Expedition First Aid

Advanced First Aid Training for Expedition Leaders and Explorers

These advanced 4 day expedition first aid courses are aimed at training outdoor professionals and travellers who operate overseas in wilderness environments that are far from help.

We have approached this course with our own vast experience of leading overseas expeditions knowing what situations you are likely to face and with what kit you are likely to be carrying. To that end the course is designed for first-aiders, but because you may find yourself in some pretty remote places with few resources readily to hand, with experienced medics and trainers leading this course we go beyond the realms of traditional first aid. We aim to give delegates on this course the skills and the confidence to face a whole host of situations from managing trauma to the very common problems of an upset stomach.

Not the right course? Try looking at our 2 day Outdoor First Aid courses.

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Expedition First Aid (4 days) – course overview

Day 1

Vital Signs 1 – basic information gathering
The accident procedure – primary and secondary surveys
Airway management
CPR – urban / drowning casualties
Choking
Shock management:

steristrips
glue and wound packing
haemostatic dressings
tourniquets

burns and dressings

Day 2

Head and spine injuries
Chest injuries
Practical sessions:
moving / lifting / straightening an injured casualty
helmet removal
fracture & dislocation management
the broken pelvis – use of improvised pelvic binder
the broken leg – use of improvised traction device
Pain management considerations
Soft tissue injuries
Medical kit workshop –

pulse oximeters,
blood glucose measuring devices
malaria rapid diagnostic test and standby treatment

Casualty monitoring and note taking
Practical outdoor scenarios

Day 3

Approach to illness – vital signs 2
Diagnosis – how to take a patient history
Practical sessions:
– history taking
– Pain management & nursing care
Common medical conditions – diarrhoea and issue of antibiotics
Fever – including malaria
Asthma, diabetes, epilepsy/seizures
heat illness
Anaphylactic shock and use of Epipen/Anapen
differentiating the severe headache
approach to chest pain
abdominal problems (appendicitis, hernias, testicular problems)
snake bites
Rescue & related skills

Organising a casualty evacuation
Working with helicopters
Radios, communications
Improvised rescue & stretchers
Jungle lost procedures & search & rescue
Medical scenario & rescue exercise

Day 4

High and cold environments
• altitude sickness – medication & portable altitude chambers
• Hypothermia, frostbite and immersion
Expedition medical planning

Immunisations/antimalarials
Pre-existing medical cases – group work
Legal issues

Outdoor practical scenarios
Written exam
Debrief

Date: 18th – 21st January 2022

Price: £520

Course fee includes first aid manual and first aid certificate valid for three years.

Package

- Interactive hands on practical training indoors and out
- Use of recommended first aid kit
- Easy to follow individual course booklet
- An accredited, recognised certificate valid for 3 years

Location

- Whitely Woods Outdoor Activity Centre, Sheffield

Course leaders

This course will be led by Will Legon and Dr Joe Rowles.

Will has led student expeditions and treks for adults to all corners of the globe from South America to Mongolia and has been teaching Outdoor First Aid since 2010.

Joe is an Emergency Medicine doctor and former Special Forces soldier with an interest in pre-hospital, remote and expedition medicine. He is also hugely passionate about sharing what he knows!

Joe holds a Master’s degree in Austere and Military Trauma Science, Diploma in Immediate Care, is a faculty member for the Diploma in Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine and an Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Exeter where he is a module lead for the MSc in Extreme Medicine. He co-authored the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh guidelines for medical provision for wilderness medicine and has worked as medical director for Survivor USA, the world’s largest reality television show.

Contact us for dates of upcoming courses

Book Your Place(s) on Our 4 day Expedition First Aid Course HERE

Read our booking conditions here

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I have read, understood and accept the BMC’s Participation Statement. The BMC Participation Statement says that: The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.

I agree to provide Will4Adventure with any up to date medical information that is requested of me in relation to my health and fitness to take part in any activity booked herein

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Guidelines for Medical Provision in the Wilderness Setting: This document was published in December 2015 in the Journal of Extreme Physiology and Medicine and is now available free online.

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 318 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Chris Dent 
 27 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you so much to Will, Neil and Amie for providing such a wonderful experience. You were friendly, calm, confidence inspiring, encouraging but never judgemental. I particularly appreciated your superb communication and interpersonal skills. I received support and guidance tailored to my needs. I managed to push my boundaries way beyond my expectations but always felt that I was in completely safe hands. The day after the course I was walking along the great ridge to the trig point on Mam Tor rediscovering my joy of engaging with nature. My partner was totally amazed but not more than I was!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Andrew A 
 26 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve been terrified of heights all my life, and at 53 I’d built my world around avoiding anything above ground level. I finally signed up for the Fear of Heights course before I could talk myself out of it — and I’m so glad I did.

