Katie at FoxMedics

Hi sorry for late reply. Yes of course there are accidents and incidents in the ambulance service but things are dealt with in a completely different manner. If there is an accident or incident in the ambulance service, depending on the severity, the person involved maybe taken away from practice until the incident has been investigated, they may also be asked to write a reflection of practice on how it could be prevented in future, also a policy maybe introduced that all ambulance personal within that trust (ours covers 6 counties) would have to follow. If there was a death this would be intensified. We have mandatory training which as it states we have to attend each year if not twice a year and will be refresher or update training. Do you have to refresh on any of your tickets or practices apart from First Aid every 3 years?, (which then can be a normal Emergency First Aid at Work course unless you have a contract with the Forestry Commission then its Arb Specific). This is not meant to point fingers and blame but there is a whole world of difference between the ambulance service and the Arb world when it comes to change after an incident. This post has certainly got people thinking which is brilliant and also discussing about the issue. This poor guys life should not be just swept under the carpet and not get people thinking about the seriousness and hazardous nature of your industry. Even if a handful of people reflect on their work practice then brilliant.

Standards need to change, that's for sure.. I never forget when I first joined the Ambulance Service and an arborist fell and went into cardiac arrest due to the fall, it was his colleagues who were the ones initially performing CPR to him. The whole situation was terribly sad and unfortunately the poor guy passed away. I have subsequently taught these guys Arb Specific First Aid and it still affects them to this day, which is bound to do. Accidents do happen generally in life, whether a freak occurrence or human error, but one thing is for sure that an accident in your industry is no way the same as a fight with a stapler. Safety standards need to be improved, something needs to change from these tragic incidents. Thanks Joe for the comments and encouraging food for thought.

Hi Jo. I understand your point but surely this comes down to training?! I spent 3 years with Hazardous Area Response Team where I wore ridiculous amounts of PPE and delivering medical care, whether at height or in bonkers Chemical protection suits, dexterity was certainly a challenge but training was key. I am not saying this situation may have been any different and I am sure the poor guys colleagues did everything. Haemostatic gauze can stop major bleeds rather than a pressure bandage and creating more realistic aerial rescues and more frequent refreshes help. You don't necessarily train in Emergencies every day and being prepared may just help. Its not a judgement but surely something has to be learnt from this and not just assume you may not survive..

Coming to the West Midlands is not a problem. Please contact me if you get a chance [email protected]. I could always ring around also to see if we could get a few more interested. Thanks, Katie

Really very sad indeed. I think it can be very easy to forget that you lot are not only climbing but also using machinary, even on low level the work you do is dangerous. There was a guy several years ago who cut through his neck, the cut was perhaps very different to the story above, but his life was saved due to his colleagues applying first aid. Again I am not knocking what was done for the tragic circumstance above as the whole situation must have been horrendous and I am sure they did everything they probably could. Please do consider completing an Arborist Specific First Aid course. No two medical incidents will ever be the same. My 11 years working for the ambulance service can vouch for that. Please contact me if you are interested in an Arborist Specific First Aid course. [email protected]. Thank you

Give me a shout if you get a chance and I can see how I can help organise a course for you. [email protected]. Thanks very much!

Thanks Ben! I'm sure I saw you drive by the other day...

May need a full course of 12 for North Aberdeenshire and a place to lay my head!

I have replied back, thanks.

Where abouts are you based? I can easily book somewhere up north and get a few of you together. If you get a chance email me at [email protected] and we can see what we can sort. Thanks

Hi. Yes we do travel as FoxMedics is based in the East Midlands so can travel to where ever the courses are needed. Thanks

Hi I am based in the East Midlands and travel all over.. The course is a maximum of 12 for an accredited course and would justify travelling for 5 people. Thanks

Hi I am based in the East Midlands and travel all over.. The course is a maximum of 12 for an accredited course and would justify travelling for 5 people. Thanks

£99 per person. This includes First Aid book, First Aid bag and accredited certificate upon completion.. Oh and a cuppa and biscuit if your good!

Arborist Specific First Aid Courses FoxMedics will be delivering its very own accredited Arborist Specific First Aid course at three venues in the New Year. All courses are delivered by a HCPC Paramedic and are recognised by the Arb Association and Forestry Commission. Friday 19th January 2018 at Hurst Village Hall in Reading area from 8.30am until 4pm. Monday 22nd January 2018 at Willingale Village Hall in Essex area from 8.30am until 4pm. Friday 26th January 2018 at Frenchay Village Hall in Bristol area from 8.30am until 4pm. If you are interested in one of the above Arborist Specific First Aid courses and would like to reserve a place or if you have any queries about these or courses in other areas then please contact me either via mobile 07900782929, email [email protected] or website www.foxmedics.co.uk. Thank you, Katie Hateley.

