FAQ

GROUP DISCOUNTS & SPONSORED COURSES

I have a group of people wishing to do a course, what discount can you offer?

We are happy to try and run a course to fit any budget! Please contact our office for details. 

I have a group of people and a venue, will you come and do a course for us, at a time good that is good for us?

Yes we will! Please email your request to info@wfac.com.au and we will email you the relevant information. We can also customise a course to suit your unique training needs.

RECERTIFICATION

I have completed a 7 day course or 10 day course. How do I re-certify my qualification?

You can re-certify your course by completing a three day Recertification Course. This needs to be done within three years of your original course, or as soon as you feel you need to. You can do a recretification twice, but when your qualification expires for the third time (up to 9 years after your original qualification) it is recommended that you re-do the original course.

I have completed a 4 day course. How do I re-certify my qualification?

If you have completed a 4 day course in the last 2 years, you can re-certify AND upgrade your qualification to the LWFA (7 day) level by attending and completing the WFA 4-LWFA UPGRADE Course. Following this you can retify your qualification on a Recertification Course twice.

It has been over three years since my last course? Can I still re-certify my course?

No, you can not re-certify your course. If your qualification has expired i.e. it has been greater than three years since the completion of your last course, then you are not eligible to re-certify and will have to complete and attend the original course again to regain your qualification level.

How often do I need to re-certify?

Courses are valid for 3 years. BUT it is up to you to update your skills if you are not confident. You may wish to recertify every two years, or even less it is up to you and how confident you are of your skills.

How long does it take for my Re-certification cards to arrive after a course?

After a Re-certification Course your re-newed certificate with attached Course and CPR cards attached will be posted within four weeks. A Statement of Attainment is not issued as you are re-certifying these competencies.

Why is re-certification required every 3 years?

Because of the level of first aid knowledge and practical skills that are taught, it is policy and we strongly believe our students should be kept as fresh as possible. With a short and easy 3 day LWFA and WFR Recertification course, it is now easier than ever to re-certify your 7 or 10 day qualification.

In reality, many people have recognized this is one qualification that if not used frequently and staying fresh and confident with your skills is important.

First aid curriculum changes with research and updates occur frequently. Maintaining your first aid knowledge and skill is vital to being a certified wilderness practitioner of first aid. Remaining current gives you, your patient, your clients, staff, friends and employer peace of mind that you are able to provide high level care and make excellent decisions under often stressful situations.

After a re-certification course your re-newed certificate with attached Course and CPR cards attached will be posted within four weeks.

Do I have to complete the entire course again at any stage?

You can do a Recertification Course twice before we recommend that you do the complete course again. If you are super confident of your skills 9 years after the original course, you just need to email us and let us and request to do another recert.

LOST CERTIFICATE

I have lost my Certificate. How do I get these documents re-issued to me?

Write an email requesting the required document, with your full name and current postal address to info@wfac.com.au, and we will generate a paper copy of these documents at a cost of $49.00 per document. Payment is expected prior to posting the document. We will need your name, current mailing details, a contact number and most importantly the date you completed the course. Otherwise you can get a copy of our certificate emailed to you by clicking on the link in your student profile!

THE COURSE IS FULL AND THAT IS THE ONLY COURSE I CAN FIT INTO MY SCHEDULE! WHAT CAN I DO?

If the Bookings/Course Calendar reads that a course is full, you are able to be 'wait listed' for a position on course by emailing your request and best contact details info@wfac.com.au  If a position becomes available for you - you will receive a phone call and an email requesting that you contact the office to accept the position on course within 24 hours of receiving the course details. If no response is gained after 24 hours, the next person on the list will be called and offered the position on course, and your position will not be held.

TRANSFER AND CANCELLATION POLICY

I have booked a course, but have since discovered I cannot attend. What is the Cancellation & Transfer Policy?

All cancellations/transfers from a course, MUST be in WRITING but may be sent by fax, email (from the students email address) or via letter.

Where a course is cancelled by WFAC a full refund or transfer shall be provided at no cost.

What are the fees for a transfer?

There is no fee if the transfer. Please contact our office if you need to change courses.

Where a course is cancelled by WFAC a full refund or transfer shall be provided at no cost.

GENERAL

What is wilderness first aid?

If you find yourself providing patient care one hour or greater from definitive medical care, you are in the realm of wilderness first aid. Wilderness first aid (also known as wilderness medicine AND remote area first aid) is characterized by extended patient care time, extremes of environment and the need to improvise resources to be able to manage and treat your patient well.