The team were amazing: calm, kind, patient, and never pushy. The hypnosis was surprisingly effective, and for the first time ever I actually wanted to try the height tasks… and enjoyed them.

A week later I climbed Catbells, walked up and down stairs, and even climbed a tower. My husband couldn’t believe the change.

This course genuinely changed my life. If you’re scared of heights, do it.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Iwona Hunter 
 22 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you Will, Adam, Hayden, Alison, Joe and my group members (!!) for truly transformative experience. I felt scared to start with but elated at the end of it.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   moss2 
 18 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The Fear of Heights completed with this company in July'26.
Terrific experience!! Great course leaders Adam, Hayden and Joe, and the bunch of us - participants, timid at first and scrambling on the 2nd day, as though this was our second nature. If you are scared of heights, look no further than Will4adventure and look from the ...heights again.

Thanks to Hayden for distracting me when the panic started to eat me away!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   drangela 
 18 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Just completed the Fear of Heights course and I would say to anyone who is ready to overcome your fear of heights, take this course as a first step. In summary, Will was responsive and informative during my enquiry stage. Very clear instructions were provided ahead of the course. I appreciated the help to link us with other participants who could give us a ride to the meeting points. The morning session with Alison was a good grounding session and gave us an opportunity to reflect and connect with the group.  Adam, Haydon and Joe had the perfect leadership style for me. They were very professional and personable, gave clear explanations of each activity to prepare us, they were encouraging, supportive and shared lots of really useful golden nuggets that helped me quickly reframe a lot of the negative scripts I had. The activities were not what I expected at all, but they were brilliant in building my confidence from the foundations up  - exactly what I needed. I achieved things in 48 hrs I would not have imagined possible before the course. The group dynamics were great and it was a really supportive experience. I also appreciated the way Adam not only gave us all the attention we needed and worked well as a team with Haydon but also was very intentionally supportive of Joe, who was there to shadow him. Great leadership. Thank you to everyone at Will4Advenuture. I am grateful for this course and I am looking forward to booking another event with this team.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   virginia deal 
 17 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have just completed the fear of heights course and cannot speak highly enough of it. It was professionally delivered with an emphasis on encouraging us to explore gently pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone in a supportive environment. I am amazed how much we all achieved in such a short space of time.
Thank you so much to Will’s fantastic team! You have changed my life for the better. I can’t wait to put my new skills in to practice.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Robert Coleman 
 11 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Will took my son and me on the Hope Valley highlights guided ride. He gave us some coaching on the way, helping us improve our confidence and technique. He had some suggestions on other trails we could sample on our weekend in the peaks, which proved to be great rides.

Overall Will was a knowledgeable, personable guide who helped us become better riders, relaying interesting information about the area we were riding in and allowing us to have the most memorable day.

We would definitely book Will again for future visits, and would highly recommend him for anyone looking to ride in this beautiful part of the world.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   David B 
 10 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have just completed my fifth Outdoor First Aid (OFA) course with Will, which I renew every three years.  As always, the training was excellent. Will is a highly knowledgeable and engaging instructor who brings the course to life through real-world experiences and practical examples from situations he has encountered himself.

The most valuable aspect of the course is the range of practical first aid scenarios delivered in an outdoor environment over the two days.  These hands-on exercises are both realistic and challenging, helping to reinforce and embed the learning objectives far more effectively than classroom-based teaching alone.

I would thoroughly recommend Will4Adventure to anyone looking for high-quality, practical Outdoor First Aid training.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   CHRIS Meachem 
 8 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I completed Will4Adventure's Fear of Heights course at the end of April 2026. As others have said, the combination of reprogramming the subliminal mind along with the activities to reinforce this new 'thinking' about heights were great. The support received from Will, Andy, Ben & Alison during the course was fantastic.

My cohort established a WhatsApp group and the ongoing moral support from the group, as we have each individually acheived 'new heights' has been amazing.

I am now 2.5 months post my course, just back from a trip to Switzerland and proud to say I have been in cable cars, crossed bridges and walked on high cliffs all of which were just not even considerations for me only couple of months ago.

If you are reading this review and considering joining a future Fear of Heights course, let me give you 1 piece of advice. DO IT!  You will not regret the decision, it will change your life and you will make some fantastic new friends.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Vladislav Veljic 
 25 May 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Just completed my Outdoor First Aid training in Camberley and would highly recommend this company. Hannes was a brilliant instructor,professional, thorough, and engaging throughout. I feel far more confident in my first aid skills after the course.
  
 
  
  
 
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