BikerDown! @ Uckfield Fire Station, October 2022

Biker Down is a free training workshop run by professionals for bikers designed to answer these uncertainties. Originally developed by Kent Fire & Rescue Fire Bike Team, it uses the expertise of the Emergency Services and HSE-qualified First Aid Trainers to prepare motorcyclists should the worst happen on the roads.

The workshop last approximately three hours and is broken down into three modules:

• Module one: Look at the initial scene management and the protection of those present and risk assessing the scene.
• Module two: Is delivered by an HSE First Aid trainer and focuses on assessing the casualty when dealing with trauma and when and how to safely remove a motorcyclist’s helmet.
• Module three: Focuses on being seen as a motorcyclist. The module is delivered by a member of the partnership, who uses their experience in investigating and/or dealing with serious and fatal motorcycle crashes.

Partnership and Engagement Business Partner, Sophie Hepworth, from East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said:

‘To coincide with the Restart A Heart Campaign a further Bikerdown course at Uckfield Fire station was held, attended by 14 people.

The course covered incident scene management, the science of Being Been and First Aid. Everyone participated in the First Aid sessions and our Fire service volunteers assisted throughout.

Thank you to Matt Prunty and Verna Linguard who led the course, which was also supported by; Sussex Police, the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and the Wealden Joint Action group.”

Evaluation comments included:

‘I will take more time to notice and react to other road users.’

‘As a learner, I will now do everything differently!’

‘As a car driver, I will be more aware of bikes and feel able to help confidently if I come across a bike collision’.

To find more information regarding the Biker Down workshops, please contact the team at firebike@esfrs.org (East Sussex) or firebike@westsussex.gov.uk (West Sussex).