Motorcycle First Aid Course
 

For a while now, I have been trying to find someone who offers a motorcycle specific first aid course. I am in Canada - near Toronto. There is an organization called Biker Down who offers training but only to clubs, which doesn't really help me out.

Any info will help. Really. Anything.

I'm surprised you can't find an organisation to do a course with.

Don't know about Canada, but in the UK we have St Johns and Red Cross who will do basic first-aid courses. There must be loads of companies who do courses for in the workplace; they should be happy to tailor a day's training to your needs. Most of these courses are designed to keep a casualty from dying for the half an hour that it should take medical help to arrive. If you want something a bit more involved, search for Expedition First-aid or "Far from Help" type courses.

I think what l'ildring was referring to was MC specific first-aid training. The context here is that at an MC show last year there was a booth representing an organization offering rider-specific first-aid training.

While we expressed interest (and even won a Go-Pro camera by way of their ballot box) we were not very successful with arranging a course with them. After so long, given that while the organization seemed promising, it did not appear to be very organized, so one just moves on...

That said, over the last couple of weeks we have completed basic first aid/CPR through St. John, as well as several days of wilderness first-aid training also through St. John.

I think the courses were valuable. In terms of the wilderness first aid course, especially from the perspective of the most common injuries one might run into travelling in remote areas, improvisation, etc.

Given that we were the only MC riders in the group, we ended up spending a reasonable amount of time on helmet removal -- more than I expected, actually.

When NOT to do it (most of the time), when to do it (when the risk of casualty survival outweighs the risk of spinal injury), and technique including practising with our own helmets. Its NOT easy to do well.

I believe that they cover helmets as regular course material, as while motorcycles are little more niche, quads and snowmobiles are very much common place in what we know as "wilderness" in our area (Ontario, Canada). Even though participants may be taking this course for from the context of wilderness pursuits such as hiking or canoeing, there is always a chance they could run into an MC/quad/snowmobile rider in trouble.

I think I expected more in terms of venomous bites, stings, travel related illness, etc. and things that might be considered "more obscure". I guess I will fill the gap with a little book learning ;)

Adam

Guys please take a look at this site, obviously it doesn't help you guys in Canada, nonetheless you might find yourself in the UK and pay us a visit.

Home - NomadBiker :thumbup1:

I took a class I arranged for a local group here with Accident Scene Management. Accident Scene Management, Inc.

It covers basic first aid as it relates to motorcycles and is taught by EMTs for motorcyclists and for other EMTs. Covers topics like moving a downed rider, helmet removal, and first response tactics like securing the scene and communicating important info to responders. I don't see anything on the schedule in Canada but you may find something across the border that is worth the trip for you.

Good luck!