Health & Safety

Where nature is the best teacher.

We strongly encourage students to purchase travel insurance prior to their course. Travel insurance often covers a broad variety of expenses, including illness, injury, family emergency, etc. One travel insurance option is World Nomads, which has provided policies for many WRFI course participants over the years. However, World Nomads is just one of many available options; we encourage students to talk to an insurance agent to assess their individual insurance needs. Be sure to read the details and fine print to understand what claims the policy will cover in response to COVID-19 related cancellations and withdrawals.

In accordance with WRFI’s withdrawal and cancellation policy, if a course is postponed or canceled for any reason, WRFI will either offer enrollment on another course, or provide a refund of all tuition paid. WRFI is not responsible for non-refundable airline tickets, or any other associated travel costs.

The health and safety of our students is WRFI’s first priority.  We take a holistic view of our student’s well-being that includes not only their physical welfare, but their psychological and emotional health as well.  WRFI maintains a comprehensive risk management plan that is regularly updated and reviewed in order to stay current with industry protocol.

While risk in inherent in the types of activities WRFI students engage in, we aim to minimize risk and keep our students healthy through prevention, extensive planning and preparations, and adherence to strict protocols. Each course has a tailored set of guidelines and procedures specific to the place and potential risks that could arise.

The WRFI staff is happy to answer questions about safety and risk management as well as share our policies, procedures and risk management plan. Please don’t hesitate to contact the WRFI office with inquiries.

Wildlands Travel

Traveling for an extended amount of time in a backcountry setting can be a life-changing experience. While generally quite safe, wildlands travel does come with inherent risks and there is potential for dangerous situations to arise.  Injuries and accidents can happen.  The remoteness of our course locations often dictates that most medical problems that arise- scrapes, sprains, or illness- will be mitigated in the field.  If serious injury or illness occurs in a backcountry setting, WRFI instructors and staff will coordinate an evacuation with local emergency medical responders. WRFI utilizes a variety of technologies to ensure that groups in a backcountry setting can contact emergency medical services or the WRFI office if need be, including satellite phones and texting devices as well as cell phones.

 

Student Responsibilities

Learning to identify and avoid potential risks and stay healthy in a field setting is one of the most valuable skills that students can take home with them after a WRFI course. We expect students to take responsibility for their own safety and contribute positively to a culture of safety among their group.  Students who jeopardize the safety of the group or any participant will be sent home immediately, at their own expense.

Safety and Risk Management:

WRFI has an emergency response protocol in place whenever students are in the field. If an emergency occurs in the backcountry, instructors proceed with the emergency response protocol specific to their location, which is established prior to the course embarking into the backcountry.  WRFI staff and Board of Directors are notified and assist as needed.

WRFI reserves a position on our Board of Directors for a physician to serve as a medical advisor for the organization. This individual reviews all of WRFI’s policies and procedures, assists with instructor trainings, and serves as a resource for questions that arise from student medical screenings. If an incident comes up in the field, the medical advisor is typically consulted on the best course of action.

In addition to WRFI’s Medical Advisor, several members of WRFI’s Board of Directors serve on a Safety Committee which is responsible for evaluating WRFI’s policies and procedures annually, reviewing any incidents that occur in the field, and making recommendations that keep the organization up to speed with industry protocol pertaining to risk management.

WRFI instructors are required to hold a current Wilderness First Responder certification to teach in the field. Instructors also have access to risk management trainings organized annually by WRFI’s staff and Board of Directors.

Part of the reason WRFI maintains a low student to instructor ratio (6:1) is to help us effectively manage risk in a backcountry setting and ensure our students receive the attention and personalized care they need.

Health: Physical & Emotional Well-Being

All WRFI students receive a comprehensive orientation at the beginning of their course outlining policies and recommendations for staying healthy while in the field. Everyone’s body responds differently to the rigors of backcountry travel and our orientation will help students anticipate and respond to potential issues that may arise.

In order to participate on a WRFI course, students are required to make an appointment with a medical professional for an in-person health screening and physical. WRFI will provide accepted students with a medical form that they will have filled out by their health care provider.  Prior to the beginning of each course, WRFI staff and instructors conduct a medical review of the group’s medical forms to note and record information pertinent to their participation on a field course.

In addition to physical health, WRFI is committed to supporting our student’s mental health. We request students consult with their medical care providers about mental health issues and communicate those concerns openly with WRFI before and during their course.  It is critically important that WRFI is aware of potential issues in order to support students in the field.

WRFI provides vegetarian dinners to students while they are on their course. We plan our meals to provide adequate and balanced nutrition.  WRFI can typically accommodate a wide variety of dietary allergies, restrictions, and preferences.  Please contact the WRFI office with specific questions about dietary needs.

Travel Insurance

We strongly encourage students to purchase travel insurance prior to their course, which may cover a broad variety of expenses, including illness, injury, family emergency, etc. One option is World Nomads, which has provided travel insurance for many WRFI course participants over the years. However, World Nomads is just one of many available options, and we encourage students to talk to an insurance agent to assess their insurance needs. Be sure to read the details to understand what claims the policy will cover in response to COVID-19.


EMERGENCY CONTACT:

WRFI has a comprehensive emergency response system in place whenever our students are on a course.  You can contact the organization at any time.  WRFI’s instructors, staff, and Board of Directors are all trained and equipped to handle emergencies as they arise.

Being on extended expedition made it more personal and made me feel way more integrated and responsible for my own learning.

Jordan Davis, University of Vermont