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Outdoor First Aid Courses Explained: 1-Day & 2-Day

Reviewing which Outdoor First Aid course is most suitbale for you.

12/4/20256 min read

Choosing the right
outdoor first aid course

Choosing the right Outdoor First Aid course isn't simply about whether training lasts one day or two. Your activities, the people in your care, the hazards you may encounter and how quickly professional help can reach you should all influence your decision.

Whether you support countryside activities, supervise outdoor groups, lead expeditions or organise outdoor learning, your first aid training should reflect the emergencies you could realistically face.

At GO! First Aid, we offer two courses: Emergency Outdoor First Aid (8 hours) and Outdoor First Aid (16 hours). Both focus on responding to emergencies in outdoor environments, but the two-day course provides a broader understanding of injuries, illnesses and casualty management.

At a glance: the two training options

Why does outdoor first aid require a different approach?

First aid outdoors can present challenges that aren't always encountered in a classroom or traditional workplace.

A casualty may be exposed to cold, rain, uneven ground or difficult terrain. Mobile phone coverage may be unreliable, and emergency services may have difficulty reaching your location.

As a first aider, you may need to consider more than the immediate injury. You might also need to protect the casualty from environmental conditions, establish your location, arrange assistance and continue monitoring their condition while help is on its way.

For example:
Someone who injures their ankle during a short woodland activity close to a road may be relatively easy to assist.
The same injury on a remote hillside, several miles from vehicle access, could present a very different challenge.
Although the immediate first aid principles may be similar, the surrounding circumstances can significantly affect how the situation is managed.

This is why outdoor first aid training considers both the casualty's condition and the environment in which the emergency occurs.

What does the 1-day Emergency Outdoor First Aid course cover?

Our 8-hour Emergency Outdoor First Aid (EOFA) course focuses on recognising emergencies, providing immediate first aid and managing common injuries and illnesses in outdoor environments.

The course covers:

First aider responsibilities: Infection prevention, consent, accident reporting and the safe use of first aid equipment.
Assessing an incident: Scene safety, identifying hazards, calling for help and protecting casualties from environmental conditions.
CPR and AED: Performing CPR using a manikin, operating an automated external defibrillator and understanding when resuscitation should be started or stopped.
Outdoor CPR considerations: Modifications relating to infants and children, drowning, avalanche incidents, lightning strikes and remote locations.
Unresponsive casualties: Primary and secondary surveys, the recovery position, turning a casualty from face down to face up and responding to vomiting.
Choking: Recognising partial and complete airway obstruction and practising appropriate first aid using a manikin.
Seizures and fainting: Recognising and responding to absence and tonic-clonic seizures, and managing fainting.
Bleeding and shock: Recognising external bleeding, controlling severe bleeding and identifying signs of shock.
Minor injuries: Managing cuts, grazes, bruises, splinters, nosebleeds, bites, stings and minor burns.
Water immersion: Understanding immediate first aid considerations following immersion in water.

The course combines essential first aid knowledge with practical assessment and discussion of outdoor situations.

Who might choose the 1-day course?

Emergency Outdoor First Aid may be suitable for:

Outdoor activity assistants and support staff.
Teachers supervising local outdoor activities.
Youth group volunteers and community organisations.
Countryside workers operating in relatively accessible locations.
Individuals who regularly participate in outdoor activities and want to develop their emergency first aid skills.

The one-day course may be appropriate where risks are relatively limited and further assistance can be accessed promptly.

However, an 8-hour course will not meet every outdoor leadership or professional qualification requirement. Always check the expectations of your organisation or governing body before booking.

What additional learning does the 2-day Outdoor First Aid course provide?

Our 16-hour Outdoor First Aid (OFA) course includes the emergency first aid topics covered during the first day and adds a second unit: Recognition and Management of Illness and Injury.

This provides broader knowledge of injuries, medical emergencies and environmental conditions that may arise during outdoor activities.

