Diary of a 4x4 Responder: Part Three - The Second Meeting
Not the most exciting post this time, but this is a diary after all so I’m recording my experiences with Yorkshire 4x4 Response - the next one is more fun, I promise!
On the 20th of July, we had our second group meeting, this time at the usual location. There was a decent turnout, including a few new faces, and everyone was welcomed to the group.
Joel couldn’t make it in person, so we ran through a couple of training modules with him presenting using Teams on the big TV in the room - it worked pretty well.
The first module we did was Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) - this covered topics such as what the group does and doesn’t do, how organisations request help, an overview of how callouts work, etc. This module is required in order to become an active responder, so it was good to get it done.
There’s a new manual in production for all responders, once that’s ready we can keep it in the car and review any of the information at the time - it’s one thing learning on a training course, but sometimes you forget when you’re out in the field, so this will be useful.
The next module we did was Personal Safety and Equipment (PSE) - this was covering what equipment we might want to carry in our vehicles - mostly around staying safe in the winter. Things like spare clothing, food and drinks, first-aid kit, etc. We also talked about how we wouldn’t be expected to do anything that either we or our vehicles aren’t comfortable with.
Finally, paid-up members were given a branded Hi-Viz and a membership card ready for their first assignment.
That concluded the second meeting, and I was now a card-carrying member of the group.
In the next part of this series, I will share my experiences of my first event as a 4x4 responder - Harewood Gravity Games 2002! Please subscribe to be updated on new posts as soon as they're published.
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