Paramedic To MERT / Winchman?

[mandsandadam]

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing to enquire about joining the RAF. I am currently a student paramedic working for an ambulance trust and set to register with the HPC in January. I am keen to join the RAF reserves upon qualification with the aim of attaining a place on a MERT or within SARF as a medic / winchman.

Can you please advise me the process and methodology of applying for these roles.

I am also unsure of the rank / role which my paramedic qualification will transfer within the service. I am based in South Yorkshire and also unsure of my local units for these roles.

Can you please advise on the level of training I will be required to undertake both initially and an ongoing / weekly basis.

I am very keen to go on tour but am aware of resistance from my employing ambulance trust, can you please advise the length of any tour and whether I have any protection from my employer.

I am also very keen to develop professionally, can you please advise me on training opportunities available.

Any other advice you feel relevant would be most appreciated.

Kind regards

Adam

 

[Trusty Adjusty]

Welcome to the Goat Adam, no doubt there will be someone along shortly with some relevant info regarding your queries however to get the most up to date information regarding the Reserve service, qualifications, etc it is always best to seek the advice of your local armed forces careers office, in South Yorkshire (God's country!) your nearest AFCO will probably be Sheffield. All the best

Trusty

 

[mandsandadam]

Cheers Trusty, am just wanting to be a bit more informed prior to attending the recruitment office so I can make the best use of their time and not go down tangents

 

[gemarriott]

Cheers Trusty, am just wanting to be a bit more informed prior to attending the recruitment office so I can make the best use of their time and not go down tangents

this isn't a recruiting site, it isn't even an official site but there is a wealth of information on here. The best thing though is to call in at the AFCO, don't worry about wasting their time, they get paid for it and their advice bears the weight of being official.

 

[vim_fuego]

Winchmen come from the non-commissioned aircrew cadre in the main. Circa 99% have come to the SAR world after flying tours on other types; the majority from the support helicopter world.

I dare say there are some full time reservists flying in this role but only because they are seasoned aircrew whom we desperately want due to their experience. Your best bet is as a 'oggy' serving on a MERT team although these will now be based at Brize...a documentary I watched a while ago about these teams demonstrated they were mainly NHS staff serving on a part time capacity and utterly fantastic they were seen to be.

 

[Tango_Lima]

4626 are the aeromedical boys (and girls). As above, they'll be based at BZN from later this year. Don't know what their rules on recruitment are, so there might not be a geographical reason you couldn't join (as long as you don't mind traveling the distance).

I'd say DON'T go to the AFCO. When it comes to the reserve forces they tend to be as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Contact the unit you're interested in directly, either by phone or intermernet.

 

[Teh Wal]

Winchmen come from the non-commissioned aircrew cadre in the main. Circa 99% have come to the SAR world after flying tours on other types; the majority from the support helicopter world.
I dare say there are some full time reservists flying in this role but only because they are seasoned aircrew whom we desperately want due to their experience...

No chance of joining SARF for what you want to do unless you actually join the RAF as non-commisioned aircrew... however, in 3 years (roughly speaking) the RAF SARF and MCA SAR is scheduled to be replaced by a completely civilian Rescue Service under what was known as SAR-H (it's been under consideration for many, many years and is currently in the process of contract bidding, awarding, etc, etc), have a look at page 16 of this document --> http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/uksar.pdf. There will be no serving military personnel involved in the new system.
Currently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) utilise civilian aircraft and civilian crews in a number of locations (map --> http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/final_version_of_new_map.pdf ) around the UK as a small SAR force: the rear crew are all Ambulance Paramedic qualified whereas at the moment not all RAF SARF crewmen have the Paramedic qualification. The lack of Paramedic qualification is a bit of a blocker for the RAF SARF guys seeking to get on the MCA service however the ones with it are warmly welcomed... as far as I'm aware the MCA also recruit from the ambulance service and then provide the necessary aircraft/flying training.

