Anyone know what the position is regarding whether we should have some qualified first-aiders within the group?

We heard the other week, at another local group's show that someone collapsed, but there happened to be a doctor in the audience. This set us thinking, and we are considering paying for 2 or 3 members to go on a first-aid course. Although don't know where we'll find the money for this. We haven't investigated the costs yet, so hope its not too expensive.

Any views please?
Thanks, Claire
The Cuddington Players

It's always worth having someone first aid trained. No-one in your techie team is already trained? A number are because of the risk of shock and falling etc. It's worth approaching St John's ambulance or Red Cross. They might do a cheap deal on training if you give them advertising space. In a none Amdram role where we get large numbers of people together, we get St John to cover for a 'small donation' and a free pair of tickets for ecah concert? Their people then sit in the audience but are there if needed.

Robin

Claire

PLEASE consider investing in training if you don't find someone already trained within your society. A few years ago a member of the crew collapsed during a perforamnce and, despite prolonged mouth to mouth until an ambulance arrived, he subsequently died. What made it worse was that his son was also a member of the stage crew. But at least because we did have a trained first aider (our Front of House Manager) who really worked hard to try and save him, we knew that we had done our absolute best. I cannot imagine how we would have felt if we'd had NO-ONE to help him.

If you do have to send someone on training, in my opinion this should be someone (like your FOH Manager) who will be there every night during a performance.

We used to invite St John's ambulance people to come along to performances - and happily gave them free tickets AND a donation. However, they don't turn up any more but I'm not privy to the reason for this. I have seen them at other societies' performances. Maybe it's just my groups they hate... maybe it's me!!!

Claire

PLEASE consider investing in training if you don't find someone already trained within your society. A few years ago a member of the crew collapsed during a perforamnce and, despite prolonged mouth to mouth until an ambulance arrived, he subsequently died. What made it worse was that his son was also a member of the stage crew. But at least because we did have a trained first aider (our Front of House Manager) who really worked hard to try and save him, we knew that we had done our absolute best. I cannot imagine how we would have felt if we'd had NO-ONE to help him.

If you do have to send someone on training, in my opinion this should be someone (like your FOH Manager) who will be there every night during a performance.

We used to invite St John's ambulance people to come along to performances - and happily gave them free tickets AND a donation. However, they don't turn up any more but I'm not privy to the reason for this. I have seen them at other societies' performances. Maybe it's just my groups they hate... maybe it's me!!!

Thank you for your replies. We do plan to find out whether any of our members have up-to-date first-aid training. The suggestion about St John's is good for performances, but we do feel that we should have someone who is trained on hand at rehearsals too.

The other thing to consider is keeping the training up-to-date, even after initial training. As you can so easily go rusty, if not called on. For instance I did a "Breath of Life" one-day session over 10 years ago, but have pretty well forgotten all I learnt now.

Claire

You'll find that, certainly for St John's Ambulance training, public first aiders and first aiders at work are only "qualified" for 3 years. After that they have to re-sit. Techniques change - I'll bet what you learned in "Breath of Life" is now done COMPLETELY differently.

Training is always a good idea, but make sure it is part of a wider policy of risk assessment - prevention is always better than cure!

Keith

Update on First Aid position.

One of our committee contacted St Johns Ambulance. They carry out a risk assessment and charge ?33 per officer per each performance attended. That works out quite pricy.

Meanwhile, we have discovered that we do have several qualified first aiders within the group. So we shall operate a "named" First Aider rota at all performances in future.

For rehearsals, we are purchasing our own First Aid Box, plus setting up an Accident Report Book, so we will no longer rely on whatever is in the hall's box.

When performing at any venue - the venue is responsible for the members of the public (I believe) but the group IS responsible for themselves that includes having a first aid book and reporting serious accidents

You need to Risk assess each and every performance - We now live in a claim culture and things need to be tighter - especially safety! Certainly get members on First aid course.

New H & S will soon legally require all groups to risk assess everything! How many people use Pyros without checking that the venue has a licence, the fire oficer is notified and that the operators are trained?

Further to Maureen's post, we had a guy in the cast of one show collapse with a heart attack at the after-show party. A first aider kept him alive with mouth to mouth until the ambulance arrived.

Thanks to the first aider, this man is now enjoying being back on stage in several shows a year.

Speaking to the first aider responsible, he said he didn't think about it at all - he just got on and did what he was trained to do, in front of around 60 cast and crew, including the casualty's wife.

Cheshire Theatre Guild Cheshire Theatre Guild ran a first aid course recently, covering the basics of first aid with a certification at the end of it. If groups in an area can get together it is a lot cheaper to book a personal course for representatives.

The Guild will be running this course again for member societies in the future.

We're really lucky in this respect. Our group, GHosTs, used to be Guildford Hospitals Theatre. Therefore we have an abundance of doctors, nurses, midwives, etc both on and off stage!

That said, all of our theatre's own staff, including the bar staff and casual staff, are first aid trained.

It's far better to be safe than sorry.