Cumbria Farmer Advocates First Aid Training After Serious Fall

Ian Bowness, a 52-year-old farmer from Aspatria, Cumbria, recounted his fortune in surviving a 15ft (4.5m) fall through a shed roof onto a concrete surface. The incident occurred as he was undertaking roof repairs, and a decayed timber section unexpectedly collapsed. This incident underscores findings from a Health and Safety Executive report published in July, which identified agriculture as the sector with the highest rate of work-related fatal injuries, measured by fatalities per 100,000 people employed. Following his experience, Mr Bowness is urging wider participation in first aid courses, citing examples like those provided by the farming charity F3A, which has equipped nearly 500 individuals with vital life-saving competencies. The fall, which took place in March, resulted in Mr Bowness sustaining a broken leg and a shattered heel. Describing the suddenness of the event, he stated, “It was like falling through a trap door.” He added, “I could rhyme off a list of people who didn’t survive something like that.” Mr Bowness asserted that first aid courses are “literally lifesaving.” He further commented, “It’s essential sort of training that I think everyone at some point should undertake.” The organization F3A Farming and First Aid was established in Cumbria by a collective of volunteer medical professionals. Among them was Dr. Mark Byers, a former army medic, whose motivation stemmed from his apprehension regarding the frequency of fatalities and injuries among farmers. Dr. Byers articulated his concern, stating, “I made it clear that we could do more on the battlefield of Afghanistan for our people quicker than we could do for the farmers in our local area.” He also expressed his aspiration for F3A to expand its presence to every county nationwide. Imogen Allen, another volunteer and an anaesthetist based in Newcastle, noted the specialized nature of the first aid instruction provided. Dr. Allen explained, “These are things that are going to kill you quickly and fast.” She added, “Often for people that aren’t involved in health care they’re not aware of that and they panicked they don’t know what to do.” For updates from BBC Cumbria, connect via X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Submit your narrative concepts to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for material on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external links is available.