Another year is rapidly coming to an end, we’re all taken back by how quickly time flies by! Thanks to all of YOU, 8 years on we’ve been the busiest ever!
We saw a huge increase in the number of courses provided right across all regions. More impressively we saw a significant uptake of people recertifying their previous FBoS Skills. It’s reassuring to know, the concept remains of such importance to motorcyclists, that they wish to stay up to date.
From conversations with our colleagues at the FBoS HQ in Wales, we, thankfully, remain the busiest training centre of all them. And luckily enough, we had the opportunity of extensive talks with other important players in the Pre-Hospital Care environment, to see how we can broaden the FBoS potential.
Most important to us is the feedback we receive from all the course participants, helping us to improve the course. It covers individual components, the overall content, venue, timings etc. We also are grateful for any additional suggestions which regularly include that the course should be a mandatory part of the IBT or it should be implemented across all road users. But, the positive encouragement that, the lads are doing a great job is what keeps us going, helps us to stay focused and reminds us we’re on the right track.
One of the big highlights this year for us was the successful launch of the FBoS Advanced Course. Thanks to all the participants bearing with us while we were finding our feet with it and tweaking it as we went along. Again, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and people were delighted to further their knowledge and skill base. The aim of the course is to be an extra pair of hands to the frontline services rather than becoming an EMT or Paramedic.
If at any point you have come across an incident where you used your FBoS skills and would like a bit of advise or debrief, you are more than welcome to get in touch anytime! Even if you just want to tell your story and that hopefully all went well. Sometimes we share those stories, anonymously of course, to show other course participants the impact a First Biker on Scene can have.
As part of our adventures, we attended the ‘Northern Ireland’s Motorcycle Festival’ on the outskirts of Lisburn. As always, we had a fabulous time together with our friends from the ‘Police Service of Northern Ireland’ BikeSafe Team. Sadly, we were recently informed, that for now this was the last event. Organisers Billy & Marty Nutt are stepping back from it after 25 years!
Other events included the ‘Carole Nash Motorcycle & Scooter Show’ in the RDS and the ‘Masters Motorcycle Show’ at Mondello Park, the ‘Cookstown Motorcycle Show’ as well as the open day at Overlanders & Adventure Motorcycles Ireland, the ‘VJMCC Motorcycle Show’, the ‘Wells House Classic Bike Show’ and the inaugural ‘Classic Bike Festival’ at the Bishopscourt Circuit, organised by racing legend Philip McCallen.
We were invited to participate in the ‘Power of Dreams’ Radio Show with Marian Shanley on Dublin’s South FM 93.9, a road safety event at the Carlow Institute of Technology as well as many smaller events organised by clubs and community projects, such as Bikers Shed, Green Knights MMC or Shed 4 Bikers. Thank you also to Diarmuid from the ‘Kells Road Racing’ Club for inviting us to attend the reinstated races at the Crossakiel Circuit.
In October we ran the first FBoS Course for ‘Bikers Shed’ in Mountrath. Thank you to everyone organising it and hosting us at their community garage. An equally big thanks to a local group of Bike Marshalls in Clonmel who managed to invite us twice within just a couple of months, ensuring all their crew is trained. Earlier on in the summer we presented an FBoS to a club in Northern Ireland, who even had members from Scotland attending. On a separate FBoS course in Antrim, we officially crossed the 1000 trained FBoS attendees! What an achievement!
We would express our sincere thanks to everyone who generously donated helmets to us! Our stock includes now the full range of sizes, with many of the helmets being brand new. At this point we won’t be able to accept more as we’re running out of space.
But we’ve been told that ‘Lid Lobbing’ turns out to be a somewhat exhilarating new sport!! Finally, you get to test the strength of your helmet to the limits by throwing it as far as you can! With the added bonus of the visual impact of why it is so important to invest in a good helmet!
Separately we would like to thank Peter of the ‘Helite’ company for sponsoring us a ‘Turtle’ Motorcycle Airbag Vest®! It’s on display during courses and events, so people have the possibility of trying it on. Both, Rodge and Nick use ‘Helite’ gear and are convinced of the benefits to rider safety.
Courses & Events 2020
January 26th Kildangan, Co. Kildare
February 09th Waterford
February 16th County Kerry
February 22nd UK
February 23rd ADVANCED UK
March 01st ADVANCED Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
March 08th Cork Motorcycle Show
March 21st Antrim
March 22nd ADVANCED Antrim
March 28th Cork
March 29th ADVANCED Cork
April 18th County Louth
April 19th ADVANCED Dublin
April 25th County Limerick
April 26th Galway
May 03rd VJMCC Show, Swords
May 09th County Wexford
May 10th Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
May 14th / 15th BikeSafe Stand, NW200
May 23rd ADVANCED Ennis, Co. Clare
May 24th ADVANCED Kildangan, Co. Kildare
June 06th County Sligo
June 07th Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
August 01st / 02nd Classic Bike Festival, Bishopscourt
Please note dates / locations are subject to change! We are depending on people booking in in a timely manner, so that we can make necessary arrangements. Bookings are only secured via the online form and once the non-refundable deposit has been received. To attend an ADVANCED course, you must have qualified from the standard FBoS within the last two years
So, thank you again! We’re proud to be part of this amazing community!
Wishing all of you a peaceful and safe Christmas and New Year,
Rodge, Nick and Berni – and, of course, Sid!!
Video courtesy of G. Cepaitis @ Pilgrim Films