If you work outside then you will need some form of Outdoor First Aid Training. What form that takes depends on you activities, the ages of the people you are dealing with and your remoteness from medical help should you need backup.
Many NGBs require an 8-hour or 16-hour First Aid course before you can instruct or lead a group.
Here are some typical Outdoor Courses that you can attend – there are others, too.
- Outdoor 1-day First Aid course (8h)
- Low level outdoor activities – e.g. walking / rambling / litter picking groups. Some lower level NGB qualifications. Roughly up to 30 minutes from civilisation.
- Outdoor 2-day First Aid course (16h)
- More intense Outdoor activities – e.g. trekking, kayaking, expedition groups. Most NGB qualifications. Roughly up to 2 hours from civilisation. Includes Scene Management training.
- Forest School First Aid course (16h)
- For Level 3 Forest School Leaders – and assistants. The requirement is for a 16 hour First Aid course geared towards the outside environment. The Outdoor 2-day course meets this requirement, however the First School First Aid course was spun off from this and tailored to the Forest School environment.
- Forestry (+F) First Aid course (approx. 2 hours)
- If you are working outdoors for the Forestry Commission you are required to have a Forestry qualification in addition to your main First Aid qualification. This covers additional topics such as life-threatening bleeds and extremes of temperature.
- Remote / wilderness First Aid (duration varies)
- For more extreme work, consider a Remote or Wilderness First Aid course. These are available at various levels and prepare the learner to be medically self-sufficient to a high level.
If you are arranging Outdoor First Aid training on behalf of an Organisation, you must allow staff leave and sickness – as well as the First Aider falling sick or injuring themselves. Also consider the size of the Group and how remotely you are working. In extreme cases, everyone should have good First Aid Skills.
Online Training – First Aid, Fire and Food safety, Anaphylaxis and asthma awareness etc.
Don’t forget our wide range of online courses for Outdoor staff, too!