"First Aider Requirements " Topic

The post from Endpoint about the Wappinshaw show organisers needing to provide FA cover, got me wondering – have any other UK show organisers had to deal with the same requirement ?

Pete

An event organiser has a "duty of care" towards attendees at the event. Failure to provide the right level of medical cover could result in a claim of negligence against your company, potentially damaging your reputation and resulting in
financial loss.
PDF link

St John's Ambulance will provide suitabel cover for free or in return for a donation.

St John's Ambulance charge for their services these days I'm afraid

The brochure I linked to makes no mention of charges.

I don't know how it works in GB, but some cons/shows have volunteers (certified of course)manning the first aid station.

Major Bumsore, the brochure makes no mention of charges, perhaps for a reason, but the tone most definitely suggests it and here link refers to SJA quoting. I'm really not sure what people are paying for though as they seem to be able to provide very little. My friend had his finger shattered on hockey tour and they wouldn't touch it, offering a wet wipe and suggesting it would probably bruise and swell and that 'you can't do much for fingers'. We had to sort out the ambulance for him ourselves and he had the plate out months later.

To be fair the point of first aid is to treat small injuries that require at most a bandaid and to be the first person to start CPR/ call for the ambulance.

Why would they touch a shattered finger when that clearly needs a Dr and a hospital visit, x-rays etc?

A Touching it will cause pain for no reason
B Asking them to move it will cause pain for no reason and
may cause further damage.
C They are going to the ER where a Dr can examine/diagnose
and treat/stabilse the finger.

First aiders do not diagnose and have a very limited range of treatment/intervention options.

Immobilise in a position of comfort for transport if possible or just hold it in a stable position so the arriving ambulance crew can examine the injury before they make a transport decision.

David

I'm really not sure what people are paying for though as they seem to be able to provide very little.

Often the best first aid as kiltboy says is actually to do very little.

Whether they do much or not, there still remains the "duty of care" on the part of an event organiser and the threat of significant damages if they are sued for not doing so.

At Warfare we have to gave first aid cover
We use the Red Cross ok you have to pay for them but it part of the hire agreement .