Having attended a superb REC Emergency First Aid Course run by Owen Burson (Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking) and Nicole Hendriksen (Get A Fix) back in February, I signed up immediately for the REC Advanced First Aid Course they were offering.

Our base for the two days was Owen’s Freshwater Bay HQ where we made use of the Sandpipers Hotel facilities as well as easy access to the cliff bases, beach and sea within Freshwater Bay for scenarios.

The REC advanced course is designed to be a follow on course from the REC Emergency (Level 2) course and for me dovetailed neatly together. Over the course of the two days we revisited all the key content from the Emergency course first refreshing our knowledge then extending each topic with more detailed information and more advanced skills along with introducing more technical equipment used to deal with the range of first aid situations.

The emphasis on this course was firmly on dealing with incidents over a more sustained period of time and went beyond the initial assessment and treatment of a casualty into the close monitoring and recording of vital information in situations where assistance was likely to take a long period of time to arrive. For me this was key as in reality many of the sea kayaking trips I undertake place me and any group members in locations where without good VHF or Phone signal the chances of medical assistance arriving within less than an hour is slim and potentially could be far longer due to geographical barriers.

Once again, Nicole Hendriksen, an A&E nurse with several years experience in war torn countries through Medicenes Sans Frontiers, led the course providing both expert knowledge and a confident, engaging delivery of the detailed medical aspects. Owen provided the ‘Outdoor Activities’ and Sea Kayaking context through the use of scenarios and his experience dealing with incidents in the outdoor environment. As a team they work superbly well and their different experiences compliment each other absolutely perfectly for this type of course.

Similarly, the trainers refreshingly pragmatic approach to dealing with incidents shone through again. Whilst we looked at a wide range of more technical equipment, both Nicole and Owen were excellent at highlighting which pieces of kit were actually relevant and workable in the potentially destructive saltwater and beach environment we work and play in. Time was devoted to looking at which items could fulfil multi-purpose usage further validating their inclusion in a first aid or kayakers kit. For example, spare air bags carried in case of a leak or loss of hatch cover make excellent splints rather than carrying a dedicated splint in your first aid kit.

That said, in situations where prolonged casualty management may be required, learning how to use more dedicated equipment such as a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff or airway adjuncts was both interesting and potentially life saving.

As previously mentioned, this course focused as much on the monitoring and care provided after initial first aid treatment has been issued and dealing with issues that might occur as secondary problems whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive. Key to this was detailed study of the vital signs and how to effectively monitor and record these in order to provide the best possible hand over when help arrives. We looked at several forms of recording the vital signs and I am sure all involved in the course will be spending time designing laminated ‘CasCards’ (Casualty Cards) to carry in their first aid kit.

In a similar vein, we looked at some of the techniques and equipment the emergency services would arrive with and practiced using them with a view to being able to assist once help has arrived.

Conclusion
This was an awesome course and did two key things for me:

1. Reinforced my prior knowledge from the 2 Day REC Emergency Coure
2. Increased (stretched) my confidence and knowledge for potential situations where longer term casualty management would be required

For those leading groups in the outdoors I cannot fault the REC scheme and although there is an obvious expense involved in undertaking a second First Aid course, having been through the process, I really see the benefit of the additional practice and content that is provided within the REC Advanced course. It provides an extra layer of skills, understanding and awareness that is not limited to usefulness on big expeditions in the wilderness but in the more common, every day trips sea kayakers undertake where we place ourselves in more remote locations that could lead to longer response times from the emergency services.

Course Content:

Day 1

• Revision of DRsABCDE
• Learning and assessment by triad guided scenarios.
• CPR using bag-valve-mask and AED
• Vital Signs including blood pressure monitoring, pulse oximetry, auscultation etc.
• Airway management, airway adjuncts.
• Practice Scenarios
• Awareness of oxygen and entonox usage

Day 2

• Recap Day 1
• Shock
• Chest Injuries
• In-depth head to toe examination
• Scenarios and debrief on the pros and cons of equipment
• Immobilisation fractures using equipment and improvisation.
• Spinal Injuries and intro to hard collars, spinal boards and stretchers
• Practice Scenarios

Useful Links

Isle Of Wight Sea Kayaking – The IOW Sea kayaking Website (Owen Burson)
Get A Fix – The Get A Fix website (Nicole Hendriksen)
REC First Aid – The REC First Aid Website

Gallery:
Click to enlarge any photo:

IOW Sea kayaking Symposium

It’s also worth noting that the symposium is a not for profit event, with funds going to Freshwater Independent Lifeboat which is a hugely worthwhile cause.

