Medical Courses
FREC3 (First Response Emergency Care Level 3)
Five-day Qualsafe-approved Level 3 pre-hospital emergency care qualification for seafarers, offshore workers, event medics and anyone operating in remote or high-risk environments.
About this course
FREC 3 is the industry-standard entry point into pre-hospital emergency care. Over five days you will build the confidence to take charge of an incident, deliver basic life support and oxygen therapy, control catastrophic bleeding and manage the full range of trauma and medical emergencies until the emergency services arrive. Delivered by experienced maritime and pre-hospital instructors with realistic scenario training throughout, and assessed on the final day. The qualification is regulated by Ofqual, sits on the RQF and is valid for three years.
Who this course is for
- Seafarers, workboat crew and offshore personnel who need a recognised pre-hospital care qualification
- Event medics, close protection operatives and security teams
- Outdoor instructors, remote workers and industrial rescue teams
- Anyone progressing towards FREC 4 or an ambulance service career
Course syllabus
Day 1 — The role of the first responder
- Scene safety, dynamic risk assessment and infection prevention
- Patient assessment: primary survey, <C>ABCDE approach
- Basic life support, AED use and choking management
- Recovery position, airway adjuncts and suction
Day 2 — Airway, breathing and circulation
- Oxygen therapy administration and safe cylinder handling
- Bag-valve-mask ventilation and supraglottic airway awareness
- Catastrophic haemorrhage control: tourniquets and haemostatic dressings
- Shock recognition and management
Day 3 — Trauma care
- Head, spinal, chest and abdominal injuries
- Fractures, dislocations, splinting and immobilisation
- Burns, scalds and electrical injuries
- Extrication principles and casualty movement in confined spaces
Day 4 — Medical emergencies
- Cardiac conditions, stroke and diabetic emergencies
- Asthma, anaphylaxis and the use of auto-injectors
- Seizures, sepsis awareness and altered levels of consciousness
- Poisoning, hypothermia, hyperthermia and drowning
Day 5 — Assessment day
- Practical scenario assessments under Qualsafe criteria
- Two written multiple-choice papers
- Handover practice using ATMIST and SBAR
- Documentation, record keeping and professional conduct
What you will be able to do
- Manage an incident scene safely and confidently as the first responder
- Deliver effective basic life support, oxygen therapy and haemorrhage control
- Assess and treat a wide range of trauma and medical emergencies
- Hand over clearly and accurately to emergency services
Entry requirements, assessment and certification
- Entry requirements
- Learners must be at least 18 years old and have a reasonable standard of written and spoken English. No previous first aid qualification is required.
- Assessment
- Continuous practical assessment throughout the week, three practical scenario assessments and two multiple-choice theory papers on the final day.
- Certification
- Successful learners receive the Qualsafe Level 3 First Response Emergency Care (RQF) qualification, valid for three years.
Related courses
FREC4 (First Response Emergency Care Level 4)
Advanced Qualsafe Level 4 pre-hospital care qualification for FREC 3 holders moving into enhanced clinical roles offshore, at sea and at events.
Emergency First Aid at Work
One-day Qualsafe-approved Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification — the fastest route to a compliant workplace first aider certificate.
First Aid at Work
Three-day Qualsafe-approved Level 3 First Aid at Work qualification for designated first aiders in higher-risk or larger workplaces.
Trusted by Leading Organisations
We are proud to be accredited and partnered with key maritime industry organisations.
