Wilderness First Aid 2026
July 25-26, 2026
Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve

The Greater Cincinnati Grotto is pleased to sponsor a special training class in Wilderness First Aid ... a must for anyone who travels into remote areas of the outdoors or the deep underworld.

About this Event
This Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course, through SOLO Wilderness and Emergency Medicine Schools, is hosted by the Greater Cincinnati Grotto and Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve (GSP) at a greatly discounted price of $180 per student. The hosting organizations are doing this to help enable local cavers and outdoors enthusiasts to gain these critical skills.

This class is 2 days (16 hours) of classroom instruction with hands-on mock scenarios to practice skills learned in the class. Successful completion of this course provides a 2-year certification. Topics include working through crisis response, patient assessment, physical trauma, environmental issues, bleeding control, and how to handle medical emergencies.

This Wilderness First Aid course can also be taken for anyone needing a SOLO - Wilderness First Responder Recertification. Certain requirements apply, so please email Stephanie Suen - sksuen@gmail.com - prior to registering for the WFA course.

Instructors and Course Plan:   Click here.

Course book will be included with registration.   Daily Schedule:

- Saturday: 8:30AM - 5:00PM (includes 30-minute lunch break)
- Sunday:   8:00AM - 4:30PM (includes 30-minute lunch break)

Students aged 15-17 may register with accompanying parent/guardian.

The class will be held under the shelter at the Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve with exercises and scenarios worked in the field. Come prepared for being outdoors.

Please pack your lunch as there are no places to buy lunch in this local area.

Primitive camping at the Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve is included in the registration.

Note Changes with Using Zeffy:

Zeffy's service is free to GCG.   PayPal, Square, and other services typically charge 3 to 5% to GCG. Zeffy supports itself through a tip (donation to themselves). Zeffy's website adds this tip onto any GCG purchases. That tip money goes to Zeffy - Not to GCG. You can change that amount. In the Zeffy Summary section, click the arrow to the right of their suggested 17% amount and select "Other", then enter whatever tip you feel is fair. This tip is your choice, so it's optional, but you must change it or their initial suggested amount (17%) will be added. It is not refundable.

To Register for the Course, please Click Here:     .

Registration will close 2 weeks prior to the course (Saturday, July 11, 2026).

What to Bring:

  • Items for note-taking.
     
  • Bring whatever gear you typically have on your typical cave trip or day hike (this will allow for some creative use of each other's gear to improvise what you need.
     
  • Foam sleeping pad, if you have one.
     
  • Sleeping bag or blanket (Note: May get dirty).
     
  • Your typical First Aid kit.

About the facility:
The Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve is dedicated to managing the historic limestone cave once used for saltpeter mining in the war of 1812. The preserve has a large campground, a composting toilet facility, and shower house. Please print and sign a waiver to submit at the kiosk upon arrival: https://gsp.caves.org/info/waiver.shtml

Directions to GSP: https://gsp.caves.org/info/directions.shtml

Please consider giving a donation to the Great Saltpetre Cave Preserve for letting us use the facility!

For Questions or Concerns:
Please contact Stephanie Suen at:   sksuen@gmail.com