QA Level 3 Award in First Response Emergency Care (FREC3)

About the FREC 3 qualification

The QA Level 3 Award in First Response Emergency Care (FREC 3) is a nationally recognised qualification in pre-hospital care.

It's suitable for people who want to work in emergency services, such as the ambulance service, or in high-risk workplaces.

Over 5 days, you'll learn how to deal with a range of emergencies, including:

• managing a patient’s airway
• catastrophic bleeding
• managing fractures
• medical emergencies

The qualification is endorsed by The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. It's also part of a series of qualifications, allowing you to progress to FREC 4.

Who is FREC 3 for?

This qualification provides a strong foundation in dealing with a wide range of medical situations. It's suitable for:

• event first aiders
• ambulance care assistants
• firefighters
• police firearms officers and medics
• close protection operatives (recognised by the Security Industries Authority)
• expedition leaders
• journalists and researchers working overseas
• film crews working in remote areas
• aid workers in hostile or disaster-prone countries
• community first responders
• people who work in high-risk environments, including offshore workers

What's covered in the course?

The FREC 3 course covers:

• roles and responsibilities of a first responder
• patient assessment
• airway management
• cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for adults, children, and infants
• use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
• emergency oxygen
• traumatic injuries
• catastrophic bleeding and shock
• poisoning and intoxicating substances
• external and internal bleeding
• helmet removal
• immobilisation of the neck, spine, and pelvis
• environmental exposure
• burns and scalds
• minor injuries
• incident reporting