is included in the Wilderness First Aid Basics course.

Instructors may upgrade to Wilderness First Aid Basics if they meet the qualifications above, and complete the Self-Study Guide for Wilderness First Aid Instructors. The Self-Study Guide is a questionnaire to orient the instructor to the materials of the Wilderness First Aid Basics course. Instructors may be allowed to grade their self-study with the key themselves to check their answers. There is no pass-fail for this self-study. It is an aid for orientation. For multiple instructors, the Self-Study may be used in a group orientation session, held by a certified Wilderness First Aid Instructor appointed by the unit.

After the Self-Study Orientation, instructors must fill out the Upgrade Verification Form to be kept in their file. A F5736 may be issued from the unit for instructor certification in Wilderness First Aid Basics. The instructor must then receive authorization from his/her primary unit and any extended authorizations in order to teach.

The course requires the following written materials:

                              First Aid – When Help is Delayed Participant’s Manual

                              Mountaineering First Aid Text*

All materials are available from the Transylvania County Chapter of the American Red Cross, phone 828-884-4530. The Mountaineering First Aid Text is also available directly from The Mountaineers Publishing Company.

Wilderness First Aid Basics requires some additional equipment beyond the First Aid Basics course. Generally, these include splinting materials, insulating mats, water bottles, tarps, and sleeping bags and/or blankets. These are not major expense items, but need to be considered before starting a class.

As of 11/25/03, WFAB and When Help is Delayed are not to be entered as chapter developed courses.  Please go to Crossnet, click on Chapters, click on Health and Safety, click on "Get the latest H&S updates", scroll down and click on 11/25/03 "New course data files...", then click on download instructions.  Then follow instructions.  There are 7 files to download.