I.S.A.C. Course., Cheshire FRS, Winsford

Today four Team Call Out List members Michael O’Brien, Steve O’Hara, Neil Warburton and Dave Marsh (A former SARDA Dog Handler), journeyed to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s HQ and Training School at Sadler Road, Winsford, to take part in an Incident Safety Assessment and Control (ISAC) course, organised and facilitated by ATACC (Anaesthesia Trauma and Critical Care) and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

This is the sixth time team members have participated in this excellent course, the first being 19th November 2009, when our Team Doctor at the time, Clare Whitney and Steve Nelson attended, with the second being on 22nd April 2010, when our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and Team Call Out list member (and Regional MR Water Officer at the time) Fred Taylor attended, the third when very experienced Team Call Out list member Chris Tennant and Trainee Team member Nick Berry attended on 15th July 2010, the fourth when our Training Officer Elaine Gilliland, and team Call Out list members John Fletcher and Paul Brain attended on 25th November 2010 and the fifth on 12th May 2011, when Trainee Team members at the time, John Dickinson, Paul Copley and Paul Chisholm all attended.

Team Call Out list member Alistair Greenough, who in full time employment is an Accident and Emergency Nurse at Warrington Hospital, is an instructor on this excellent recognised course, although he was not in attendance on todays course.
The ISAC course concentrates on incident scene safety, the safety of the emergency responders, increasing incident scene awareness and multi agency working, with both classroom based sessions and outdoor practical exercises and incident scenarios.

Michael, Steve, Neil and Dave, would like to thank all the lecturers and helpers, and also their fellow emergency services colleagues on the course for welcoming them so openly. Thanks also to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service for providing such excellent facilities; all Bolton MRT members who attended found it a very enjoyable and highly informative day.

A special thanks to Bolton MRT Team member Alistair Greenough for continuing to arrange placements for Bolton MRT members on this excellent course.

Please also see website ‘news’ reports, dated 19th November 2009, 22nd April 2010, 15th July 2010, 25th November 2010 and 12th May 2011.

Team member Dave Marsh’s account of today appears below:

Team members Steve O’Hara, Mike O’ Brien, Neil Warburton and Dave Marsh journeyed to the Central Training facility for the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service at Winsford, Cheshire.

There, they met up with members of our neighbouring team – Cheshire Search and Rescue and other medical personell from Cheshire NHS, including doctors and nurses.

The nature of the one day intensive course was to make respondents aware of what to do when participating in an incident requiring an immediate medical response. Medical Director – Dr. Mark Forrest and ATACC Director – Stephen Coogan, talked about approach, site safety and working with other 999 responders. Different scenarios were shown, via a visual presentation, each being discussed in turn.

After lunch, a demonstration was given with the setting off a car airbag accidentally. Further discussions took place with regards the development of cars and more modern materials which would impact into how rescues are undertaken.

During the course of the day, all attendees took part in a mixture of different scenarios, such as hazard spotting [with site/personal safety being paramount], difficult extracation of casualties and the use of drugs and airway management.

Upon completion, team members discussed the roles and interactions by all and how this one day seminar reinforces the medical lectures undertaken at team level. It was very reassuring that nothing daunted the attendees, due to the excellent background knowledge supplied by our team’s own medical personnel.