Medical Training
Medical training is taken very seriously in Hogg Motorsport and all crew maintain their own CPD folder.
All crew have a Motorsport Medical Technician qualification from Elite Medical Service Ltd.
The majority of the crew hold a full Motorsport UK Race and Rally rescue licence. Crew members have completed AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) and courses in medical gases, manual handling and Fire fighting training. Hogg Motorsport also work closely with the Island's Statutory Ambulance Service with whom they have an MoU [ Memorandum of Understanding] in the event of a Major Incident. This may consist of providing Ambulances and crew to transport people to hospital, assisting at the scene and taking part in Training exercises with the Statutory emergency servicees.
During the year, monthly medical AND Rescue training takes place - both on medical injuries but also on all the various equipment the vehicles carry. If a crew member is ever unsure of anything, then individual sessions can be held.
Rescue Training
The Hogg Rescue Crew Chief leads practical Rescue Training half a dozen times a year. Here the crew can practice extricating casualties from a vehicle in the safest way possible. During the exercise, the whole scenario is 'paused' several times so that the crew can discuss what each of them is doing, and if they can improve. This allows a lot more to be learnt rather than finding out at the end. All the crew take turns in being casualties as it increases their awareness at how casualties will feel with all the vibrations and noise around them in real life.
Several Guests are usually invited along to experience what the Rescue Crew actually do. This ranges from people from St John Ambulance on the Island who may also attend incidents with us to local Doctors and Paramedics who again may be out on duty with us. This gives them the experience to see what conditions they may be working in and to also have a go at using the cutting equipment under supervision.
For some of the local Car Rallies, UK Rescue Units come over to the island to assist, so this proves to be useful in viewing other Rescue Units and their equipment to see what other crews are using.
Other Training
Each year in January, Hogg Motorsport organise a training weekend or attend one in Lancaster. Saturday is spent with Seminars and Practical lessons on all aspects of Motorsport. Sunday's training involves extrication moulages for all the crew. We also undertake Fire training at the Island's Airport Fire Training Ground. The Hogg Crew attend to actually set a car on fire!
Hogg Motorsport support the two Emergency AirMed Helicopters used for various motorsport events throughout the year including the TT, Classic TT, Manx Grand Prix and Billown course events. This involves meeting the helicopters at the Nobles Hospital Helipads, unloading the casualties whilst the engine and rotors are still running and transporting them the short distance into Accident and Emergency.
Before each event, training takes place so all crew members know the safety procedures for dealing with helicopters and also practicing unloading casualties. Whilst directly underneath the rotors, you cannot hear anything apart from the engines so all communication has to be visual. Everyone needs to know exactly what is going on.
6 members of Hogg Motorsport also travelled to Silverstone for the British Formula One Grand Prix in 2004 and 2005 to act as one of the three Extrication Teams. This is a specialist job for which the crew specially trained. An Extrication Teams purpose is to travel around the course in the event of an incident and using special straps and harnesses, lift the driver out of a Formula One car while still in their seat. This protects any back or neck injury they may have obtained during the crash. Whilst at Silverstone, the crew had 3 demanding days of being on duty from 7am until 6pm out on the course. This also involves the crew travelling to Silverstone a month or so before the Grand Prix to practice the extrications. On the first day at the actual Grand Prix, the team had to perform an exercise in front of the FIA Formula One Medical Delegate to demonstrate they are up to the exacting standards required both in the time taken to complete the extrication but also the safe handling of the casualty. It has to be remembered if it were done for real, there would be millions of TV viewers watching and there would not be time to make a mistake!