Discussion???... First Aid for Riders.....

[Toby_Zaphod]

or have the venues climbed onto the money making gravy train?

It is understood that venues need a qualified First Aiders & as we know show jumping venues normally charge anything from £2 - £3 per rider to pay for the cover.

One of the First Aiders told me he gets £70 for the day. That is from start to finish, sometimes 13hrs or more at Show Jumping Venues. We have all been to venues where there are 60+ in classes & some qualifiers significantly more. There is enough taken in 'First Aid' payments to pay the bill 3 or 4 times over.

Isn't it about timer that venues realised that First Aiders have to be there as much as course builder, fence builders, quad bike harrower, collecting ring stewards, secretary/cashier etc & it is part of their expense for holding a show. We don't have to pay extra for them.....why the First Aid? & more so why should they make a profit on the First Aid payments?

What you you think?

 

[mememe]

even if it is profit making there would be uproar if there where no 1st aiders. in all honesty id rather pay a couple quid more to now that there is some1 there should anything go wrong!

 

[1275gta]

I am on the comitte for a show and it costs us £550 approx to have cover for the day including ambulances and Firstaiders.

 

[pocket]

the first aider prob only gets £70 but the company he works for will get the rest, money towards the equipment in the ambulance/fuel etc, thats where our money goes

 

[dieseldog]

I always ask now that there is actually someone on site. I don't mind paying for it as long as they are actually there.

I think Pocket has made a good point about the actual cost

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

im first aid trained as i work as a flight attendant and on more than a couple of occasions i have ended up being the first into the ring after a fall - on all occasions i waited for the first aider call from the judge and then after no one arriving i have gone in.

i have been met once by a first aider, 5 mins after i had started to deal with the rider - complete with sausage sarnie in hand!!!

i agree that i would rather pay and know someone is there though!

i just hope if i have an accident i wont get the first aider mentioned above!!!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

You seem to think that I don't believe First Aiders should be at shows? I have no issues with there being a First Aider there, as I posted, I believe they should be there. As for an ambulance etc....at the BSJA shows I've been to recently there has been no sign of ambulance & only one First Aider. I could understand what they charge if there were indeed several First Aiders & an ambulance on site....unfortunately there isn't!

The staffing levels may be different for XC & eventing than Show Jumping, with a different number of First Aiders needed & an ambulance but I've never seen an ambulance at a BSJA show we've attended. The sausage sandwich carrying First Aider I have seen though.

 

[Jo C]

Hmmm having had personal experience of first aiders at a show personally I could care if they were there or not for all the good they did.

I'm sure they are not all like the ones I experienced though.

Well I hope not anway.

 

[flower]

Should they charge first aid, when the only first aider is the show secretary who has done a course in first aid?

A friend had a bad fall at a BSJA show, the first aider was the show secretary who merely looked over her and told her to go to hospital if she was concerned.

Turns out she had broken her collar bone.

Show centre in question were charging about £3 per competitor for the "first aid" on offer.

More and more venues seem to be doing this - charging about £3 per competitor but the only first aid available is someone from the show centre who has done a course, rather than a paramedic/ambulance.

 

[igglepiggle]

I have no issue with paying for paramedic cover and at BE events think its fantastic. At BSJA, it doesn't seem to be so good. They are much more sausage sarnie and frankly don't seem to be so on the ball. However, I guess they aren't called upon so often nor are the injuries probably so life threatening. Its an interesting debate though...

 

[foxend]

I do see where your coming from if a show has loads of entries, but it works both ways, if not many people turned up they would still have to pay out for the 1st aid cover.

It doesnt bother me that I have to part with an extra £3, if you were to have a fall & required medical treatment I'm sure you will appreciate it's £3 well spent.

 

[Rambo]

I think the OP's point is more to do with the inconsistencies in the standard of medical cover provided. My local venue (Golden Cross) is extremely good in this respect in that they always have two (sometimes three!) medical staff on site. Not only are they highly visible (they also run the collecting ring) bjt they have full backup in the way of medical vehicles full of equipment. Other venues seem to rely on the first aider who doubles up as the secretary / whatever and who probably has a packet of elastoplast and basic knowledge of the recovery position at most.

I don't think anyone objects to paying a fair levy for cover (and I don't personally think that £3 is excessive) but perhaps the BSJA themselves could provide guidelines to the show centres as to what is expected of them. After all I think that is what BE do !?

 

[MagicMelon]

I agree, why should we have to foot the bill and why do the venues get to make money of us as well! TBH most venues round me offer the very bare minimum in first aid, being often just someone who works at the venue having simply done their first aid certificate! I did that when I was at school, however I dont remember any now and certainly wouldnt trust myself in an accident situation so god knows why I have to pay for someone else like that! They are there already therefore why should I pay in the first place?! Its different if its a proper paramedic though, Id rather pay more knowing they could actually help me if I fell off.

 

[Merlotmonster]

When I run shows for my local riding club, we use a proper paramedic company and pay £160 for the day. The guy who came on sunday does it as his day job for the sussex ambulance service.
I dont mind paying for that. I do agree tho, at some shows it is just the secretary who has been on a first aid course. I thought the BSJA were changing the rules so that the first aider was not allowed any other roles though.