Owen has pulled together a superb line up of Level 5 and Level 5 aspirant coaches or specialists in their field who have expert knowledge of the subject they are coaching. The list of ‘Guest Coaches’ includes:

Kate Duffus
Howard Jeffs
Phil Hadley
Jeff Allen
Owen Burson
Rich Peasil
Mattias Altin
James Batchelor
Leo Hoare
Nicole Hendriksen
Kev Richardson

To find out more details, including downloading the detailed programme of events and registration form, visit the Symposium Page on the IOW Sea Kayaking website.

Owen Burson Briefing Group

Our base for the two days was Freshwater Bay where Owen has his HQ in the grounds of thew Sandpipers Hotel.

This two day BCU course is designed to prepare candidates for the 4* Sea Assessment. Under the revised BCU awards scheme, the 4* is a leadership course with an emphasis on developing and demonstrating personal skills and group leadership skills in moderate water conditions as opposed to a coaching qualification.

Stunning Classroom

…a group of 4 (not including themselves) paddlers, on short (six to eight miles, of at least three hours paddling). journeys in moderate tidal water environment with winds not exceeding force 4/sea state 4.

Day one of the course was focused on leadership skills and rescues (self and assisted). Freshwater Bay provided a sublime location for this. Without straying more than 1km from the launch point, we were able to play around stacks, small rock gardens and in caves whilst experiencing a decent helping of swell and breaking waves.

Playing In Caves

This moved onto a short ‘coasteering’ session in one of the cave sections. As well as being an absolute blast swimming and clambering about inside and out side the caves in the swell and breaking waves puts you in the position of a potential swimmer and provides another side to your understanding of the conditions you may be leading a group in.

Yours Truly On A Technical Landing

I think it would be fair to say all 6 candidates left the water buzzing but exhausted after the day. I came away from day one with a self created list of action points to work on over the coming weeks and months.

Day two was more focused on trip planning and navigation. Working in pairs we planned a crossing from Yarmouth to Hurst Spit which involves careful thought about the tidal race known as ‘the trap’. Interestingly each group came up with a different route which we all followed before reconvening on the the Spit to eat lunch and discuss the merits and issues with each route.

Towing Casualty

All too soon we were back at the launch point packing up before the final two sections on running a safe and effective surf session and repair kits and how to use them. The course ended with a discussion on moving forward to assessment.

Planning Exercise

From experience of attending a large number of courses with different governing bodies, this is a rare skill. It’s all too easy for the course to become overly serious or too relaxed and lack the pace and drive required. Owen knocked one out of the ballpark with this course.

Smiles Say It All

Whether you are intending to work through the BCU award scheme, or simply looking to gain some vital skills for use paddling within a peer group situation, the 4* is a hugely worthwhile undertaking and if you are Southcoast based or fancy experiencing the delights of the Isle of Wight, I would heartily recommend booking on a course with Owen, a sentiment echoed by the other candidates on the course.

Now, where’s my after sun…..

Useful Links

Isle Of Wight Sea Kayaking Website
BCU 4* Award Details

Additional Images

Pumping Out Sea Kayak

Assisted Rescue Drills

Heading Home

Chart Work

This weekend, I took up a last minute place on the BCU Coastal Navigation and Tidal Planning Course, run by Owen Burson of Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking. The course was based at the 25th Southampton (Northam) Sea Scout Group base, in the shadow of Northam Bridge.

Group Tasks

From here, the course became more ‘hands on’, playing with maps and charts and beginning to look at the various techniques for planning and plotting a route using the various tidal, weather and map/chart based data available to us. This was primarily based around planning one day routes within the remit allowed for BCU 4* leaders award using a nicely organised trip planning sheet that Owen provided. We would study a new skill/technique and then practice in small groups using a range of maps and charts with plenty of opportunity for Q&A built in.