Very good point indeed, thank you

Yes sorry, not sure if I am replying properly! Should I be clicking on Quote instead??

Brilliant blankets if they're the ones with the thermal type lining in them. Great to hear you have your trauma first aid kit too, fantastic piece of mind for you and your team! :0)

Wow, you would think you would feel the drop in temperature even more but your bodies have perhaps adapted. Your Central heating bills must be low!:0)

I LOOVVEEE your monkey picture, just brilliant..

Oh nasty... You must watch the film Everest, tones of frost bite scenes! Thank goodness you're ok.. :0)

I went to see the film Everest last weekend and it was fab! Partly because anything I view on a screen that is remotely larger than my box tele impresses me and it was a good film. Anyway it got me thinking about the onset of the harsh weather arriving and the affects of Hypothermia. So here are a few tips on what to look out for and some basic management techniques. Hypo (low) thermia (state of heat) Our normal body temperature is 36.8C. It only takes a small drop in heat, down to 35C, for our bodies to start showing signs of Hypothermia. Some common signs are- shivering (your body attempting to keep warm) pale skin, fast breathing, low energy/tiredness As the body temperature drops more, below 32C, the signs mimic the way some of us may present at the weekend after too much pop- -Slurred speech, Drowsiness, Loss of coordination -Loss of judgement and reasoning (some people strip down believing they are hot!) -Shallow breathing As you can imagine temperatures below 28C will be very severe and lead to unconsciousness and further deterioration. Some tips for management are removing yourself from the elements and wrapping up in blankets, towels, jumpers etc including the head. Remove wet clothing if possible- the cold air will make the clothing colder and drawer more heat away from the body. Encourage shivering and moving around, hot drinks especially sugary ones to replace the glucose used. Not to give a wee dram, alcohol can widen the blood vessels and allow heat to escape. Spooning- skin to skin contact. Inhaling warm air (NOT Smoking) , this can help warm the temperature regulator of the brain and the blood stream. Keep warm and safe all!

Oh My, I didn't realise we had so many talented people were on Arbtalk. Arborists and models! It must be very scary to all of a sudden find out you have a severe allergic reaction/ anaphylaxis... Glad to hear your carrying your EpiPens with you

According to most medical practice and my own practice it is very advised unless of course you carry 2 EpiPens.. The symptoms can return and if you have no further EpiPens or access to adrenaline then this of course can be life threatening. If you are working it a remote area it maybe advised to try and have 2 EpiPens but this would be down to the discretion of your own GP. It is also not just adrenaline that can relieve symptoms and there is of course the concern of low blood pressure that may need medical intervention. If you do suffer with Anaphylaxis then definitely speak to your GP and see what they advise if travelling abroad and in remote areas.. Obviously not Cheshire!

Our 2 weeks of Summer time is nearly over :cool:but there are still some wasps and busy bees flying around. Some of you lovely lot might have the misfortune of suffering from allergies or even worse an anaphylactic reaction to stings or one of the many other allergens out there. Unfortunately it can take years for people to realise they may react to a certain substance and it is usually on the second or even later exposure of the particular allergen. Once exposed to the allergen the body mistakes it for something harmful and tries to protect us against it by producing anti bodies. These antibodies when exposed to the specific allergen will release certain chemicals such as histamine which can cause a runny nose, itchy eyes, red bumpy rash (hives) to the skin. With a severe reaction our breathing can also be affected causing wheezing, also vomiting, swelling to the tongue or throat, dizziness due to lowering of blood pressure. These severe reactions need to be taken seriously as they are the signs of an Anaphylactic Shock and will need medical intervention immediately. People that are known to have severe reactions or Anaphylaxis should hopefully carry an EpiPen which is a syringe containing adrenaline. Once the EpiPen is administered correctly the severe signs and symptoms of the reaction will ease in minutes. Further medical help from the nearest Accident and Emergency is also advised in case of any other medical treatment needed and also a delayed allergic reaction can occur which may need a further dose of adrenaline. Stay safe all! And remember love the bees (maybe not too close) and they will love us back.. And yummy to honey.