Wilderness First Aid Course in NJ & NY

We don't have all the medical resources we have at home when we're in the woods. Wilderness First Aid gives you the tools, the skills and the know-how to improvise when someone gets hurt or sick far from help, and the confidence to step up, make decisions and get a good outcome.

We started with a national certification program and made it our own, drawing on several certifying organizations and on our instructors' own search & rescue and EMS calls. It's interactive, not a read-the-slides class: you'll spend about half of the two days practicing hands-on skills.

• Preparing to help: how wilderness first aid differs from standard first aid, legal basics like consent and Good Samaritan laws, protecting yourself, getting help from the backcountry (high ground for cell signal, satellite messengers, runners, signaling), and safely moving, lifting and carrying a patient

• Patient assessment: sizing up the scene, the primary assessment for life threats (AVPU and MARCH), the full and focused physical exam, vital signs, patient history (SAMPLE and OPQRST)

• Trauma: shock, severe bleeding (pressure bandages, tourniquets, hemostatic dressings), chest and abdominal wounds, burns, wound cleaning and closing, blisters, infection, head, neck and spine injuries, concussion, sprains, fractures and dislocations, and splinting with what's in your pack

• Illness: fainting, stroke, diabetic emergencies, seizures, asthma and anaphylaxis (with epinephrine trainers), cardiac chest pain, stomach problems and poisoning

• Environmental emergencies: heat illness and dehydration, hypothermia (including the hypothermia wrap), frostbite, ticks, bees and other bites and stings, venomous snakebites, allergic reactions, drowning, lightning and altitude sickness

• First aid kits: what to pack based on your trip, the season, your group size and how far you'll be from help, with our recommendation for every item in the kit, down to the make and model to buy

Every skill is practiced hands-on, and the course ends with realistic group scenarios that put it all together.

Day 1: preparing to help, moving and carrying patients, scene and primary assessments, bleeding control with pressure bandages and tourniquets, physical exams and vital signs, patient history and documentation, then trauma: shock, wounds, burns, bandaging, head and spine injuries and musculoskeletal injuries.

Day 2: a morning of spinal motion restriction and splinting practice, then illnesses, environmental emergencies, the hypothermia wrap, first aid kits, and an afternoon of final scenarios.

Hikers and backpackers, scout leaders, camp staff, trip leaders, and anyone who spends time outdoors: mountain bikers, paddlers, fishermen, adventure racers, quad riders, beachgoers, and even the family BBQ. No medical background needed.

• Length: 2 days, 9am–5pm both days

• Location: Usually The New Weis Center, 150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, NJ 07456, right at the New York border. Students come from all over North Jersey, Rockland and Orange Counties, the five NYC boroughs, South Jersey and the Philadelphia area. We've also taught it at Frost Valley YMCA, Duke Farms and many other places in New Jersey and New York State, so check each date's location above.

• Certification: 2-year ASHI Wilderness First Aid certification, emailed after the course. Approved by the American Camp Association (ACA), Scouts BSA and Girl Scouts of the USA.

• Minimum age: 12 (a parent or guardian must also register and attend for anyone under 18)

• Prerequisite: Current Adult CPR & AED certification (see the FAQ below if you won't have it in time for the course)

• Class size: Up to 24 students, with a minimum of 3 instructors

• What to bring: A pencil and notepad, water, snacks and lunch (lunch is a working lunch; there's nowhere close by to buy food, but there's a fridge and microwave). Wear comfortable clothes you can kneel and lie down in, on the floor or on the ground. Optional for Day 2: your hiking pack with your usual gear and first aid kit (trekking poles, a sit pad, a tarp, jackets, a space blanket) to try out for improvised splints, insulation and carries. We provide all the supplies you need.

