Well, who’d thought 2019 would take off the way it did? This is the busiest we’ve been so far, with over 100% increase in the number of courses run and over 100% more people attending the courses – not bad for two guys doing this on their days off!
We’re even prouder to say that just before Easter we celebrated over 1000 bikers trained so far! Wohoo! Celebrating in style, cake was had at the course in Ballymena! There were a number of instructors present and we’re pleased more are coming on board. This helps us spread the word about the course right at the basic level of motorcycling. 
From the moment we brought the FBoS to Ireland we always considered this as a community project – to teach you guys and girls a set of skills that would help your buddies in need! Hopefully you’ll never have to use it but at the same time have sensible, medically correct and up-to-date techniques.
So to all of you who came to the courses – give yourselves a pat on the back for learning what to do and not being afraid to know that some day you may use them – AND most importantly, to all of you who attended accidents – our hats off to you for your courage to stop and assist!
With this in mind, we successfully launched the FBoS Advanced earlier this year! The first course was organised by our good friends at ‘Shed 4 Bikers’ in Kildangan, Co. Kildare. On the second occasion we travelled to the UK to run it with another great group of friends – the ‘Unity Riders’.
If you haven’t heard about the Advanced course and are wondering what it is all about – in a nutshell: additional techniques to assist the ambulance crew managing the patient at scene. These include Spinal Immobilisation with appropriate equipment; Airway Management; Head Injuries; Patient Assessment through measuring vital signs; Blood Loss Management and much more.
Please remember we do not train you to be an EMT or Paramedic! This course is to give you further knowledge on the mechanism of injuries, how they impact the patient and how to help alongside professionals to stabilise the patient. 
But if you thought we’re only teaching – actually we have been just as busy attending events, including our usual haunt at the ‘NI Motorcycle Festival’ at the EIKON, the ‘Carole Nash Irish Motorcycle and Scooter Show’ in Dublin, ‘Shed 4 Bikers’, ‘Overlanders & Adventure Motorcycling Ireland’, ‘Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Show’, ‘Dunlop Masters Motorcycle Show’ at Mondello, ‘Cookstown Motorcycle Show’, ‘Bikers Shed’, ‘Wells House Classic Bike Show’ and the re-established ‘Kells Road Racing’ at Crossakiel. We even had an invitation to a live radio show with ‘Shed 4 Bikers’ at ‘The Power of Dreams’ program in Dublin. 
Thanks to the generous donation of a number of helmets in recent times!
And topping off all the excitement so far, we have been given the privilege of trying out one of the ‘Helite Turtle Airvest’ – can’t get much better than that!
Thank you ALL for your continued support! Have a safe and enjoyable Summer,
Rodge, Nick and Berni