09 – 11 May, 2025 IN Flåm, Norway
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Course
HOSTED BY CROSSING LATITUDES
Fast paced and hands-on, this Wilderness First Aid course covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who travel and enjoy the outdoors. Whether spending time in the backcountry is your passion or your profession, you should never have to ask, "What do I do now?" On this course, you'll learn how to prepare for the unexpected. In just a few days, you'll have the knowledge, skills and ability to make sound decisions in emergency situations.
CPR is included. Everyone is welcome, no previous experience required.
DATES:
09 May – 11 May, 2025
08:00 to 18:00 each day
LOCATION:
Flåm Samfunnshus, Flåm, Norway. The community building is about 10-15 minutes’ walk from the Flåm Camping & Hostel.
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This course is conducted in English. Our NOLS wilderness medicine instructors teach all over the world and are often bilingual. They will endeavour to support you however they can.
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475 USD (456.25 EUR) per person (VAT excluded). The course fee includes a 30-page NOLS Wilderness Medicine handout, a bandana with the patient assessment, equipment used during the course, CPR certification, the internationally recognised NOLS Wilderness Medicine WFA certification and Epinephrine auto-injector certification.
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This course combines theoretical lectures with hands-on sessions to train practical skills. Each day is a mix of classroom, skills sessions, scenarios, and case studies. There is a written & practical exam at the end of the course.
All participants will be learn by taking turns being “patients” and “rescuers” each day. We use fake blood to make the scenarios more realistic. The fake blood is washable, but you might have to wash twice.
If you are taking this WFA as a recertification course for a WAFA/WFR, you will need to complete a written and practical exam.
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Please register by selecting the “Register for this course button”.
Full payment is needed to confirm your reservation for the course. You may select your preferred payment method (bank transfer or credit card) on our registration form. Kindly read our cancellation policies below before you sign up. Once we have received your course fee we will email you a receipt and a course confirmation.
Do read the Student Agreement before signing up: http://www.nols.edu/en/filer/public/1481655159/906/
*There is no need to sign and send it in. We have physical forms you can sign at the course start.
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If a student cancels or withdraws from a course:
Greater than or equal to 30 days prior to the course starting date, Crossing Latitudes will retain an administrative fee of EUR 145
Within 30 days of the course start date: Crossing Latitudes will retain an administrative fee of EUR 290.
Once the course has begun, there will be no refund
If Crossing Latitudes or NOLS Wilderness Medicine must cancel the course, you will receive a full refund.
We highly recommend that you protect yourself by buying travel insurance. Crossing Latitudes or NOLS Wilderness Medicine are not responsible for any expenses other than the course fee in case of cancellation or withdrawal.
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Accommodation is not included in your course fee. Flåm Camping & Hostel https://www.flaam-camping.no/ supports our courses and they offer both private and shared rooms, and great cabins. There is a comfortable common room and well-equipped kitchen available where you can socialise with other participants and cook your meals. Grocery stores and restaurants are within 10 minutes’ walk from the campground. The Flåm Camping & Hostel is only 10-15 minutes’ walk from our classroom.
If booking with them, do mention that you are taking a NOLS WFR course, and you will receive a discount on rooms and cabins. No discount is given for pitching a tent at the Campground. There is no discount if you book on booking.com or other similar websites.
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Meals are not included in the WFR course fee. Flåm Camping & Hostel supports our courses and their accommodation options are associated with full kitchen/cooking facilities.
There is a grocery store, several cafes, restaurants, and meal trucks in town. Students often choose to bring a packed lunch with them (there is a microwave oven, a fridge, and utensils at the classroom location) and cook dinner together.
Spending time in the commons room or cooking meals together while chatting and building community with WFR participants from all over the world adds to this unique course.
Flåm
Flåm is one of Norway’s gems, situated in the Flåm valley at the inner end of Aurlandsfjorden (a branch of Sognefjord). When visiting, one can enjoy a wide mix of outdoor activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, kayaking on the fjord, biking, and more. The village has been a tourist destination since the 19th century.
One of the preferred ways of reaching Flåm is by taking the Flåmsbana (a train line between Flåm and Myrdal) with one of the steepest railway tracks in the world. The train stops by a beautiful waterfall during the journey.
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/the-sognefjord-area/flam/
Flåm is easily accessed by car, train, bus or boat. We strongly recommend that you check the bus and train departure times before you book your flight to Oslo or Bergen.
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Flåm is a 335 km drive to Oslo (via the RV 50/R7) and is 166 km from Bergen. Make sure you have a car that drives well on winter roads. You will have to drive over some high mountain passes to reach Flåm. The views are spectacular, but the roads can be challenging.