The nearest RAF SAR location to you is at RAF Leconfield, near Beverly, Hull. The new civilian SAR service will directly replace the RAF at Leconfield, or very close to it, in about 3 years time. If you are prepared to wait a few years there may well be a new career opening up for you on your doorstep...

Whichever way you decide to go I wish you good luck.

 

[vim_fuego]

The Irish Coast guard recruit soley from their paramedic manpower pool.

I think the new civilian SAR set-up will have a strong ex-mil flavour to it...

 

[Teh Wal]

Undoubtedly Vim.
However when (if!) the contract(s) is(are) awarded next year their recruiting process should become clear to all... which has just brought a thought to mind for Adam to consider: he may well be able to focus on a new career from as early as this time next year. The new service is (as I mentioned above) meant to start, taking over from the existing RAF units, from about June 2015. The new service will need fully qualified personnel in place at that time to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted changeover with no degradation of SAR cover. The RAF SAR crewmen will still be in military service at that time...

 

[mandsandadam]

Sincere thanks for all your replies guys, it is truly appreciated.

I am over the moon at the opportunity to join SAR due to the restructuring. I appreciate it's all a bit up in the air (upon proof-reading realised that was such a terrible pun it should be forced to remain), but the timescales suit me at the moment as it coincides with wanting to start a family.

I've been hunting around the site trying to get more information as although I've been told to contact the 4626 directly as opposed to the AFCO (as the information will be more accurate), I'm a bit afraid of being told what I want to hear, and of sounding so ill informed I get binned before I've started.

With the addition of this new information regarding SAR my initial thoughts are to attempt to go MERT prior to the SAR starting to increase my chances of successful application (as I imagine I'll be up against previous SAR guys). To those with a better-informed standpoint - does this sound feasible?

Several courses have also been mentioned in regard to MERT:
MERT - I don't actually understand what the course entails, can you please advise
BATLs - Would love to do this course
CAT A IRT - Neither I nor Google know what this course is
AE trg - Neither I nor Google know what this course is

What kind of timeframe am I likely to complete these courses in?

As I've said I'm really keen to deploy but would like to do so ASAP upon qualification as the missus has given me deadline of 18 months before kids when I'd probably shy away from going on tour for a while so would like to get two in during this time.

Sincere and prolific thanks again

Adam

 

[FOMz]

Its good to be keen, but cool your guns...

You DO NEED to speak to the Oggy Sqn and get the information straight from the horses mouth. As for the courses, the RAF will only send you on courses if there is a service need, do not expect them all to happen back to back, why shoudl the RAF spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers money training you for you to jump ship afterwards?

You want to do 2 full dets in an 18 month period?....Join the Sqn and get trainined first, before you even think about it.........

 

[enginesuck]

Youd be lucky to join a sqn and even deploy within 18 months.

 

[mandsandadam]

Many thanks all, I'm glad to get a bit of advice about timescales.

I'm working on the principle of continuing to work for the 4626 while continuing to work for SAR - I'm assuming this would generally be possible?

 

[Teh Wal]

You're now piling hypothetical on top of hypothetical... what you propose is anyones guess mate.

However if you do end up working within the new SAR project I'm gonna take a guess that they are going to employ just about enough people to cover their commitments therefore I doubt that they would take too warmly to you being away with 4626, but, as I said above, it's all hypothetical at the moment.

 

[vim_fuego]

You're now piling hypothetical on top of hypothetical... what you propose is anyones guess mate.

However if you do end up working within the new SAR project I'm gonna take a guess that they are going to employ just about enough people to cover their commitments therefore I doubt that they would take too warmly to you being away with 4626, but, as I said above, it's all hypothetical at the moment.

They will recruit heavily from existing RAF and Naval crewmen for the SAR roles...I'm sure at some point they will set up a training system for new crewmen but I'm betting not a single SAR crewmen in either service will want to transfer back to SH/Jungly ops...I look upon SAR crewmen as being vocational therefore they would take a pay cut to carry on doing it. 4626 is your strongest option.