Wilderness First Aid Basics

This workbook accompanies the Wilderness First Aid Basics course. Each section pairs with a course module and gives you structured exercises, worksheets, and checklists to move from reading to applied skill. Complete the exercises in the field or in a practice scenario — the goal is to build muscle memory for the assessment frameworks before you need them for real.

Practice running the full WEMS assessment sequence — scene size-up through evacuation decision — so the order becomes automatic under stress.

Find a partner and take turns playing patient and rescuer. The rescuer must verbalise every step of the scene size-up, Primary Survey (ABCDE), and Secondary Survey (DOTS/SAMPLE) out loud. Run at least two scenarios: one with high-energy trauma MOI and one with a medical MOI. Time each run — target under 4 minutes for a full assessment.

After each scenario (practice or real), complete this SOAP note within 5 minutes while memory is fresh. Use abbreviated language. Hand a copy to your trip leader and keep one with the patient.

Build technique for irrigation, closure, and infection monitoring through deliberate practice exercises and a tracking worksheet for multi-day wound management.

Fill a 20 mL syringe with water. Hold it over a white bowl at arm's length and depress the plunger briskly with your palm, directing the stream into the bowl. Measure the spread of the impact point on the bowl surface — at correct technique (8 psi) the stream should produce a sharp, focused impact approximately 3–4 cm in diameter. Compare results with a pinhole-pierced Nalgene lid. Repeat until you can reliably produce consistent pressure across 5 consecutive attempts.

Record an entry for each dressing change. One completed row per change. At any dressing change where two or more infection warning signs are present, escalate the evacuation plan.

Sharpen your ability to stage hypothermia and heat illness in simulated conditions, and practise the improvised interventions that buy time until evacuation.

Using your actual gear (sleeping pad, sleeping bag, tarp), build a complete Hypothermia Wrap on a willing partner following the sequence: ground pad, opened sleeping bag, vapour barrier, patient placement, chemical heat pack positions, bag closure, tarp wrap. The entire process should take under 8 minutes. Time yourself 3 times across a practice day until you are consistently under 8 minutes.

For each patient scenario, record your assessment findings and treatment decision. Use during practice drills or real events.

Practise splinting and litter-building techniques with your actual gear, and run a full emergency communication drill so activation is second nature.

In two groups: Group A builds a trekking pole forearm splint on a volunteer (position of function, padded, PMS checked). Group B builds a trekking pole sleeping bag litter. Both groups should be complete within 12 minutes. Load the volunteer onto the litter and carry 100 metres over varied terrain, rotating rescuers at 50 metres. Debrief on pad placement, pole separation, and tilt control.

Complete this sheet during a simulated emergency communication drill. Treat it as a real activation. After the drill, review the recording (if possible) and score each element.

Using a healthy volunteer, simulate a lateral ankle sprain scenario. Your partner plays a patient who reports twisting their ankle on a root. Apply the Ottawa Ankle Rules: palpate the posterior edge and tip of both malleoli, the navicular, and the 5th metatarsal base. Record your finding (fracture possible vs sprain likely). Then apply the stirrup tape method and assess whether the patient can bear weight. Swap roles.