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Take the Bergen Railway between Oslo and Bergen to Myrdal station and change there for the Flåm Railway. The Bergen Railway crosses the Hardangervidda (Hardanger Plateau), 1237 meters above sea level, and is one of the most spectacular main railway lines in Europe. This has repeatedly been named one of the world's finest journeys.
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There are several busses to Flåm. The “Sogn bus” has several daily departures and takes approx. 3 hours from Bergen to Flåm. You can find the correct bus route from your departure point to Flåm at NOR-WAY express bus
There are also buses from Oslo and these are often less expensive than the train.
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The Norled Express Boat departs once daily from Bergen to Flåm. The departure is from Bergen Strandkai Terminal at around 08:00 and the return from Flåm around 15.30. The trip takes approximately five and a half hours.
The Course
Our 3-day Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course is a fast-paced, hands-on introduction to managing common injuries, more serious emergencies, and everything in between. Lectures, demonstrations, and practical scenarios will challenge you and provide a dynamic learning environment. After the course, you’ll have the knowledge, skills, and ability to make sound decisions and interventions in emergency situations.
Wilderness First Aid is different from the urban first aid. Focus is on initial and prolonged care for a patient in the back country. This course is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and individuals in remote locations.
For more information about NOLS Wilderness Medicine and our WFR courses, please visit the NOLS website (link below).
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Dynamic instructors with lots of backcountry and first aid experience
Lots of time outside with realistic scenarios
Daily feedback from our instructors
Intense AND rewarding days
A curriculum that is evidence-based, not just copied out of a textbook. We teach wilderness medicine practices and protocols that are supported by a physician-based medical advisory panel and disseminated by our curriculum director. This means you're getting the latest findings and protocols in the industry.
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That you are on time each day
Come prepared each morning, ready to learn and participate. Revision and practice in the evenings will set you up for success.
We hope that you will speak up when you need help, do not understand, or have any concerns.
Be respectful of other participants and our staff – both in the classroom and during our scenarios outside. We do not accept any kind of harassment.
We ask that all participants’ cell phones and computers will be turned off during class time.
Smoking, alcohol and/or recreational drugs are not allowed during the course hours.
Pets are not allowed at the classroom or scenario sites during course hours. Any student bringing pets to class will be asked to leave class until the pet is safely situated in a kennel or other facility – unless it is a service dog. If you have a service dog, please email us before signing up.
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NOLS Wilderness Medicine will bring medical equipment and outdoor gear for setting up realistic scenarios.
Expect the best but be prepared for the worst! We will be outside each day even if it rains, snows or storms. Having quality clothing and equipment is important. Come to class each morning prepared to be both inside and outside. You need a medium sized backpack for your personal extra clothing and the First Aid gear that we will provide each day. Your backpack will be used every day in the scenarios.
Packing for class (in your backpack):
Waterproof jacket and trousers
Extra wool or synthetic socks
Hat, gloves, mittens, neck warmer, buff or scarf
Headlamp with extra batteries
Sunglasses, Water bottle
Protective eyewear (sunglasses and /or clear glasses)
Indoor shoes or sandals
Note pad, pens, or pencils, Water bottle, Tea/coffee mug.
Suggested Equipment List:
Underwear
Synthetic or wool tops and bottoms
Warm sweaters or fleece jackets
Quick drying outdoors pants and tops
Casual clothing for the evenings
Waterproof jacket and trousers
Warm socks
Regular socks
Outdoor shoes/boots
Indoor shoes
Hat, gloves, mittens, neck warmer/scarf
Exercise clothing (if you want to exercise)
Headlamp with extra batteries
Note pad and pens
Sunglasses, water bottle, mug, toiletries
Adaptor(s) for your electronics (if needed)
Course Cirriculum
08:00 – 18:00 each day
Hello & Welcome
Introductions
Communicable Disease & Infection Control
Medicine in the Wilderness Context
Scene Size-up & Initial Assessment
Physical Examination / Head to Toe assessment
Vital signs: LOR, HR, RR, SCTM
Medical History: SAMPLE
Emergency and Evacuation Plans, and Documentation
Spine & Spinal Cord Injuries
Head Injuries
Medical Shock
Wilderness Wound Management
Athletic injuries, Fractures, & Dislocations
Heat Illness
Hypothermia & Local Cold Injuries
The Medical Patient: Chest pain, abdominal pain, respiratory concerns, etc.
Allergies & Anaphylaxis
Wilderness First Aid Kits
download course information
We hope this information is helpful.
For specific questions about NOLS Wilderness Medicine or our curriculum please contact Crossing Latitudes info@crossinglatitudes.com
NOLS Wilderness Medicine web: https://nols.edu/en/courses/wilderness-medicine/
IMPORTANT STUDENT AGREEMENT TO READ
Please read the Student Agreement before signing up. http://www.nols.edu/en/filer/public/1481655159/906/ There is no need to sign and send it in. We have forms you can sign at the course start.