Basic Wilderness Life Support®

Basic Wilderness Life Support® (BWLS) was created for all outdoor enthusiasts including: scout leaders, hikers, bikers, skiers, climbers, kayakers, hunters, fishermen and trail runners.

Basic Wilderness Life Support is a one day course that will teach you to prepare for your outing, assess injuries and scene safety, decide whether to evacuate or treat a patient, and determine the best method for evacuation. Fast paced and hands-on, this course is preparation for the prevention and management of real emergencies that can occur in the wild (or even in your backyard).

The course covers a wide range of outdoors and back-country topics and will teach participants to assess and deal with medical situations with limited resources. Participants will gain experience with evaluation and initial management of medical emergencies in a non-medical environment. The course will be divided between lectures and hands-on practice of the content being taught, including short role-playing medical scenarios.

Topics will include:

Essentials for Wilderness Travel: 10 essentials, First Aid kits, Water Disinfection
Environmental Injuries: Hypothermia, Hyperthermia, Dehydration, Sunburn, Submersion injuries, Snake bites and Stings
Patient Assessment: Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains, Strains & Splinting, Wound Management, Head Injuries, Spine Management, Patient Transport
Wilderness Medicine Scenarios

Participants will receive a textbook and a field guide with the course. At the end of the day, participants will receive a BWLS certificate.

Minimum course registration of 12 required to hold the course. The course is subject to cancellation if there are fewer than 12 registrants at least 2 weeks in advance of the course.

Instructors: Drs. Jane Corboy and John Rogers are certified in Family Medicine, Sports Medicine and Advanced Wilderness Live Support. They have extensive experience in mountaineering, whitewater rafting, and backpacking and are award-winning teachers.

Cost: $120 for Arboretum members;
$120 for Baylor College of Medicine or University of Texas-Health Science Center students;
$150 for non-members.
(Includes $50 cost of BWLS Certification.)

Upcoming Class:
Saturday, March 3, 2012: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Questions? Email us