Near the end of the 19th century, volunteer organizations such as St. John Ambulance began teaching the principles of first aid at mining sites and near large railway centers.
By the dawn of the 20th century, additional organizations such as the Boy Scouts and the American Red Cross began teaching first aid to lay people.
Over the years, these organizations trained hundreds of thousands of people in the elements of providing assistance until definitive care could be arranged.
Eventually it was realized that this training, while valuable, needed to be supplemented and/or revised to deal with the extended time and limited resources inherent when a medical crisis occurs in a wilderness setting.
Today, WFR certification is frequently a prerequisite for professional positions that involve work in the outdoors and students may take courses from numerous nationally recognized providers (see below).
The training is principally geared towards lay providers, with little to no actual medical experience, though they are often already professionals in other aspects of the outdoors industry, like park rangers, climbing instructors, and guides.