Outdoor enthusiasts, guides, and adventurers are invited to level up their safety skills ahead of the summer season with a comprehensive Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Certification Course hosted by Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21. 

The intensive, two-day course will run from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day at the Coastal Rivers Denny Conservation and Education Center, located at 3 Round Top Lane in Damariscotta. 

Taught by Wilderness Medical Associates International(WMAI), the course is specifically designed for overnight or short-term wilderness adventurers. Over a minimum of 16 hours of instruction, students will learn to recognize medical emergencies, practice basic life-saving skills, and perform patient assessments and field care for common injuries. 

Topics include patient assessment, emergency care, musculoskeletal injuries, environmental medicine, wound management, and non-technical patient extrication.In-class instruction will be balanced with practical patient simulations, drills, and skills labs. Participants will spend at least half of the day outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. 

Instructor Eric Duffy is a Registered Nurse, a Wilderness EMT, and a Registered Maine Guide. Duffy has been active as an instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates International since 2000, and has held leadership positions with some of Maine’s most highly regarded independent schools and outdoor education programs. When not teaching for WMAI, he works as a clinical nurse in an emergency clinic and as a professional sea kayaking guide in the summers. 

The course is offered on a pass/fail basis, and participants must attend both full days to receive certification. Evaluation will be based on hands-on activities, practical simulations, and a written test.  

Tuition is $250 for Coastal Rivers members or $300 for non-members. Registration may be done online at coastalrivers.org/events.