Belize Wilderness First Responder (WFR)

Day 1 (Sunday) – Belize City pick-up, scenic drive, and arrival at Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society

• Meet the group and instructors and get picked up at 10:00am in Belize City
• Take in the Belizean countryside, small towns, and jungle-covered hills during the drive
• Arrive at Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society in time for lunch, your first of many great meals this week
• Get shown around by staff, explore your lodgings, and settle in
• Head out on an afternoon Ethnobotanical Walk, where you’ll:
  Learn jungle medicine and how to heal various ailments using rainforest plants
  Discover survival skills, including what to eat and what to avoid if lost in the jungle
  Spot signs of local mammal activity and wildlife
• Relax, enjoy the surroundings, and settle in for your first night in the jungle
• Get to know the group over welcome dinner and introductions

Day 2 to 6 (Monday to Friday) – Wilderness medical training

Gain skills, practice, and certification as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR). Your days will be full of intensive learning. Days include a mixture of classroom sessions, skill workshops, and small group drills and scenarios. As the course progresses we’ll have larger simulations with makeup and stage blood. On Thursday we’ll also combine a rainforest hike with medical simulations and practice evacuations.

• Sleep until breakfast or get up early to watch the birdlife and the jungle awake
• Get a good start with coffee, tea, and a hearty breakfast
• Mornings usually begin with review as we take up questions, go over case studies, or write a quiz. Learn and hone your skills through a combination of practical drills, presentations, discussions, review exercises and simulations.
• Lunch
• Get moving and take in the rainforest on a short hiking adventure
• More course content and awesome learning
• As you gain confidence with the material, we’ll do more extended simulations.
• On Thursday, we’ll go on a longer hike in the rainforest and do simulations along the way, including treatment, evacuation plans, and transport
• Dinner
• One evening we'll have a Bat Mist-Netting Workshop where we’ll head into the field at dusk, with the T.R.E.E.S. science education staff, for a hands-on session tracking and identifying neotropical bats, captured safely using fine mesh mist-nets.

Day 7 (Saturday) – Return to Belize City

• Shuttle to the Belize City airport after breakfast, with an early morning shuttle available
• We recommend booking flights for the afternoon or later in case of delays, or planning to stay an extra night if you’d like to continue your travels in Belize

Become a Wilderness First Responder

• Grow your skills and knowledge through learning online ahead of time at your own pace, followed by an intensive and well-run course
• Increase your confidence and gain experience through realistic scenarios with stage blood and simulated wounds to prepare you for backcountry emergencies
• Challenge yourself with the guidance of professional, dynamic, and fun instructors who deliver a course that will be one of the best you’ll ever experience

Certification

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification
• CPR BLS level certification (CPR for adults, children, and infants. Includes AED training)
• Included materials: Textbook, SOAP note booklet, waterproof WMA field guide, case studies workbook, notebook (with WMA lecture notes)

Your certification is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.

You can recertify your Wilderness First Responder (WFR) by taking a 3-day or longer WFR Recert course within 3 years of your last certification.

Continuing ed. & community

After your course, you'll be a member in our online alumni community for 3 years, which includes:

• Continuing ed. sessions for WFRs — case studies, expert guests, curriculum updates
• Access to free online courses
• Seminars, discussion threads, Q&A's

Course topics

• General concepts of wilderness medicine and the Patient Assessment System
• CPR (adult, child, and infant), AED, and basic life support skills
• Anatomy and major problems of the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems
• Musculoskeletal injury assessment and splinting
• Spine injury assessment and management
• Allergies and anaphylaxis
• Medical emergencies such as stroke and diabetes
• Severe asthma wilderness protocol
• Wound and burn management
• Wilderness protocol for reducing shoulder dislocations
• Environmental problems such as hypothermia, heat illnesses, lightning, and drowning
• Backcountry medicine and toxins, bites, and stings
• Litters, improvised litters and patient carries
• Evacuations, decision making, and leadership
• Medical legal issues
• And more…

Course overview

This program uses the Hybrid WFR format (rather than the standard 8-days)

How the ‘Hybrid WFR’ format works

On the Hybrid WFR, you’ll complete 30+ hours of online e-learning followed by 5-days (45 hours) of in-person learning.

The e-learning includes interactive modules with videos, readings, self-practice assignments, quizzes, and case studies.

You’re required to register at least 4 weeks before the in-person portion begins and complete all of the e-learning before you arrive. *See the technology requirements below*.

Please note before enrolling that the e-learning is mandatory. It takes at minimum 30 hours but many students take significantly more time than that.

The online learning isn’t meant to be crammed into a few days. You’ll get the most out of this course and have the highest likelihood of achieving the certification if you break it up into 1 to 3-hour learning blocks, spaced over 4 to 6 weeks.

As soon as you register, you’ll automatically receive a Student InfoPack with course outlines, packing lists, and logistical info. Then, 7-weeks before the onsite portion, we’ll send you access to the e-learning platform.

On the in-person portion, we can then focus on practical skills, drills, and rescue simulations, because you’ll arrive having already learned much of the theoretical knowledge.

All of our medical courses are intensive; the onsite portion of the Hybrid WFR is even more so: expect full, fast-paced (and fun!) days.

HYBRID TECH REQUIREMENTS

For the 30+ hours of online learning, you’ll need:

• Access to high speed internet throughout the 30+ e-learning hours
• A laptop or desktop computer with

To be clear, you don’t need a computer with you in Costa Rica — and there’s no electricity at the camp 🙂

Prerequisites

No medical or wilderness experience is necessary.

You need to be in good physical condition and comfortable walking on uneven and steep terrain.

Assessment and evaluation for certification

Practical assessment is ongoing. There’s a written test on the last day of the course where you need a grade of 80% or higher to pass.

