7:00am Friday 29th January 2010
By Liz Watkins
Hereford-based Surveillance Group Ltd does much of its work abroad but now it wants to offer its skills to people in the county with a specialised countryside training course in first aid.
It is the first of its kind in the country and is not designed for the classroom but out on the land, helping people in their own environment.
The new course, First Aid Rural Medicine (FARM), is run by 7MST, which stands for 7 Medical Support Training and is part of the Surveillance Group.
Its chief executive officer, former soldier Tim Young, said fatalities on farms were not improving, with one death every week.
“We recognise the need for a very different approach here and being based in Hereford, home of the SAS, the company is well placed to utilise the wealth of military experience,” he said.
FARM is targeting the agricultural, forestry, equestrian, hunting and fishing sectors as well as the shooting fraternity, saying that in remote areas the challenges were very different and keeping people alive for longer until they can get to hospital is top priority.
The new course is hands-on and practical and will help people to recognise resources they already have on them that can help save a life after an accident, such as a gun case, bridle or even parts of the dashboard of a tractor.
Instructor Steve Benbow said the course wanted to instruct people how to help themselves after an accident but said people in cities are equally at risk from isolation when disaster strikes.
The course had a vital role to play there, too.
Before the 7/7 London bombings, emergency services were overwhelmed and the level of first aid received was not sufficient, he said.
“We are therefore stressing that when this kind of incident happens, with phone networks locking up and traffic coming to a standstill, being skilled in first aid at FARM level will really equip people to help take control in saving lives,” he said.
FARM has already been instructing students at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester and any groups or people interested can obtain more information by contacting training@7MST.co.uk
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