RE:ACT PARTNERS WITH LEADING UK EXPERTS IN REMOTE AREA MEDICAL TRAINING

RE:ACT partners with leading UK experts, Remote Area Risk International, to provide best in class remote area medical and remote area risk management training to our volunteers.

As an organisation dedicated to helping others, providing our exceptional volunteers with the best possible training is a key part of our work. 

RE:ACT has partnered with Remote Area Risk International (R2Ri) to provide high-quality medical and risk management training to volunteer responders who may be involved in overseas deployments where they need to provide urgent care to others.

In April, June and September, the first groups of volunteers from RE:ACT took part in the sector leading, seven-day “Remote Medical Responder: An Enhanced Wilderness First Responder Course’ run by R2Ri, the UK’s centre of excellence in remote area risk management and remote area medical training. The course provides remote area focused, intermediate level medical training to non-medical professionals, equipping them to treat a variety of issues that may arise from the environments that our Responders may operate in, from minor injuries that commonly occur when on deployment to high-impact emergencies, such as Road Traffic Collisions, to altitude related illnesses, fractures, catastrophic bleeds, strains, sprains, gender specific medical issues, heat, cold and more. The course included pre study, lectures, skill stations and plenty of outdoor, realistic scenarios including long distance stretcher carries. Training also included use of oxygen and pain relief.

RE:ACT Responder, Caroline O’Callaghan participated in the September course and said:

“The Remote Medical Responder Course with R2Ri was excellent, with detailed course content, plenty of practical scenarios and a highly experienced and professional team of instructors. It was a privilege to be one of RE:ACT’s delegates.”

Mark Bradshaw, another Responder at RE:ACT also took part in the September course and had the following to say:

“An inspirational week under the instruction of professionals who seemed to really want to pass on their real-world knowledge and experience. I’d recommend it to any of RE:ACT’s International Responders.”

Qualified Remote Medical Responders can also work as Event Medics, due to additional Ofqual Regulated certifications undertaken during the programme. This is an important feature as it allows our Responders to maintain currency and get hands on patient care experience between deployments. We’re thrilled that this training not only equips RE:ACT volunteers to respond to disasters but also allows them to help their communities in other capacities.

RE:ACT has undertaken careful due diligence to find a suitable training provider and solutions in this space and has explored a number of options. Senior members of our Operations team have tested both medical and remote area/field operations risk management courses run by Remote Area Risk International. We have been continually impressed by the very high standards of knowledge and expertise as well as the relevance of their courses to our operations covering both prevention, diagnosis, treatment, longer term field care and evacuation.

As well as the Remote Medical Responder Course, R2Ri also offer an advanced courses for Health Care Professionals where they can build on their existing medical experience.

Matthew Davies, Director at Remote Area Risk International commented on the partnership with RE:ACT saying:

“We are delighted to have been selected to provide Remote Medical and Risk Management training to RE:ACT. We know that senior personnel within RE:ACT did their due diligence across providers in the U.K. (and attended a number of our courses in the deliberation process), so it’s both flattering and a privilege as we get to train high calibre, dedicated individuals who are going to make a real difference to the lives of others in need. We know the training works –it is regularly reported that delegates have identified and treated medical problems and saved lives –even initiating and undertaking evacuations from remote locations,based on their training with us."

Remote Area Risk International have an ethos very similar to RE:ACT’s and both organisations are looking forward to working together further.

If you would like to know more about training and volunteering with RE:ACT, click here to find out more.