Outdoor Skills Course

Prerequisites: None

Duration: Two days, one night backcountry camping

This course incorporates both theoretical and scenario-based curricula and is typicallydelivered over two days. This course does involve an overnight stay in the backcountry, where clients may choose to sleep in their primitive/emergency shelters. AWE also provides expedition quality tents to all participants should they wish to choose this option. This course has been delivered to numerous Search and Rescue organizations across Canada, from Nunavut to British Columbia, as well as and Federal Government staff from departments such as the RCMP, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada and Canadian Armed Forces. Check our Google reviews for testimonials on what to expect. 

Course plan/learning objectives:

• The psychology of survival
• Basic physiological needs and the pathophysiology of exposure to the environment.
• General concepts related to survival in the backcountry; common issues and recent relevant case studies, where applicable.
• Packing for the backcountry – group survival essentials:
     o Trip planning The Ten Essentials
     o Gear and Equipment (stoves, tents, sleeping systems, clothing)

• Basic Wilderness Skills:
     o Shelter (standard tent and primitive/natural shelters). Discussion/demo of standard practices involved in the making of improvised shelters for groups of varying size. We will also discuss shelters constructed from materials commonly found in the boreal forest, barrens or tundra, including debris shelters.
     o Fire starting, stoves and basic camp cooking
     o Identify and discuss common fire-starting instruments and strategies.Each participant will have an opportunity to build and maintain a fire.
     o Signaling & Communication
     o Wildlife defense
     o Technology in the backcountry (batteries, solar power and how to keep devices functioning in cold.)
     o Basic water safety (static and moving water)
• Food and Water:
     o Sourcing and decontaminating water in the backcountry
     o Basic camp cooking and food hygiene
• Emergency Wilderness First Aid:
     o Scene assessment;
     o Activating EMS
     o Patient assessment
     o Treatment of life-threatening emergencies
     o Recognizing and treating hypothermia and frostbite
     o Planning for evacuation