Friday, January 31, 2014

Check out Ferno in Children's Emergency Rescue on BBC2

Have you been watching Children's Emergency Rescue on BBC2? This excellent programme follows the work of the elite flying doctors and nurses of Embrace, a paediatric transport organisation based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Their job is to transfer sick babies and children to specialist units using mobile intensive care units, planes or helicopters.
If you have been watching it you may have spotted some of our equipment being used including the BabyPod together with our Pegasus and Falcon SIX trolleys.
In the first episode consultant Hazel Talbot is scrambled to the bedside of 13 year-old Chance, who is lying critically ill in Leeds General Infirmary. 
His heart is failing and without a transplant it's feared he has only weeks to live. A suitable donor organ is available - but it is 200 miles away in central London and Hazel has less than four hours to get her patient to Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The documentary follows Hazel and her desperately ill patient as they race on blue lights to Leeds-Bradford Airport, where an RAF Sea King helicopter is waiting to fly Chance into the heart of London, using night vision goggles developed for use in warzones.
Ninety minutes later, he's landing in Regent's Park. Chance's story has a happy ending - he reaches the operating theatre, has his operation and lives to thank his rescuers.
Embrace, which is funded by the Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, handles 3,500 cases a year.
Its medical team must often care for critically ill young patients on the road, with little of the back-up or equipment available in hospital.  
Embrace boss Dr Steve Hancock, a critical care consultant, says: “From the outside our vehicles look like a normal 999 ambulance, but inside they're a mobile intensive care unit for premature babies and critically ill children.
“If we need to move a child to Newcastle, to London or the Glasgow then we can do that. It means all the other doctors and nurses in the referring unit can carry on looking after the other patients while we do the transfer and that I think is a real benefit.
"The children arrive in a better condition than if it was done by a none-specialist team.”
The TV team spent six month following Embrace medics to capture the reality of emergency medicine on the road and in the air.
 Executive producer Ian Cundall says: "We hope this series will give viewers an insight into the life or death dilemmas faced by a remarkable team of medics. As demands on NHS staff grow, more patients young and old may face transfers like this."
When a children’s heart unit suddenly closes, Embrace doctor Sunny and nurse Jamie are sent to take a baby with a life-threatening heart condition for an operation as the unit can no longer carry out the procedure.  
Instead, they must carry the baby girl more than 100 miles to Leicester. Twice, their patient comes close to death.
 Nurse Jamie says: "It was a very stressful situation – and one we don't like to be in regularly.  I have had some very difficult transfers but she was very sick. Both doctor Sunny and myself were concerned she wouldn't make it.”
Children's Emergency Rescue also gives an insight into the problems faced by parents coping with a seriously ill child who is in a hospital miles from home.

Ferno launches training service for best use of equipment

We have launched a new training service for new and existing customers to ensure the safe use of patient transfer equipment.
The training service covers emergency medical services, building evacuation and the funeral and mortuary sector.
Jon Ellis, Ferno managing director, says: “Where anyone is involved in the transfer of patients or injured people, Ferno has developed a training programme to ensure that operators are using the equipment to the highest standard with the emphasis on protecting the safety of the operator and the patient.”
The Ferno equipment “Familiarisation” course is designed for authorised personnel to be trained in the expert use of Ferno’s specialist equipment. During the half-day course delegates will develop a greater understanding of the features and benefits of Ferno’s specialist equipment as well as the knowledge required in the correct deployment in a range of scenarios.
We have also launched an extended course aimed at “Training the Trainer” – which helps delegates to put in place the skills and knowledge to train designated personnel in-house.
At the end of the one or two-day course trainers will leave with skills to devise a training plan and the knowledge to successfully deploy it throughout their company.
These training courses are available across the wide range of Ferno products and can be delivered to up to ten delegates. All courses are delivered by Ferno equipment specialists who are ‘Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS)’ qualified trainers.
Jon says: “The technology of patient transfer equipment has advanced incredibly over the past ten years together with increased concerns about health and safety during patient transport and the duty of care obligations organisations face in both the public and private sector.
“Our new training service recognises these twin problems and the courses have been designed to ensure that our customers are equipped with the skills and knowledge in the safe use of equipment in all our key sectors including Ambulance and Hospital, Rescue and Evacuation, Funeral and Mortuary and Commercial Health and Safety.
For further information about Ferno’s training packages call +44 (0) 1274 851 999 or visit the website here.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Happy 70th birthday to Paul Riordan

While our Managing Director Jon Ellis and Alan Clark, Operations Director were visiting Ferno Group head office in Wilmington, Ohio last week they took time out to celebrate with chief financial officer Paul Riordan.

Paul was celebrating his seventieth birthday. Still going strong with Ferno we wish Paul all the best – here’s some pictures of the celebrations including a cake especially baked for the occassion.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Congratulations to grandad Chris King

Congratulations to Chris King, our business development manager in the north of England, pictured here with his granddaughter Orlagh Rose King.
Orlagh was born yesterday weighing in at 7lb 12oz.  Mother and Baby are doing well and are expected home today.
Congratulations to all the King family from your friends at Ferno.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

US visit for Jon and Alan

Here’s a picture of the Ferno Group global head office in Wilmington, Ohio.
Our Managing Director Jon Ellis and Alan Clark, Operations Director are here this week following a visit to the new Ferno Canada & Traverse Rescue facility in Mississauga.
At Wilmington the Ferno UK duo are enjoying the Ferno Group meeting this week looking at Innovation and Strategy for the future and some exciting times ahead!

Monday, January 13, 2014

Ferno’s “handy” solutions for funeral and mortuary sector

We have teamed up with Microflex, the leading medical examination glove manufacturer, to offer a range of examination, handling and embalming gloves for the funeral and mortuary sector and hospital pathology units.
The Microflex range of gloves are all powder-free and manufactured to exacting levels of quality, performance and safety.
Safegrip® latex gloves are four times thicker than standard latex gloves, providing high levels of defense against high risk chemicals such as embalming fluid during the preparation of the deceased in the mortuary. The gloves have been specially designed to minimise allergy risk and enhance protective qualities.
For those who are allergic or sensitive to latex, the Supreno® