Practical outcome-based on-site training programmes adapted for remote wilderness environments to develop emergency medical care capacity on-site, which supports the AFRICA SAFE-T Incident Management Centre and your emergency response plan in the critical window period until professional medical support arrives.

We have been providing wilderness/remote first aid training to organisations and individuals in remote areas since 2012. Our training programme is continuously revised and improved on to keep inline with international best practice standards. We facilitate the learning of technical knowledge and skill, but also incorporate adaptability and stress tolerance, which are essential when responding to an incident with confidence and competency.

Our courses are interactive with an emphasis on real understanding and implementation rather than memorisation.

More about The Essential Wilderness First Aid Course (EWFA):

• Topics covered:Include (but are not limited to) – patient assessments; shock; bleeding; bandaging; advanced bleeding management; hypoxia; artificial ventilation;, pulse oximeter; impaired levels of consciousness; head injuries; spinal injuries; fractures; burns; wound management.
• Course Duration:3 days (lectures and practical)
• Certifications:Essential Wilderness First Aid (EWFA)
• Recertification Interval:2 years
• Prerequisites:18 years and older (16+ with parent/guardian
  approval)
• Accreditation:Department of Labour, South Africa (First Aid Level One)
• Course Format:Course is structured to include six x 3-hour modules, which can be completed over several days to accommodate the client’s operational requirements. i.e. 2 modules per week stretching over 3 weeks OR 1 module per day stretched over a full week OR 2 modules per day stretched over 3 days.
• Assessments:Done on a one-on-one basis, which involves an oral interview and skills simulations. Individual assessment takes 20 minutes on the 4th day, and personnel can resume normal duties after the assessment.

Customised medical kits, tailored for the remote wilderness environment. Kits are colour coded and packed according to different life threatening medical conditions for ease of emergency application, and to ensure efficient support through the tele-support from our Incident Management Centre.

Medical emergencies in a remote environment need a unique and comprehensive approach due to the distance from qualified and comprehensive emergency care. Standard first aid kits designed for the urban user are not adequate in the wilderness/ remote setting.

Our kits are designed by a team of Doctors, Emergency Care Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners and Remote Field Experts – all with extensive knowledge gained from their experience in the remote environment.

We have custom designed kits, which address medical emergencies at differing levels of required care. The colour coded internal compartments of our kits are separated into condition categories. For example, all the necessary equipment to manage bleeding is found in the red pouch, while all the resources for breathing are found in the blue pouch. The correct equipment for specific emergencies is therefore readily available and easy to use. The outer layer of our kits is made of thick durable material to ensure longevity in harsh environments.

A detailed, client specific incident action plan that prevents errors and oversights during medical incidents. The plan sets your emergency response system’s goals and objectives; identifies emergency teams (first responders); sets incident specific protocols for various medical scenarios; standardises your approach to common situations; and centralises all information relating to your available resources for efficient emergency response.

The Emergency Response Plan is designed for medical incidents, but the tool can (and should) be applied to emergencies involving fire, security, wildlife, natural disasters, power failures and more.

Intensive & practical incident management training to ensure proficiency and skills in administering emergency management, emergency medical care, and implementing your emergency response plan (from start to finish) in the critical window period until professional medical support arrives.

A customised and comprehensive medical risk assessment of your organisation and its physical location to identify potential vulnerabilities and incidents, and to assess current operational capacity and logistical infrastructure to respond to medical emergencies.

Factors taken into consideration when performing an assessment include (but are not limited to):

• National legislation
• Activities on offer
• Facilities
• Demographics
• Area disease / illness profile
• Location (environmental conditions, terrain, services i.e. water & electricity)
• Access routes (road, air and water)
• Public Liability and Evacuation Insurance schedule
• Incident history
• Communication systems
• Emergency Medical equipment and supplies
• Existing emergency response system
• Organisational culture relating to health and safety of Regional Emergency Services, and Regional Medical Facilities

We provide site specific, regional, national and group reports. By the end of the assessment you will have a realistic and clear picture of your vulnerabilities and your current capacity to handle incidents. More importantly you will have a clear road map on how to address the gaps in capacity and reduce your vulnerabilities.