Once again the CWU is pleased to support the Royal Mail National First Aid competition 2007, endorsing the participation of CWU members and fully recognising the valuable contribution First Aiders make to the treatment of injury and preservation of life.
I would request that Area Safety Representatives, Branch Secretaries and all CWU Officials give as much support as they can to the competition and CWU members participating and encouraging participation wherever possible.
Postal First Aid Services (PoFAS), the Royal Mail Group First Aid organisation, have announced that they will be holding the 7 Regional elimination Rounds (or challenges) during April/May. The competition is open to teams or individuals with the winners going forward to the National challenge finals in October to represent their Area. In turn the two teams winning the National Finals will go forward to represent Royal Mail at the UK First Aid Championships, which is one of the biggest First Aid challenges competitions in the World.
The Regional Rounds - (Area challenges), will take place this year between 7th April - 25th April at "YE OLD BELL HOTEL", BARNBY MOOR, NEAR RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE DN22 8QS. (Tel: 01777 705121) on the following dates. Start time on the first day is 2pm:-
Regional Elimination Rounds Dates:
7th until 9th April = East 1 = AL, EN, CB, CM, CO, HP, IG, IP, LU, MK, NR, PE, RM, SS, SG, WD
9th until 11th April = North 1 = AB, BT, DD, DG, DH, DL, EH, FK, G, HS, IV, KA, KW, KY, ML, NE, PA, PH, SR, TS, TD, ZE
14th until 16th April =East 2 = E, EC, HA, N, NW, SE, SL, SW, W, WC, UB
14th until 16th April =West 2 = BA, BH, BS, CF, DT, EX, GL, NP, OX, PL, PO, RG, SA, SN, SO, SP, TA, TQ, TR,
16th until 18th April = North 2 = BB, BD, BL, CA, CW, DN, FY, HD, HG, HU, HX, L, LA, LN, LS, M, OL, PR, S, SK, WA,WF, WN, YO
21st until 23rd April = West 1 = B, CH, CV, DE, DY, HR, LD, LE, LL, NG, NN, RG, ST, SY, TF, WS, WR, WV.
23rd until 25th April =East 3 = BN, BR, CR, CT, DA, GU, KT, ME, RH, SM, TN, TW,
Over 100 teams involving around 450 First Aiders will be competing in the regional rounds, striving for a place in the finals. Amongst them this year will be over 80 Novice/Newcomer's who have been entered for the competition. Visitors are welcome.
The finals will be held at Cotton House Rugby on 15th - 16th October 2008.
The First Aiders involved with the competition learn a great deal and put a lot of time and effort in training for these events as well as coping with the responsibility and pressure of perfecting their skills. The competition gives First Aiders an opportunity to test their training, knowledge and skills, which in turn boosts confidence when they are faced with a real life situation in the work place.
Objective of the First Aid Competition
The competition offers the opportunity to test the ability of First Aiders to deal with injury or sudden illness in conditions of a simulated emergency, by providing opportunities to practice and improve First Aid skills and confidence by conducting treatment under realistic conditions and at the same time creating and stimulating an interest in first Aid. First Aid is a very practical skill and as with any skill - practice makes perfect. With out regular practice these skills are quickly lost. The best and most realistic way to practice and learn is by taking part in the First Aid competition.
What's involved?
First day
Casualty simulation challenge
This involves teams of three, one doing the make-up, one roll playing the casualty and another, the bystander, they are given injuries and they have to write a story around these injuries and act it out.
The bandage Challenge
Competitors enter as individuals and are marked on how well they apply a given bandage and in the case of a tie on points the quickest time wins.
The Novice /newcomer challenge
Designed to encourage new competitors, this is for people entering for the very first time or someone who is in their first 3 years of their certificate and has not won a trophy before. They get 6 minutes to treat a casualty in a simulated incident.
Second day
Main First Aid challenge
There are 6 minute individual simulated tests and 8-minute team tests.
History of PoFAS
The present Royal Mail Group First Aid organisation entitled "Postal First Aid Services (PoFAS) was originally known as the Post Office Ambulance Corps and was launched in 1902 when a small band of enthusiastic employee's at Mount Pleasant, London got together and offered their services whilst on duty if anyone became ill or suffered an accidental injury. It was noted at the time that the skills of some of the volunteer First Aiders offering their services was a bit rusty and needed some refresher training and instructions on the practical side of their work and so the organisation set about organising training, examinations and qualification with the St John Ambulance Association. Every practice session and lecture attended by the volunteers were attended in their own time and 83 people attended the first courses with the first examination taking place in 1903 with the participants awarded St John Ambulance Association Certificates. It was found that the staff benefited greatly from the First Aider's services and as they organisation became established, it adopted the name of "The Post Office Ambulance Corps". The first "First Aid Competition" was held in 1904 and it has continued to grow over the years. 104 years later and a few name changes along the way the organisation is as healthy as ever with approximately 6,000 members today in 2007.
Jim Scott
After 19 years of service in his present role PoFAS Secretary Jim Scott retires at the end of the 2008 competition and the organisation and finalists will of course record their appreciation of Jim's sterling service to PoFAS and celebrate his well earned retirement. Can I place on record the thanks and appreciation of the CWU for Jim's service and wish him well in his retirement. Replacing him will not be easy and will be a hard act to follow.
For more information on the competition, contact your local Royal Mail First Aid Trainers/Assessor's.
If you have any general enquiries regarding the competition then call Andy McArthur PoFAS Chair on 01582-394613 or Jim Scott PoFAS Secretary on 01189-641944 or Anita Ramsay First Aid Adviser 01207-299036.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer