18 February 2022
Services from the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) department have completed the first on-island joint services Emergency Response Driving Instructor course, between 7– 18 February.
UK based company, Emergency Response Driving Training (ERDT Ltd), have spent the last two weeks in Jersey delivering the course to frontline emergency services; States of Jersey Ambulance Service, States of Jersey Police, States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service and Jersey Customs and Immigration Service. Until now, all drivers wishing to gain their Advanced Driving qualification, have had to travel to the UK where the instructors are based.
Director General for Justice and Home Affairs, Kate Briden, said: "I am really pleased to see this initiative coming to life, as it is something we have been considering for some time. The newly trained instructors will be able to improve the deliverability and logistics for driver training for JHA Services for all involved, and provide a more efficient and effective way to deliver the training.
"I am grateful to colleagues who instigated the recent course and made arrangements for it to happen, to those who have participated and been trained, and to ERDT for coming to deliver it for us.'
Kerrie Mauger-Dorrington, Former Clinical Tutor for JHA, said: "Having an accredited training centre on-island, allows us to be more self-sufficient in our training and development, and there are huge benefits in being able to deliver this in a way that is bespoke to Jersey, while still complying with national standards."
On completing the current course, the candidates will be qualified Skills for Justice (SFJ) advanced Driving Instructors. This will enable them to deliver specialist emergency services driver training here in Jersey.
Stephen Milton, Managing Director of ERDT added: "The SFJ is a nationally recognised and regulated provider, with a wealth of experience in public sector training. I'm pleased to have been part of bringing this training to Jersey."
The course involved 11 candidates, four instructors, a Fire Engine, Ambulance, Police car and a JCIS vehicle.
As part of this joint service initiative the Justice and Home Affairs department will become an accredited SFJ centre and in future will look to offer more accredited courses to all the emergency services.
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