wilderness first responder (WFR): Police, athletic trainers and firemen in the USA are generally required to have the 48-hour DOT course certification. This is known as Emergency Response Certification with the American Red Cross (ARC). The Wilderness First Responder Certification Course adds several more hours of curriculum and practice for application in the wilderness setting. Due to the remote nature of our courses our lead field staff are required to have successfully completed the WFR course. Certification from ARC and CRROBS is valid for 3 years. CPR For the Professional Rescuer: The American Red Cross (ARC) has set the industry standard for this course. This course is required of many rescue personnel in the USA and abroad. Certification must be renewed each year. Costa Rica Lifesaving Association: CRROBS and CRLA have teamed to deliver this annual 30-hour training. CRLA is a member of the International Life Saving Association. We use the required course curriculum from the United States Lifesaving Association for Open Water lifesaving. This course is designed to prepare our staff to safely manage groups while swimming, surfing, body surfing, snorkeling or other activities at a beach with wave action. Initial training is 30-40 hours and subsequent annual training is a 16 hour minimum. Certification is required annually.

National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI): While only our NAUI Instructor conducts the SCUBA training section of our courses, many of our instructors are trained and certified SCUBA divers. This helps them become more proficient at a number of water activities. This course is 20 hours and includes at least 4 open water dives. Rescue 3 International: This organization has set the industry standard for swiftwater rescue training and indeed is the premier organization for such training. Many firemen and rescue personnel are required to have the Swiftwater Rescue Technician training. Our river staff is required to have and update this certification. In addition, Rescue 3 International also provides certification for a 3-day Technical Rope Rescue course that all our lead land instructors are required to have successfully completed. International Rafting Federation (IRF): The IRF has developed a standardized curriculum for training whitewater river guides. This course involves at least 20 days of guide training in order to become certified to guide participants on class III river sections. This is the premier certifying entity worldwide. CRROBS lead river instructors are required to have at least a class III certification, if not a class IV or class V. Land Training: Outward Bound instructors are trained in both hard and soft skills. CRROBS 15–20 day land training prepares staff to deliver high-quality, multi-element courses. Land Training prepares experienced outdoors people to teach and transfer skills needed in the outdoors. Rainforest education, technical skills, local knowledge, evacuation routes, communication methods and group dynamics and initiatives are all covered. International Institutional climbing protocols, expedition planning and camp craft, all receive considerable focus.

Naturally, there are perceived and actual risks inherent to any outdoor adventure activity or program. CRROBS has established proven risk management systems based on Outward Bound International standards, which are incorporated into staff training, evacuations and program policy.

Each course is accompanied by at least two instructors, a Lead and Assistant Instructor, equaling a minimum student to instructor ratio of 6 to 1. In most cases our Instructors are Costa Rican Nationals who bring a vital cultural and linguistic element to the overall experience. They are well versed in the identification of local flora and fauna, and in most cases literally grew up in the course area.

CRROBS Lead Instructors are a mix of highly qualified national and foreign national outdoor educators. For a lead instructor's application to even be considered as a potential candidate, he or she must have a minimum of CPR, First Aid and Wilderness First Responder training, extensive experience in leading expeditions and outdoor education, proficiency in the backcountry, expert level technical skills in at least one of the areas incorporated into our course offerings i.e. climbing, kayaking, sailing, surfing, river raft captaining, etc., conversational Spanish, extensive experience with leading group meetings and debriefings and exceptional character and communication skills. Additionally, a preference for Spanish language proficiency, familiarity with Latin American culture, past Outward Bound Instructional experience at another Outward Bound School and a Bachelors degree are highly considered. Assistant Instructors have CPR and Wilderness First Aid training.

All CRROBS instructors must successfully complete a one month intensive field training which focuses on safety awareness particular to the activities of the courses, evacuation routes and procedures, local history and biology, meeting formats, student and instructor policies, activity briefings, logistics related to all course aspects, field communications, meal planning, and initiative activities. Furthermore, when participating in a certain technical activity such as rafting, kayaking, SCUBA or surfing a CRROBS area specialist would be present to insure the highest level of safety and expertise.

Specifically related to injuries and evacuations, CRROBS instructors are normally equipped to respond to most of the typical, but not necessarily frequent, incidents such as sprains, minor cuts, gastro-intestinal tract problems, infected blisters and dehydration related problems. However when a situation requires treatment from a physician, an instructor will evacuate the student either on foot, horse, stretcher, and 4x4 or in the most extreme cases, helicopter, to the nearest hospital. When logistically feasible, preference is given to private hospitals and physicians. Students cover the costs of the actual evacuation and are responsible for any hospital or physician treatments as well as any medicines purchased that are not available from the instructor's medical kit. In necessary cases, CRROBS would front these costs and bill the participant after their return home.

Generally the participant will return with a few bumps and scratches but very rarely anything beyond that. However, the rewards received in terms of physical and mental strengthening, character development, and rich experience will be the lasting and memorable effects of the course.