Instructors will do everything they can to accommodate students with different learning styles and needs. Let us know what we can do to help you succeed.

NOTE: A packing list is included with your ‘Student Information Package’ (emailed to you when you register)

Synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon, and fleece are great as they dry quickly.

Clothing and Footwear

• Sturdy, lightweight hiking shoes with good grip, ideally waterproof, since some trails cross a shallow creek
• Water-friendly sandals or rubber boots for creek crossings and wet ground
• Lightweight quick-dry long pants (at least 2)
• Quick-dry long-sleeved shirts, ideally with a collar, for sun and bugs (at least 2)
• T-shirts for layering
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Fleece or wool sweater (especially for February, nights can be cooler)
• Undergarments and sports bra
• Shorts and summer clothes for evenings
• Swimwear (there are jungle swimming holes on site)
• Flip-flops for the shower
• Wide-brimmed sun hat
• Long socks: more pairs than you think you need
• Buff or bandana

Course items

• A backpack that you can carry during simulations to carry extra food, water, clothing, equipment, etc.
• A stuff sack, book bag, or drybag for you to store your books
• Something to sit and lie on outside such as an ensolite pad
• Watch (for taking vital signs)
• Water bottle
• A set of clothing that can be stained and cut during simulations
• Optional: Waterproof paper and ‘space pen’ or grease pencil

Personal and travel items

• Passport and travel documents
• Towel for showers, and a second towel for swimming
• Personal toiletries (soap, shampoo, etc.)
• Prescription glasses or contacts (bring an extra pair of glasses & a copy of your eyeglass prescription)
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Insect repellent: 25% DEET or citronella-based. DEET damages plastics, so keep it off your watch, sunglasses, and dry bags.
• Sunscreen, SPF 30+, and lip balm with SPF
• Personal medications
• Pain relievers / fever reducers, antihistamine, after-bite, and aloe or sunburn cream
• Optional: mosquito head net or bug jacket
• Optional: Binoculars / journal / books
• Optional: Camera

We will provide

• Bedding
• Pillow

Our Hosts - The Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society (T.R.E.E.S)

For this program, we partner with T.R.E.E.S., a grassroots conservation organization that established the field station in 2012.

The biologist-managed facility focuses on tropical ecology research and post secondary education. They work closely with local community members, who are involved in all aspects of the centre's research, education initiatives, and conservation projects.

The friendly small staff team of site managers (who are biologists), educators, scientists, guides, and kitchen staff work together to make sure everybody feels comfortable and at home.

T.R.E.E.S. is situated on 200 acres of private land in the Maya Mountain Foothills, a global biodiversity hotspot. Over 10 km of trails run through the property, and connect to the neighbouring Sibun Forest Reserve. The staff team is passionate about biology and conservation and they're excited to have each guest experience tropical nature and Maya Mountain biodiversity first hand.

Lodging & meals

Staying here is sure to be one of the highlights of your experience in Belize.

From your comfortable tent, you can listen to the river and see the morning mist rising through lush tropical greenery. Outside of class time, enjoy relaxing in the ‘Rancho’ or lying in a hammock.

Camp facilities

• Shared cabins included in the base price
• Bathrooms with flush toilets, sinks, and hot water showers
• Delicious home-cooked meals
• 200 acres of forest, 10 km of trails
• Lawned recreation area
• Nearby waterfalls and natural swimming holes

Optional cabin upgrades (single supplement)

• Jaguar House: A fully furnished two-bedroom wooden house in a private fenced yard, with a gorgeous view of the Maya Mountains. It has a full kitchen, dining room, living room, full bathroom, a screened-in veranda, and a deck with hammocks. It has its own driveway entrance, but it’s only a short walk to the communal facilities.
• La Casita: A charming “little house” with its own deck and mountain views, a well-equipped kitchenette, a small fridge, and a private bathroom.
• Mayflower Cabin: A family-style cabin with a private bathroom and kitchen, two bedrooms with two extra-large double beds or four single beds, and a pull-out couch.
• Fern Cabin: A quaint, clean, and comfortable wooden cabin with a private deck overlooking the Maya Mountains and lush jungle.

Student InfoPack and forms

Once you've booked, we'll send you a detailed Student InfoPack and confirmation email. Inside, you'll find:

• Packing lists and travel-planning details
• Links to the online waiver and participant questionnaire
• Links to WMA's online learning platform

Travel to San Jose, Costa Rica

• The closest airport to our meeting location is SJO - San Jose, Costa Rica
• We meet at 7 a.m. on Sunday (Day 1) outside the Teatro Nacional (National Theatre), in downtown San Jose
• Plan to arrive in San Jose the day before (Saturday) so you're ready for the early departure

Where to stay before the course

You'll find plenty of options near our meeting point — from major hotels to boutique inns and Airbnbs.

We recommend checking out options in the 'Barrio Escalante' neighbourhood. It's less busy and commercial than downtown and has great cafés and restaurants to explore. A few good lodging options include:

• Apartotel Tairona - clean and convenient budget hotel
• Casa Pandora Hostel - women-only hostel
• Airbnb
• Explore major hotel options in the San Jose area

Travel after the course

• We expect to arrive back in San Jose by late afternoon on the final day (Saturday, Day 7).
• Please plan any transfers or flights for the following day, in case we experience delays on the road.

If you’d prefer to keep exploring the Caribbean coast — which is closer to the course site and the Pacuare River — you can depart directly from our river trip take-out at Finca Pacuarito or from the nearby town of Siquirres by bus, private shuttle*, or rental car.

*Let us know If you'd like help arranging a shuttle from the river take-out

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions at all about Costa Rica travel or the course!