Additional topics include:

Casualty assessment: Gathering information about signs, symptoms and medical history, and conducting a head-to-toe survey.
Bones, muscles and joints: Recognising and managing suspected fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains.
Head and spinal injuries: Recognising concussion, skull fractures, cerebral compression and suspected spinal injuries, including understanding the log-roll procedure.
Chest injuries: Recognising flail chest and penetrating chest injuries and understanding appropriate first aid.
Burns and scalds: Managing more serious burns, including those caused by electricity and chemicals.
Eye injuries: Recognising and responding to common eye injuries.
Poisoning: Understanding how poisoning can occur, immediate first aid actions and where to obtain appropriate information.
Anaphylaxis: Recognising a severe allergic reaction and understanding the appropriate emergency response.
Major medical emergencies: Recognising and responding to heart attack, angina, stroke, asthma and diabetes.
Environmental emergencies: Recognising and managing the effects of heat and cold.
Outdoor bites and stings: Understanding tick-related illness, stings and snake bites.

The additional day provides more time to develop knowledge, discuss scenarios and assess understanding across this wider range of emergencies.

Who might choose the 2-day course?

Outdoor First Aid may be more suitable for:

Outdoor instructors and activity leaders.
Walking and expedition leaders.
Countryside and conservation professionals.
Organisations supervising activities in challenging terrain.
Individuals responsible for groups where emergency assistance could be delayed.
People working towards outdoor qualifications requiring 16 hours of first aid training.

For these roles, the ability to recognise and respond to a broader range of injuries and medical conditions can be particularly valuable.

What about schools and outdoor education providers?

Schools, colleges and organisations delivering outdoor education should consider the age of their participants, the activities being undertaken and the environments in which they operate.

For example, staff supervising a short activity in an accessible outdoor area may have different training needs from those leading an extended residential expedition.

Where children are involved, organisations must also consider any relevant paediatric first aid, EYFS, safeguarding and staffing requirements.

An Outdoor First Aid qualification should not automatically be assumed to replace a Paediatric First Aid qualification where one is required.

The most appropriate training should be identified through your setting's first aid needs assessment and any applicable statutory or professional requirements.

What about Mountain Leaders and outdoor qualifications?

Some outdoor leadership qualifications specify minimum first aid training requirements.

For example, Mountain Training requires at least 16 hours of first aid instruction, including an element of assessment, for many of its outdoor leadership and instructor schemes.

However, requirements vary depending on the qualification.

If you're working towards an outdoor leadership award, check the current requirements of your awarding or governing body before choosing a course.

The two-day Outdoor First Aid course may be more appropriate where a 16-hour minimum applies, but the course must also meet any additional content and assessment requirements.

What if emergency help is delayed?

In outdoor environments, the time it takes for professional assistance to arrive can vary significantly.

Distance, terrain, weather conditions and access routes may all affect the emergency response.

When help is delayed, first aiders may need to:

Protect the casualty from cold, wet or windy conditions.
Monitor their condition and recognise any deterioration.
Communicate their location accurately.
Arrange appropriate assistance as early as possible.
Consider the safety and wellbeing of other group members.

In a mountain emergency in the UK, call 999 or 112, ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue.

The two-day course provides broader first aid knowledge that may be particularly useful in these circumstances.

However, neither course replaces the need for appropriate emergency planning, suitable equipment and safe group supervision.

How do I choose the right Outdoor First Aid course?

Before booking, consider the following questions:

Where will you be working? Are your activities close to roads and facilities, or in more remote locations?
What are the risks? What injuries or medical emergencies could reasonably occur during your activities?
Who are you responsible for? Are you supervising adults, children or people with additional needs?
How quickly could help arrive? Could terrain, weather or location delay emergency assistance?
Do you have specific qualification requirements? Does your employer, organisation or professional body require a minimum number of training hours or particular learning outcomes?

Your answers should help inform your first aid needs assessment and the level of training required.

Remember, the right course isn't necessarily the longest or the least expensive. It's the one that appropriately prepares you for your responsibilities and working environment.

Which Outdoor First Aid course should you book with GO! First Aid?

If you need essential emergency first aid skills for outdoor activities in relatively accessible locations, our Emergency Outdoor First Aid (8 hours) course may be the right choice.

If you lead groups, work in more challenging environments or need a broader understanding of injuries and medical emergencies, our Outdoor First Aid (16 hours) course may be more suitable.

At GO! First Aid, we believe effective first aid training should go beyond simply remembering a procedure.

Our practical, discussion-led approach encourages learners to think about the situations they could encounter, assess the risks around them and develop a structured approach to managing emergencies.

We bring first aid learning back to the environments in which people work, volunteer and participate in activities.