Tag Archives: NFCC

Milestone for BARTA – UK’s first Large Animal Rescue Instructor Course

UK wide standardisation of large animal rescue training for fire and rescue services took a step closer this month as the first BARTA Accredited Instructors course was delivered to firefighters from South Wales, Cheshire, Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire and Hertfordshire.  BARTA’s Jim Green reflected on the achievement, “In 2008 fire and rescue services began collaborating to develop standard training and protocols for large animal rescue. Since then almost all UK fire authorities have adopted large animal rescue response models.  Operational learning has taught us that incidents involving animals is a broader subject area and impacts many more responder groups than just firefighters. BARTA was established to provide coordination for this expanding initiative together with partners and stakeholders from the rescue, veterinary and welfare communities. Through collaboration we have further developed policy, training and guidance, building on those early training offerings and aligning … Continue reading

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BARTA Small Animal Trauma Guidelines Highly Commended by RCVS

The RCVS Knowledge Awards for Quality Improvement showcase the implementation of Quality Improvement techniques which drive improvement within the profession. The fifth RCVS Knowledge Awards focusing on QI were awarded in 2023. BARTA were recognised under the Highly Commended, Ones to Watch criteria, citing the provision of evidence-based guidelines and training for emergency first responders to provide pre-veterinary immediate care and developing a handover checklist to use when handing over to veterinary professionals. BARTA Director Jim Green thanks all of the contributors to this essential work. “Emergency responders frequently encounter animals in the course of their operational duties, many of whom, like their owners, are suffering trauma and distress. BARTA are working on a suite of materials to support emergency responders in providing lifesaving pre veterinary care to animals caught up in emergency or disaster. The first stage was to … Continue reading

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Team Leader Training with Fire Scotland

12 Firefighters, selected from across Scotland headed to Glasgow Vet School to attend a BARTA 4 day Large Animal Rescue Responder Team Leader course. BARTA have partnered with the University of Glasgow and Fire Scotland to support the delivery of animal rescue response across the country. This course builds on previous knowledge and skills in large animal rescue techniques through delivering an understanding of the components required to lead a team and develop a tactical plan in conjunction with the Incident Commander and veterinary specialists on scene. Over the 4 days subjects included situational awareness of large animals and the context of their behaviour and environments, legislation that must be considered in the management of an animal incident, capabilities of veterinarians and the essential control measures they can provide to make the situation safer for both the animal and rescuer. … Continue reading

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Moving forward collaboratively…

This week, BARTA brought together a variety of agencies and experts who deal with incidents involving animals, whether single animal focussed or wide scale community events affecting multiple people and animals. Jim Green, BARTA Director of Operations said, “This is the first time we have had such a diverse range of agencies discussing their organisational response to animal incidents. Understanding their priorities and exploring how we can support each other collaboratively will directly benefit people and animals. There are clear concerns that the animal component of human emergencies and animal specific issues will develop in response to emerging climate driven emergencies and we are right to be having conversations now about preparedness and resilience. BARTA are committed to encouraging and facilitating debate and seeking practical, evidence based solutions for our responders. I’d like to thank all the agencies who attended … Continue reading

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ESS 2022 Thank You!

We’ve just returned from a tremendous two days with our BARTA family exhibiting at Emergency Services Show at the NEC, Birmingham. Supported by Tony Ward at Requip and joined by all those in our BARTA family to promote what we all do, we would just like to say a huge thank to our team and all those visitors to the show for taking the time to speak to us on our stand. We’re really looking forward to developing the connections that we made and we hope to see you all again soon!

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Spotlight on our People – Nicola Housby-Skeggs

Many of you will have met Nicky, when you have attended our courses. Nicky also led the collaboration between veterinary experts to produce the veterinary prompt. As our chairperson she oversees the strategy, governance and key financial decisions of BARTA. Nicky is running for election to the BEVA council, if you are eligible we know she would appreciate your vote! Here is a link to her: BEVA statement What inspired you to get involved with BARTA? I started my career in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and the veterinary responder course was considered essential learning prior to starting any equine veterinary job. There are few courses that genuinely shift your understanding and approach to cases or situations; however, the veterinary responder course did this for me and has fundamentally influenced how I have approached emergencies throughout my career. The Army … Continue reading

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New Animal Emergency Incident Management Network

A strategic focus for animal emergency incident management in Australia and New Zealand is the primary aim for a new organisation, the Animal Emergency Incident Management Network (AEIMN ANZ) Professor Josh Slater, BARTA Director and Chair of the new group, said “this will advance all aspects of incident management involving animals, including research, policy, education, planning, safety, and practices to improve animal welfare outcomes” David King, ESM, the Vice-Chair, said, “The organisation brings together veterinarians, emergency responders and policymakers to develop and promote safer practices at incidents involving domestic animals.” ‘It is a unique opportunity for responders to incidents involving domestic animals to share experiences and to learn from each other”. Guidelines for Large Animal Rescue Operations are now published through AFAC, the equivalent of our National Fire Chiefs Council. This guideline details operational practices that member agencies should consider … Continue reading

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BARTA Working Groups Gather…

This month specialists from the veterinary and emergency services came together once again to agree best practice solutions to issues surrounding incidents involving animals. The large animal group focussed on lifting animals for rescue or medical suspension.  The type and availability of suitable lifting devices varies within rescue organisations and sometimes the most suitable solution may not come from within the organisation. Clear understanding of the problem is required, to make the right choices. Current practices were evaluated in order to support judgements for selection of device or method, based on informed situational awareness and the casualty centred rescue. Additionally, areas for development were identified and discussions had with equipment manufacturers around improvements that would promote safety or patient care. Next steps will be to create visual resources to help Team Leaders with training and decision making. National Operational Guidance … Continue reading

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We’ve been busy training!

It has been a busy start to 2022 for BARTA and the next few months do not seem to be any less packed! Our team have been working across the UK and in the first 3 months provided training to over 200 responders from the veterinary and emergency service communities. We’ve embedded our Incidents Involving Animals – Initial Level training into the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service online learning platform, therefore becoming the underpinning knowledge for all their operational personnel and forming a thread throughout subsequent training levels for large animal rescue. This year we have 75 newly trained fire and rescue service Large Animal Rescue Responders (AR2), many who will also experience our Livestock and Equine Handling course over the next few months. In March we welcomed 12 new Team Leaders (AR3) to our wider BARTA … Continue reading

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New MOU between BARTA and NFCC

British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association (BARTA) and National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Memorandum of Understanding BARTA are delighted to announce a new MOU with the National Fire Chiefs Council, building on the success of the NFCC Animal Rescue Practitioners Forum, which was established in 2008 to develop national standards for fire and rescue service response to animal incidents.  The NFCC brings together operational leadership of the UK’s fire and rescue services to provide coordinated professional, operational and technical leadership of the sector, advising and supporting central and local government, and other stakeholders.  Following publication of national operational guidance for the fire and rescue service in 2017, the scope for planning and responding to incidents involving animals has widened, in recognition that emergency responders may encounter animals within most operational contexts.  Interaction with animals creates challenges for any response … Continue reading

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