The 2 day (16 hour) Outdoor First Aid course is a standard course for outdoor instructors. This series of blogs will help those who work in the outdoors to learn more about adapting first aid skills to their environment.
Whether taking groups hill walking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking or ski-ing this is the course for outdoor instructors. The course is also appropriate for Forest Schools and Outdoor Woodland Learning groups, countryside rangers, ecologists and estate workers.
Updated June 2026. How should you perform CPR on a drowning casualty? It’s a different protocol from the ‘normal’ CPR method. Watch our video or read the step by step guide below. How To Perform CPR on a Drowning Casualty in 10 steps: A few points to remember about drowning: Drowning is when your lungs…
How To Perform CPR on a Drowning Casualty Read More »
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection contracted from leptospires that exist in the urine of mammals such as rats, cattle, sheep and dogs. Rats are considered the main agent of infection as they urinate as they run, marking their territories as they go. The leptospires from the urine can then be picked up by humans if
Weil’s Disease and Leptospirosis – What you need to know Read More »
Mountain biking and cycling are inherently risky sports – trail & road surfaces, other riders and vehicles, trees, branches and protruding roots, boulders, mechanical failures all present significant hazards no matter how prepared you are or how skilfully you ride. First things first – does your bike fit you? One of the most common causes
5 common cycling injuries and how to prevent – and treat – them Read More »
Updated May, 2026 What is Cold Water Shock? Immersing yourself in cold water is an increasingly popular activity and being touted to provide many health benefits, but sudden immersion in cold water can be very dangerous. ‘Seasoned’ cold water swimmers enjoy repeated visits and as a result their body acclimatises to cold more readily. For others,
Cold Water Shock and Drowning: what you need to know – and do Read More »
Updated March, 2026 Everything you need to know about ticks, tick removal, and Lyme Disease. Why should we be concerned about ticks? Ticks are small arachnids that feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans. They may carry a range of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoans etc) that are then transmitted to the host
Tick removal and understanding Lyme Disease Read More »
FATC director Cory Jones writes for UKClimbing.com and explores 10 common outdoor first aid myths that could hinder rather than help. “Here are some of the most common – and potentially dangerous – first aid myths you might hear in the outdoors, and what to do instead.“
Outdoor First Aid – 10 Myths That Could Make Things Worse Read More »
FATC director and paddlesports instructor Cory Jones wrote a 3-part series on “First Aid for Paddlesports” for Paddler Magazine this year. Please find the 3 articles below which you can also download as PDF’s should you wish to save or read them later. They contain great first aid advice for all kayakers, canoeists, stand-up paddle
First Aid for Paddlesports Read More »
It’s Time To Adapt Your First Aid Kit For Cold Weather! Updated December 2025 The drop in temperature and shorter daylight hours means that winter is here. In Scotland, we’re really starting to notice the lack of evening daylight, and the frost and snow arrived a while ago. So how does that affect our first
7 tips for Getting You and Your First Aid Kit Winter-Ready Read More »
Mental health is often overlooked in expedition planning, despite being a leading cause of incidents, early withdrawals and impaired decision-making in the field. Stress, anxiety, burnout, interpersonal conflict and unresolved trauma can affect anyone, whether they are trekking in the Andes, conducting climate research in Africa, or undertaking conservation projects in remote Scottish glens.
Speaking at RGS Explore 2025 on Mental Health First Aid in Expedition Settings Read More »
Updated November, 2025 Open water swimming is increasingly popular and immersing yourself in cold water is being touted as providing many health benefits with many new people taking to the sea, lochs and rivers to try it out. However it is not without its dangers. As well as the cold water, other risks include injuries
Top 5 First Aid incidents in Open Water Swimming Read More »