The North Coast Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine Education Group (NCPHEM) held their first Emergency Services Show on Saturday, August 3 at Bude, and it proved to be a great day for young and old alike!

NC-PHEM is a voluntary organisation formed by local medical professionals to promote delivery of the highest possible quality of prehospital emergency medical care in coastal North Devon and Cornwall. For the past four years NC-PHEM has provided medical education to care providers, including children, lay responders, ambulance professionals, nurses and physicians. They also enhance cooperation and understanding between local emergency services by organising inter-service exercises.

Jamie Sprake, local ambulance clinician and member of NC-PHEM, explained that the group wanted to bring all of the local emergency service providers together to show the community how many different services are available and what they offer. Indeed, alongside the usual Fire, Police and Ambulance services, emergency care providers that attended included the Coast Guard, Coast Watch, RNLI, North Dartmoor Search and Rescue, Bude Community First Responders, Devon Freewheelers Blood Bikes, Devon and Cornwall 4x4, Tri-Service Safety Officers and Duchy Defibrillators.

The show was kindly opened by Bude and Stratton’s mayor, Bob Willingham, and events of the day included a main ring event exhibiting the skills needed when dealing with a road traffic accident requiring multi-disciplinary working of the police, fire and rescue and ambulance services and a grand parade of emergency vehicles.

Adults and children alike were able to get ‘hands on’ with the vehicles and equipment, practice basic life support and learn how to use a community defibrillator. Alongside this there was a variety of music, stalls, entertainment and food providers to keep everyone happy.

Andy Phillips, public governor of the South Western Ambulance Service was pleased with how the day’s proceedings went ahead. He said: “Last Saturday my wife and I had the privilege of attending the Bude Emergency Services Open Day. What a joy it was to see families where the children were of primary school age anxious to learn ‘how things work’.

“Learning CPR and clearing throat blockages appeared enthralling for the youngsters, all of whom wanted to practice on the manikins. The willingness of all to talk with and learn from the service providers was a joy to behold, and the care and humility shown by them was most humbling to see. There was so much laughter, learning and understanding. It was outstanding.”

He went on to explain how fundamental this understanding would be for Bude’s community. He said: “From my aspect, so many learnt about the contents and operations of our new ambulances, and what the crews face. The most important thing though was the turning of fear into understanding, and Bude can truly be proud of its emergency services. We salute you all!”

NC-PHEM would like to express their sincere thanks to everyone that made donations and gave their time to help, including Bude Rugby Club for the venue and bar, the Front Line Emergency Equipment Trust for publicity, Drinksmaster for the tea and coffee, Cornish Moo for the milk, Glenda and Judith for manning the hot drinks stall, Bude Metric Brass, Bude Ukulele Band — All@C and Femme Fatale for the fabulous music, and of course all of the outstanding emergency service personnel who attended in their own time to give the local community a first rate experience of who and what keeps them safe, day and night, 24-7!

If you would like to support the North Coast PHEM Education Group to help ensure that they can continue to provide free education to local communities, please contact the chairman of NC-PHEM, doctor Angus Macdonald, [email protected]