What does WFAC teach?

WFAC courses evolved from need. Some thirty years ago people who were working and playing in wilderness areas were noticing that their urban first aid training was not suitable to the environments that they were venturing into. The Wilderness Medical Society (WMS), a society of medical professionals, was formed and commenced researching and recommending emergency first aid care suitable for a first aider to utilize and know in a wilderness environment.

We have a list of medical professionals from Australia who advise us on what we teach. Our instructors who teach our courses are not only some of the best educators available in Australia, they have worked with and treated patients in urban and wilderness environments and made the same hard decisions out there in the wilderness. We have the best people teaching you the best and most relevant information.

What career experience and training background do your Instructors have?

Our Instructors are dynamic and gifted educators. They strive for excellence and quality in all areas of the courses they facilitate. Working as an Instructor is a constant process of feedback, discussion and searching for the new and quirky scenario idea...

All of our instructors have commenced their career as Ambulance Officers, Ski-patrollers, Paramedics, Doctors, Registered Nurses, Outdoor Professional Guides and Leaders and have extensive wilderness leadership experience. What an amazing combination for the student to be soaking up all that knowledge and experience.

Many of our Instructors are drawn to the excellence and fun of educating enthusiastic adult learners in an outdoor setting!

Are there pre-requisites for your courses?

No. We do not require any prior experience or qualifications to attend our courses (with the exception of recert and upgrade courses). We take you through the basics at each course level.

How old do I need to be to attend a course?

We ask that our students be at least 16 years of age.

Is there some sort of pre-course reading I need to do?

No there is not! Our course content builds upon itself, so it all makes sense as we cover it during the course. Don't worry there is plenty of time after class for study and consolidation of the content and skills you have learnt.

Are your courses Level 2 or 3 in Victoria?

The Victorian Level 2 and 3 First Aid Certifications apply more so to urban workplaces than the wilderness environment. A level 2 course is known as "Senior First Aid" elsewhere in Australia. Both senior first aid and level 2 first aid are now known as Apply First Aid HLTFA301B
Our courses may teach topics over and above a "Level 3" but they are a different course to "Level 3". Examining the Units of Competency associated with each course may provide some clarity, as all our courses enable you to gain the Apply First Aid unit HLTFA301B but cover all topics well above and beyond that standard.

Are your courses Workcover approved in NSW?

Currently, only our 7 day LWFA is a NSW Workcover approved course.(Approval # FA 9008)

Are you affiliated with the ARC (Australian Resuscitation Council)?

We are subscribers to the ARC and teach their guidelines. As some of what we teach goes a little beyond the scope of some ARC guidelines, we have a Medical Advisory Board that advises us on deviations from ARC guidelines.

COURSE CONTENT

Do you teach specific wilderness protocols?

We train people in wilderness first aid but we don't license people to practice medicine. Our students don't leave a course with an advanced medical qualification, but training and know-how. We teach treatment principles and guidelines, but we are not a protocol issuing body.

An organization that requires their staff to have our qualifications should have well-documented standard operating procedures or written Medical Protocols from a Doctor of Medicine in order for them to practice some of the "wilderness only" guidelines we teach. This ensures consistency in training and well-informed patient care. From a legal perspective, written protocols from a Doctor would be best practice.

Remember, very little of what we teach is outside the scope of urban (and therefore, widely accepted) first aid practice. Only reduction of fractures/dislocations, focussed spine assessment, discontinuing CPR after 30 mins and drug administration are considered unusual and would require further documentation to justify.

If you were to come across a patient in a wilderness environment and you were not in a professional capacity, you would need to exercise prudence and gain well informed consent from your patient if you were going to practice a "wilderness only" guideline.

Much of what we teach is purely patient care and evacuation decision making. As long as you act in a "reasonable and prudent" manner within the scope of your training, you'll be doing the right thing.

How do your courses differ from St John's/Red Cross/other First Aid Providers of urban first aid courses?

Our courses focus on thorough patient assessment, treatment and evacuation guidelines for people in the wilderness or a remote area. Our students are taught to recognise, treat and manage a variety of illnesses and injuries in the field. A wilderness first course will teach you to manage a patient for extended periods of time because an ambulance will not arrive for at least for an hour or more, whereas most urban first aid courses will teach 20 minutes of first aid because they rely on an ambulance arriving within 10 - 20 minutes.