Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Re: Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Martin Jones — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:57:36 GMT

Doing some animal rescue work in Cornwall, as a member of a coastguard cliff rescue team and with BDMLR, we've been aware of Jim's work for a while, and he is a bit of a star. Having a nationally recognised - and validated - training course for both vets and firepeople to go on has generally raised standards enormously. Equally, even if the vet thinks s/he knows everything there is to know about rescuing stuck cows, it helps enormously to understand where the fire and rescue people are coming from, and how they operate.

In terms of risk assessment and the like, the fire and rescue services are always frustrated about it - a few years back, we did a joint cliff exercise with the local fire bods, and in the time it took them to (properly) fill out their risk assessments, we'd retrieved a casualty back up the cliff. It's a framework they have to adhere to but they're not particularly happy about it.

Re: Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Bob Russell — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:14:01 GMT

Obviously the wrong fire brigade!

This type of faffing about was one of the reasons that Hampshire Fire and Rescue has taken animal rescue seriously. In the New Forest there used to be a farm on each corner with very knowledgeable farmers. They are rare now (as are tractors!). The training given is based on a lot of experience taken from all over the world. They have developed specialist equipment including a range of harnesses which reduce the risk of injury.

If your advice is NOt to call the fire brigade perhaps you should encourage them to go on the course to improve their training!

Re: Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:17:16 GMT

As a student at the RVC we were involved in training firemen in animal handling. We also got to play with a lot of their rescue kit, which they had available but not in every station. This was down in Hertfordshire, but neighbouring counties came to play. They got a lot out of it.

The things I have rescued I have found that a farmer with a loader and a wide strap will rescue them quickly, if the fire brigade are involved you will be there a number of hours of faffing about. I have a long strap that is ex-millitary and have rescued horses and cattle from ditches, slurry tanks and ponds. The strap is put either around the neck or ideally around the front legs. So long as you are quick it's no problem.

My advice [when someone rings with something stuck somewhere] is NOT to call the fire brigade!

Re: Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Bob Russell — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:45:20 GMT

The information gained by Hampshire Fire and Rescue over the last 15-20 years has been spread widely amongst other brigades. It is quite important that we are as up-to-date as they are!

Re: Rescue Training - Vet Times March 14th

Thomas Johnson — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:05:48 GMT

The animal rescue unit based at Crowborough Fire Station are very good as well, covering Sussex and parts of Kent. They called me out having been sent to a client of ours whose 30 year old pony had been stuck in a ditch half submerged in cold water for over 4 hours. We discussed options before starting to do anything with the pony, and then I took charge once the pony was in the air. The pony recovered very well.