BASP Outdoor First Aid and Safety Courses
Courses - Background Information
The British Association of Ski Patrollers (BASP) was founded in the winter of 1987 to standardise training for Ski Patrollers who provide rescue and first aid services in British Ski areas.
In the autumn of 1988 the British Association of Ski Instructors (BASI) asked BASP to provide a first aid training course for ski instructors in their training schemes. Such was the success of these initial courses that other ski organisations, such as clubs and tour operators, soon followed suit, a number of outdoor activity centres also contacted BASP asking us to provide similar courses.
BASP Course on Snow
BASP has now developed a First Aid and Safety Training Scheme designed specifically for the outdoor user, drawing on the skills and experience of their Trainers, all of whom are Ski Patrollers and/or experienced rescue personnel with a wealth of mountain and first aid knowledge. Our Trainers are HSE First Aid Instructors, many of whom are qualified BASI ski instructors, Mountain Leaders or Instructors, RYA instructors, EMT's or Paramedics.
BASP courses are practical and relevant to the outdoor user and as such are suitable for BASI, MLTB, SNSC, ESC, BSA, RYA, BCU, and many more.
BASP has been approved by the Health and Safety Executive (First Aid) Regulations 1989 to run First Aid at work courses. (Reg.No. 1195/92) for those employed in the outdoors sector it is not an HSE requirement to attend such a course, because the 'outdoor environment' is not recognised by the HSE as a 'workplace'. It may however in certain instances be a requirement of an employer. HSE suggest that outdoor leaders hold a nationally recognised appropriate first aid certificate with training appropriate to their working environment. These nationally recognised courses include BASP 2 day Emergency, 4 day Standard, 2 day Advanced, 4 day HSE and 5 day EMT courses.
In May 2005 BASP was given approval by BASICS Scotland to run our new AED training courses. These will be available either as a stand alone course or as part of some 2 or 4 day courses.
The BASP scheme offers a structured progression for all outdoor users beginning with the Emergency course, which is the most popular, and rising to the Ski Patrol Emergency Medical Technician, which, is the most demanding. All our courses are run to HSE approved code of practise guidelines.