Description
REC Outdoor First Aid Course (16 Hours)
This is a two-day (16-hour) course designed to introduce a systematic approach to first aid for managing casualties in an outdoor setting. The training intermixes topic learning and practical sessions with realistic scenarios to prepare you for real-life incidents.
Course Focus
The course will introduce you to a reliable system for coping with all incidents as safely as possible, with a key awareness of challenges unique to the outdoors:
- Systematic Casualty Assessment: Learning a process for quickly and accurately evaluating a casualty.
- Fundamental Body Systems: Focusing on the fundamental workings of the body, particularly the heart, lungs, and airway.
- Incident Management: Deciding the best course of action for an accident or incident.
- Environmental Factors: Building an awareness of delayed medical help and adverse environmental conditions (e.g., heat and cold stress).
Course Content
First aid training with the REC scheme is designed to be progressive, building on each session with new scenarios to test techniques across these key areas:
| Module | Key Topics Covered |
| Emergency | Vital signs $\cdot$ Emergency action $\cdot$ Airway $\cdot$ Unconscious casualty $\cdot$ Choking $\cdot$ Bleeding $\cdot$ Breathing and circulation $\cdot$ CPR $\cdot$ AED (automated external defibrillator) practical training |
| Environment | Heat stress $\cdot$ Cold stress $\cdot$ Hot injuries $\cdot$ Cold injuries |
| Health & Safety | Recording accidents $\cdot$ RIDDOR $\cdot$ FAW regulations $\cdot$ First aid kits $\cdot$ Sick room |
| Illness | Chest pain $\cdot$ Stroke $\cdot$ Asthma $\cdot$ Epilepsy $\cdot$ Diabetes |
| Injury | Head $\cdot$ Spine $\cdot$ Chest $\cdot$ Abdomen $\cdot$ Pelvis $\cdot$ Bones $\cdot$ Soft tissue $\cdot$ Eye |
| Rescue | Transportation $\cdot$ Communication |
| RYA Syllabus | Drowning differential $\cdot$ Immersion $\cdot$ Seasickness (specifically included to accommodate the RYA syllabus) |
Assessment and Certification
- Assessment: Learning is reviewed throughout the course and includes practical assessment with external assessors.
- Candidates: All candidates entering the REC scheme begin with this outdoor first aid module.
- The Qualification: The Outdoor First Aid course is certified for three years and serves as the entry point for the REC scheme. It is an approved course for the RYA (Royal Yachting Association), BC (British Canoeing), and MLTB (Mountain Leader Training Board).
