STAFF who work on or near the water at the Port of Milford Haven have undertaken first aid training based on an intuitive check card system.

The Maritime Immediate Emergency Care Course, developed in conjunction with the United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association (UKMPA), is designed specifically for maritime boat crews and dock personnel and uses professional lifesaving equipment that can mean the difference between life and death in the first minutes after a serious trauma or illness.

Seventy staff members from teams across the Port including pilot launch crew, marina operatives, ferry terminal operatives and pilots have already completed the course and another 13 are due to undertake the training.

To complement the training the Port has invested over £20,000 in new equipment.

This includes additional automated defibrillators, Saviour Stretchers, treatment equipment packs and the treatment check cards, which give step-by-step instructions that can provide valuable assistance in an emergency.

Wayne Evans, health, safety and security manager at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “The decision to invest in new equipment and training was made following the lessons learned from a tragic incident at the Port of London last year.

"A large proportion of our workforce work on or near the water so it’s vital that they have access to the latest first aid advice in case they ever need to draw upon those skills.

"Safety is the number one priority at the Port and we will always strive to offer the most up to date training to ensure our staff are prepared for whatever they may encounter.”