Release of Liability, Assumption of Risk, Indemnification, and Consent
This Participant Agreement (“Agreement”) is required for all individuals participating in wilderness medicine training activities conducted by Coulee Connections LLC. Please read this document carefully. If the Participant is under eighteen (18) years of age, a parent or court-appointed legal guardian must review and sign on the Participant’s behalf and discuss the risks described herein with the minor Participant.
1. Applicability and Definitions
This Agreement is a condition of participation in any course, training, simulation, field exercise, or related activity offered by Coulee Connections LLC (the “Program”).
“Participant” includes any individual who takes part in Program activities in any capacity, including students, observers, spectators, or visitors at training locations.
If the Participant is a minor, references to “I” include the minor Participant’s parent or legal guardian.
2. Description of Program Activities
Program activities may take place in Monroe County, Wisconsin, and surrounding areas and may include, but are not limited to:
Classroom-style instruction and lectures
Hands-on wilderness and emergency medical skills practice
Simulated wilderness medical emergencies and rescue scenarios
Outdoor travel, patient packaging, and evacuation simulations
Equipment use, carrying, and setup
Group meals, camping-related tasks, and incidental recreation outside instructional hours
Instruction may be provided by staff of Coulee Connections LLC and/or contracted instructors.
3. Participant Interaction and Course Demands
Close Physical Contact. Wilderness medical training requires hands-on participation. Participants may be required to touch, support, lift, carry, palpate, or otherwise physically interact with other Participants for extended periods of time to simulate realistic emergency conditions.
Physical Stress and Discomfort. Activities may result in fatigue, soreness, cuts, burns, blisters, strains, sprains, joint stress, back injury, or other physical discomforts or injuries.
Emotional and Psychological Stress. Simulated emergency scenarios are intentionally challenging and may involve uncertainty, pressure, perceived danger, or responsibility for another person’s wellbeing.
Lifting and Manual Tasks. Participants may be required to lift or move equipment, terrain features, or other Participants.
4. Equipment and Personal Property
Coulee Connections LLC may provide certain equipment for Program use. Any personal gear used by the Participant is used at the Participant’s own risk. Inspection of equipment by staff does not constitute a guarantee of safety or suitability. Participants are solely responsible for the care and security of their personal property.
5. Use of Property Amenities and After-Hours Activities
The Program is hosted on a ranch and farm property that includes a variety of amenities and activity areas that are managed, maintained, and routinely inspected for safety, and which may be used regularly by participants in other programs. During this training, some of these areas are not part of the scheduled instructional curriculum, but may be made available to Participants outside formal course hours or during designated personal time (the “Property Amenities”).
Property Amenities may include, but are not limited to: a swimming pool; creeks or other natural water features; areas with live animals or livestock; team-building or challenge elements (including low ropes courses, wooden crossings, and team walls); an archery range; firepits; and forested or wilderness areas.
I understand and acknowledge that:
Use of any Property Amenity during this training is voluntary and not required for course completion;
Although these areas are maintained and may be overseen by staff, inherent risks remain and cannot be eliminated, even with reasonable care, instruction, or supervision;
Staff presence does not guarantee safety and does not relieve the Participant of responsibility to act cautiously and follow posted rules and verbal instructions;
Conditions may change due to weather, natural processes, animal behavior, equipment use, or the actions of other Participants.
Activity-Specific Acknowledgments
Swimming and Water Activities Use of pools, creeks, or other water features involves risks including drowning, slips and falls, physical exertion, changing water conditions, submerged hazards, and water quality issues. Lifeguards may not be present at all times.
Interaction with Animals Live animals, including livestock, are inherently unpredictable. Risks include bites, kicks, crushing injuries, allergic reactions, and disease transmission, even when animals are trained, handled, or fenced.
Archery and Projectile Activities Archery involves the use of bows, arrows, and targets that may cause serious injury or death if misused or if equipment fails. Risks include being struck by arrows or fragments, equipment malfunction, and participant error.
6. Risks of Participation
Participation in the Program and use of the Property Amenities involve inherent and unavoidable risks, including but not limited to:
Slips, trips, and falls on uneven, rocky, wooded, wet, or icy terrain
Exposure to insects, plants, wildlife, and environmental allergens
Exposure to weather conditions including heat, cold, rain, wind, and lightning
Equipment failure or misuse, including ropes, packs, stretchers, protective gear, or vehicles
Accidental contact or negligence by other Participants, instructors, or third parties
Delayed access to emergency medical care or evacuation due to location, weather, or terrain
Transportation-related risks
These risks may result in property damage, illness, serious injury, permanent disability, or death. The Participant understands that these risks cannot be eliminated without fundamentally altering the nature of the activities.
7. Assumption of Risk
I knowingly and voluntarily assume all risks, known and unknown, foreseeable and unforeseeable, arising from participation in the Program and from voluntary use of the Property Amenities.
If the Participant is a minor, I confirm that I have explained the activities and risks to the minor Participant, who understands them and wishes to participate.
8. Release and Waiver of Liability
Participation is voluntary. In exchange for being allowed to participate, I agree to release and not bring any claim against Coulee Connections LLC, its owners, members, officers, employees, contractors, agents, and insurers (collectively, the “Released Parties”) for any injury, loss, or damage arising out of or related to the Participant’s participation in the Program or use of the Property Amenities, to the extent caused by the ordinary negligence of the Released Parties.
This release does not apply to reckless or intentional misconduct.
9. Indemnification
I agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Released Parties from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and insurance deductibles) arising out of or related to the Participant’s acts or omissions during participation in the Program or use of the Property Amenities, including claims brought by third parties.
10. Medical Representation and Authorization
I represent that the Participant does not have any medical, physical, mental, or emotional condition that would make participation unsafe.
In the event of an emergency, I authorize Coulee Connections LLC to provide or obtain emergency medical care for the Participant, at my expense.
11. Photography and Media Release
I grant permission for Coulee Connections LLC to photograph or record the Participant during Program activities and to use such images for educational, promotional, or marketing purposes without compensation. This consent may be withdrawn by striking this section prior to signing.
12. Governing Law and Venue
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin. Any legal action arising out of or related to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction located within the State of Wisconsin.
13. Binding Effect and Severability
This Agreement is binding upon the undersigned, the Participant, and their respective heirs, representatives, successors, and assigns. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be modified only by a written document signed by all parties.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
BY SIGNING BELOW, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS AGREEMENT, THAT YOU ARE WAIVING CERTAIN LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SUE FOR NEGLIGENCE, AND THAT YOU AGREE TO ITS TERMS VOLUNTARILY.
