pmcimagazine.com
TRAINING:
TRAINING TAC MED SOLUTIONS UK
At PMCI we are always interested in looking at unique training courses and programmes that will
let serving personnel or those leaving the military hone certain areas of their skill-set. Recently I
was lucky enough to speak to Rhys from Tac Med Solutions UK to find out what they’re all about.
I
f you’ll pardon the pun, medical skills are very close to
our heart at PMCI and we’re always honoured to meet
like-minded people who offer training in relation to
what can be vital yet perishable skills. In our minds
correct and thorough first aid/medical training should
be high on the list of “must have skills”, but unless that
training is carried out in a simulated “stress situation”
even the best taught can lose the plot when the “SHTF”.
It’s all very well being able to deal with a casualty
situation in a quiet environment, and many will lose it a bit
even then. What happens though when the pyro blows, and
quick, well purposed action must be taken when the rounds
start going down? It takes professionalism and nerve to quickly
assess a situation in a hostile environment and deal with it
effectively, and that only comes through thorough and regular
training with expert practitioners.
At a recent event I was lucky enough to be introduced to Rhys
from Tac Med Solutions UK (TMS UK), and having seen the
level at which he and his colleagues had provided gruesomely
realistic Casualty Simulations (cas-sim) as an integral part of
the 36 hour event I was keen to find out more about how TMS
UK had come about and what type of training they offered.
Rhys very kindly agreed to answer my questions and this is
what he had to tell me.
PMCI: So Rhys, in your own words please tell me what led
you guys to set up Tac Med Solutions UK?
Having been a medic for over 18 years and having a keen
interest in the tactical side of medicine I noticed a gap in the
market for tactical medical training within the UK. There are
a few companies in the UK offering the odd tactical medical
course, but it tends to be only a small add on. We, TMS UK,
want to push the boundaries to prepare guys and girls for high-
threat theatres of operations, changing environments and push
the stress levels through hyper-realistic simulation and training.
PMCI: When and where did you start running your courses?
We started the company whilst working on a diplomatic
contract in Iraq, We had a demand for the training, operators
wanted to up-skill themselves with life-saving training and
skills that could help support themselves, team members and
clients. We had some great training areas, an abundance of
equipment left over from the Americans and plenty of time on
our hands to offer training. We are currently running courses
from an excellent training venue in Chesterfield, where we can
really push the training to its limits.
PMCI: Who do you see as your target customer for your
courses?
Obviously the majority of our customers are from those wanting
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