Route Planning

The day was crammed full of content, as Owen himself highlighted it would really be more suited to a 2 day course, and seemed to shoot past. For those paddlers who are not interested in pursuing BCU awards, the course is still an extremely worthwhile undertaking as the skills delivered are so vital, and although we utilised 4* assessment materials and discussed this 4* assessments the CNTP course is designed and run as a stand alone course with a certificate of attendance issued on completion.

Having recently attended his REC First Aid Course, I was once again hugely impressed with Owen’s delivery – and the sheer volume of equipment he provides to deliver the course! He has a great, relaxed style of delivery based on an obvious wealth of experience and worked hard to make sure all the candidates were happy and had their needs met.

I left the course feeling pleased that my existing knowledge base was better than I maybe gave myself credit for but also with a wealth of new skills/ideas and a desire to develop them further. I think the way forward is practice, practice, practice until the skills become ‘second nature’ – even if I am paddling a route I know like the back of my hand I think planning it fully will help cement the new skills I’ve picked up.

Highly recommended.

Further Information:
BCU: Course Information
IOW Sea kayaking: Navigation Courses

CPR Afloat

The REC First Aid Courses were founded in the mid 1980s by Dr Robert Phillips while working in remote healthcare and adventure rescue services. They are recommended by various governing bodies such as MLTB, BCU, RYA in a large part due to their practical, pragmatic and scenario based delivery.

Nicole Hendriksen - REC Trainer

Unfortunately, on some of these courses, the emphasis has seemed to be on neatness with beautifully boxed first aid kit in situations where a phone and other assistance is on hand and the majority of the sessions were driven by long, dry powerpoint presentations or long winded booklets.

The REC Level 2 course is very different. Our course was led by Nicole Hendrikson, an A&E nurse based in North Wales, with many years experience working abroad with Medicines Sans Frontiers with support from Level 5 Sea kayak coach Owen Burson. Their experience and enthusiasm shone through during the weekend and was incredibly engaging.

Owen Burson Demonstrating Neck immobilsiation

The chalk and talk aspects of the course were kept to the minimum required and throughout the sessions there was huge opportunity for candidates to practice techniques repeatedly in a supportive rather than judgemental environment.

Candidates were encouraged to discuss and question all aspects of the course which is where the trainers experience came to the fore, being able to deal with a huge range of queries from the candidates.

Practical, Real World Scenarios

Take for example, immobilising a patients legs with a suspected break. Trying to do this with hands covered in mud, in the pouring rain with the patients legs stuck in amongst branches and brambles is a whole different ball game to using dry kit, in a classroom. Similarly working out the best way to hold together a raft of 3 sea kayaks while a paddler kneels up on the boats and delivers CPR to a casualty on the decks certainly focuses the mind!

Group Receiving Scenario Instructions

After a couple of years of infrequent contact via email/social networks it was nice to finally meet Owen Burson and also Mark and Heather Rainsley (South West Sea Kayaking) as well as make some new acquaintances such as New Forest Kayak and Canoe Club Secretary Jackie Ward. I left the course, not only with my REC Level 2 First Aid Award (plus a HSE First Aid certificate) but also some new friends and future paddling plans. Whats more, I’ve signed up for IOWSK REC First Aid Advanced Course later in the year. I’d call that a great success.

Huge thanks go to Nicole and Owen for their time and efforts in providing an outstanding course. Highly, highly recommended.

Course Information:
Qualification: REC Level 2 First Aid
Trainers: Nicole Hendriksen & Owen Burson
Organiser: Owen Burson – Isle Of Wight Sea Kayaking
Venue: Woodmill Outdoor Centre

Additional Images

First Aid Scenarios Tailored To Water/Paddling Based Situations

Mark, Heather and Duncan Attempt A Rescue And CPR Afloat

Owen Burson - IOWSK REC Trainer & Owner Of New Drysuit!

Jackie Ward (NFKCC) Practicing Leading A Spinal Roll

Experimenting With The Use of a SAM Splint To Create an Improvised Neck Brace

Plentiful Equipment Allowed Candidates Lots of Hands On Time

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