Currently, all wilderness trips are conducted by RWCS staff, as well as contract staff who meet the requirements to lead outdoor trips for RWCS. For each backcountry trip, we require a minimum of two (2) Wilderness First Responders (WFR), a nationally recognized 80-hour certification that includes treatment protocols significantly beyond first aid to handle injuries, incidents, and make decisions in the field based on evidence-based treatment and protocols for wilderness medicine. We aim to have all trip staff trained in some level of wilderness medicine through NOLS, Wilderness Medical Associates International, or another accredited organization.

Although we hire staff from outside RWCS to staff school trips, the Trip Lead Instructor for any given trip is always someone who is deeply familiar with the school. For additional training, we support staff attending wilderness leadership development courses, Leave No Trace courses, and other relevant opportunities for teaching students in multiple areas of outdoor education.

All staff must:

• be familiar with the staff handbook

• participate in RWCS Outdoor Program field staff training

• have a current CPR certification

• study and understand the policies of the RWCS Outdoor Program Field Manual

• ability to set up tents, cook meals, correctly pack a backpack, possess basic navigation skills with both map and compass, and operate safely in bear country

• knowledge of Leave No Trace principles and best practices

• have a satisfactory driving record

• undergo a background check and fingerprinting

• adhere to RWCS guidelines in both letter and spirit.

All activities have some degree of associated risk, even walking, sleeping, or sitting in a classroom. Because we anticipate that families may have concerns about the emphasis upon outdoor education at RWCS within the required curriculum, we want to freely open the dialogue by sharing the following information.

When planning outings, we consider these issues of risk management on a regular basis:

Outdoor Activity in General: Backpackers can sometimes stumble and fall or succumb to overuse injuries. Traveling many miles in a day while carrying a third or more of one’s body’s weight is demanding work. While the injuries associated with such activity are usually not life threatening, even a minor mishap in a remote location can require a complex evacuation involving lengthy travel times.

Weather: We travel at all times of the year. Because we anticipate living outdoors we are prepared to handle most weather we could reasonably expect to encounter. Wind, snow, and rain can make life uncomfortable at times, but we rarely cancel or postpone a trip solely because of the weather. If instructors feel that they lack sufficient gear to keep students out of danger, they may decide to alter a route, an itinerary, or even to return home early. In the summer our greatest concern is lightning. New Mexico is usually among the top five states for lightning strikes each year, so we will typically manage our time so as to be away from mountain peaks and other hazardous areas during times when lightning threatens. Our staff and students are also equipped with the knowledge to safely set up camp away from areas with greater risk of lightning strikes.

Wildlife: No trip into the wilderness would be complete without meeting wildlife. Usually those encounters are pleasant and brief. However, in rare situations, meetings with animals can be dangerous. To lessen the chance of more serious encounters, RWCS students receive special safety briefings appropriate to the region and are instructed to view wildlife only from a distance. Special attention is given to campsite selection, conduct around animals, food preparation, food storage, and waste management.

Terrain: Travel in any environment exposes participants to specific hazards. In the mountains we are concerned about rock fall, avalanches, and high cliffs. On rivers we think about fast currents, rapids, and hypothermia. While we cannot guarantee the safety of each student, we can provide adequate instruction for traveling as safely as possible in the many different physical environments we visit.

Equipment: We intend our students to be prepared for any trip in which they will participate. Whenever specialized gear is necessary for a trip (climbing harnesses, personal flotation devices, and snowshoes are examples), RWCS provides good quality equipment that is familiar to us and whose history and maintenance records we know. We work closely with students and families to ensure that each trip participant has all of the equipment necessary to have a safe and successful trip.

Vehicle Travel: RWCS no longer has organizational vehicles for school transportation, but instead will hire a bus service to transport students to trailheads or specific locations for trips. On each trip, RWCS staff often provide a personal vehicle that can be used for emergencies when other options are not available, and all personnel must maintain good driving safety records, and proof of current insurance and registration. Generally, it is the policy of RWCS that staff do not transport students unless it is absolutely necessary. Students are informed that they must wear available seat belts when the vehicle is in motion.

Human Factors: Most outdoor accidents are caused by errors in human judgment. "Attempting to keep a schedule" and "Trying to please other people” are frequently-cited reasons that show up on incident report forms in the field of outdoor education. These and other attitudes may impel a group to place speed or success above safety. In light of this, we try to take our time and be methodical about each step of a journey and we expect students to follow safety and behavioral guidelines established by the instructors. While the overall plan for a trip is at the instructors' discretion, many decisions are made with input from students. Nevertheless, sometimes students may return home later than planned or they may be disappointed because weather or some other factor changes a trip's itinerary. 

Outdoor travel comes complete with the potential for immense joy and profound failure, just as life in general does. We cannot plan for every contingency, but we are committed to maintaining the health and safety of all RWCS students. We must accept that a defining characteristic of adventure is that outcomes are uncertain and to deny students the opportunity to engage in some well planned adventure would also deny them the learning that comes from engaging something much bigger than they are. 

It is incredibly rare to have cell service when we are in the backcountry/wilderness in our area. Trip staff carry cell phones, radios, and satellite communicators (GPS texting devices); however these communication devices do not allow for students to be in contact with parents/guardians while on trips.

We know that parents/guardians may experience an emergency or a sudden tragedy, and may need to contact a student immediately while the school is away on an extended trip. Because of this possibility, RWCS provides an "On-Call" list of personnel who are prepared to locate or communicate with us. These same "On-Call" personnel will act as hubs for any necessary communication from RWCS Trip Staff  in the field.

In the event of an emergency occurring in the field, trip leaders are trained, prepared and equipped to handle crises independently while in remote areas. A trip could be extended for a period of hours or days if trip leaders determine that additional time is required for scene safety, patient care/transport, or group management. Student's medical forms and contact information will accompany staff for all overnight trips. In the event that the trip leaders require additional assistance for evacuations, patient treatment, or crisis management, they carry appropriate local emergency numbers, cell phones, satellite communicators, and radios. Any significant changes in the trip itinerary or a student evacuation will merit a call to "On-Call" personnel, who will communicate information to parents/guardians.

As staff we know how important communication with your student is. We are grateful for the trust you put in our crew, and we always do our very best to make decisions based on the safety of each student and the group. Evacs and emergency communications are complicated and complex, and we reserve those tools for when we deem them necessary for the wellbeing of a student or participant. If you don’t hear from us, that is good news! What that may mean is that you might not hear from us if your student develops a cold or has a scrape, and we have criteria that help guide our decision making, and we talk with students about what they can handle