First things first, I am not trying to devalue the need for first aid training.
However, the requirement for staff is for them to have a EFA qualification (St John’s).
However all the first aid training that wing run are the two day AFA (which I assume it might stand for advanced first aid?!).
Now, our sqn has a few people with the AFA qualification who can also now teach the first aid to the cadets.
I currently do not have an active first aid qualification, although I have taught first aid to frontline officers as a job previously. given the limited free time adults have over the weekends, I would rather spend that time doing something different to other members of staff on the squadron to improve the variety of things that we can run.
But looking on the st John’s website it does not appear that they offer EFA courses at all?!
The first aid qualifications that RAFAC offer are ‘bespoke’ ones put together in partnership with St John Ambulance, using their guidance and materials. Hence are not publicly available or on website. The main quals on offer are as follows:
Essential First Aid (EFA) - a minimum 2hr course, mandatory for all staff and cadets within 6 months of joining. Youth First Aid (YFA) - a minimum 12hr course for cadets, advised that all cadets complete within 18 months. Activity First Aid (AFA) - a minimum 16hr course for staff and cadets. On any activity classed as above ‘low risk’ there must be a defined number of AFA qualified staff.
There are also AED operator and catastrophic bleeds courses available for those who require them.
For more info on what each course covers and who needs what, have a read of ACTO 8, or speak to Sqn/Wing First Aid Officer.
Staff members with 2 day First Aid at Work or Activity 1st Aid can deliver Essential 1st Aid (as can cadets with Gold First Aid)
EFA is delivered to both cadets and staff. Most squadrons will be running this a few times a year for their new intakes so just get staff to sit in. It’s completed in a parade night. There is space on the form you send to Wing 1st Aid Officer to record the number of staff trained as well as cadets.
In super rare instance where Squadrons have no staff with higher qualifications reach out to Wing for support.
I believe you also need to be “signed off” to deliver the course by your wing first aid officer. Our wing runs “instructor training sessions” (more of an informal assessment of your knowledge and instructional ability), but I think that’s just a local thing.
Everyone has answered your question. My advice is to get together with other Squadrons in your sector and organise an activity day. Offer EFA to those that need it taught by staff who are authorised. The rest of the time can be for other activities. Everyone who needs it gets the qualification whilst getting best use of time.
Ultimately I would suggest AFA will give you more in the long term especially when attending AT activities.
What’s the difference between FREC & First aid at Work?
I know the army cadets only deliver first Aid at work to their adult staff now along with the catastrophic bleeds module.
Speaking to some police colleagues, FREC is mainly first responders & isn’t meant for use outside of their respective organisations (I.e. non-transferable) but I don’t really know much about it & where it fits in.
It’s the basic first responder qual and can be used like any other first aid qual.
The main issue and reason they may say that that is usually that you won’t have the equipment provided outside of the normal organisation to be effective. I.e, no oxygen, masks, OPA, NPA.
It goes in to human physiology more and moves more towards pre-hospital care than just the normal FAAW course.
Also means I don’t need a made up Cat Bleed course.
First Aid at Work (FAW) is roughly equivalent to RAFAC Activity First Aid. Both minimum 16 hours duration. Obviously AFA is tailored to the needs of the corps, so more weight may be put on certain topics than it might be in FAW.
But yes, if you have a current FAW qual you can deliver EFA and YFA as that satisfies the “hold a current first aid certificate of over 16 hours duration” requirement, provided you’ve also done the other stuff mandated in ACTO 8 (eg. registration/fam training with WFAO).
Actually, quite the opposite. The FREC/FREUC quals came about in an attempt to standardise the many different, usually in-house, certificates at similar levels.
I’d describe it as pre-hospital care rather than first aid - although FREC3 is pretty basic stuff, it’s very definitely aimed at a professional approach.
Similarly, I’d caution anyone wanting to use it to deliver first aid quals as it is a different way of thinking - it would be wise to shadow a more experienced instructor for a few sessions first to ensure things are being delivered at the correct level (and please don’t be the person who spends all session reeling out tangential anecdotes of interesting casualties/patients they saw - it gets very boring, very quickly!)
What are first-aiders but first responders and in particular if off squadron and in the community or countryside hills etc, they maybe the best qualified at the scene of an incident. First aid in a normal context is really for what happens in an office/home etc.