TrailBound's WFA instructors are search & rescue team members, EMTs, firefighters, Wilderness First Responders and medical professionals. Everyone who has helped teach this course:

• Scott Fitterman, Co-Founder: Deputy Chief of NJSAR, NJSAR Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, EMT, WFA, WFR & W-EMT instructor, NASAR instructor, Catskill 35er

• Mark Mielke: NJSAR Lieutenant, Field Team Leader & Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, Wilderness First Responder, WFA & CPR instructor

• Bill Winterbottom: former Chief of Catskill Mountain Search & Rescue, Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, EMT & firefighter, WFA, WFR & W-EMT instructor

• Jeffrey Greenberg: NJSAR Medical Unit Lead, EMT, WFA, WFR & W-EMT instructor, Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine

• Nancy Purnell: NJSAR Medical Unit member & K9 Support Unit Lead, Wilderness First Responder, WFA & CPR instructor

• Mike Cappelleri: former NJSAR Lieutenant, Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, Wilderness First Responder, WFA & CPR instructor

• Joe Galvan, Co-Founder: former NJSAR Lieutenant & Mountain Rescue Unit Lead, WFA & CPR instructor, technical rope rescue instructor

• Amy Meredith: Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine, Diploma in Mountain Medicine

• Brad Sayer: Chief of Catskill Mountain Search & Rescue, NYS DEC Crew Boss, Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, Wilderness First Responder

• Tommi Paavola: NJSAR Lieutenant, Wilderness First Responder

• Keith Garcia: NJSAR Field Team Leader & Mountain Rescue Unit (MRU) member, structural & wildland firefighter

• Jason "Jay" Brinkerhoff: Wilderness First Aid certified

• Frank Vigna: Wilderness First Responder, CMSAR Field Team Member, NYS Licensed Guide

• Alex (Sasha) Kovalyov: NJSAR Medical Unit & Mountain Rescue Unit member, EMT, Wilderness First Responder, WFA & CPR instructor

• Rich Pannullo: EMT, Wilderness First Responder & W-EMT, backpacking guide

• Amanda Amabile: WFA & CPR certified, NYS Licensed Guide

• Ilan Fitterman: NJSAR Field Team Member, former EMT

• Matt Kopacki: pharmacist, EMT since 1979, WFA, CPR & Emergency Medical Responder instructor

Meet the whole team on The Cadre page.

5.0 from 285 Google reviews

“I am a retired EMT / ER RN. I have sat through numerous training classes where the instructors just read from the PowerPoints. This class was so much better than that on numerous levels.”
— David J., 2026

“I attended Wilderness First Aid on May 30 and 31 in Ringwood in preparation for a High Adventure trip this summer. TrailBound did a fantastic job providing thorough classroom instruction and hands on experience.”
— Alex R., 2026

“The instructors really care and are knowledgeable practitioners with search and rescue and EMT experience.”
— Sam S., 2026

“I took a Wilderness First Aid class 2 years ago and just registered for my recertification. The instructors were very knowledgeable and excellent teachers; the course was well structured and organized…”
— Sophia R., 2025

“Wilderness First Aid was required for a job. … It was an enjoyable and educational experience and I feel prepared.”
— Anais, 2026

Do I need CPR before I take WFA?
You can take the course without it, but your WFA certificate is issued once we have proof of a current Adult CPR & AED certification (or higher) with an in-person skills check (no online-only courses). Accepted: American Heart Association, American Red Cross, ASHI, ECSI, EMS Safety, Health and Safety Institute, and National Safety Council. TrailBound also teaches CPR & AED. Email your CPR card to info@trailboundproject.com any time before or after the course.

When will I get my certificate?
We issue WFA certifications in waves every few days, depending on when students provide their CPR certification proof. Check your spam folder if yours hasn't arrived.

Is this accepted by Scouts and camps?
Yes. The certification is approved by the American Camp Association, Scouts BSA and Girl Scouts of the USA.

How long is it good for, and how do I recertify?
Your certification is good for 2 years. To recertify, you take this same two-day course again; there's no separate recertification class. Just book any WFA date above.

Can my teenager take it?
Yes, from age 12, as long as a parent or guardian also registers and takes the course.

Is any of it outdoors?
Yes, whenever the weather lets us. Up to half the course can be outside, practicing hands-on skills and scenarios right near the classroom. In bad weather the whole course is taught indoors. There's no hiking. Dress for the weather and wear clothes you don't mind getting on the ground in.

Can you teach WFA to our group or organization?
Yes. We run private WFA courses for scout troops, clubs, camps and companies anywhere in the New Jersey or New York State area. Contact us.

What's your cancellation policy?
See our Registration & Refund Policy.

• Before WFA: CPR & AED for Adult, Child & Infant

• Pair it with: Hiking Basics, Gear & Safety and Map & Compass Navigation

• For your dog: Dog CPR, First Aid & Hiking

• Counts toward: the Hiker rocker in the Rocker Program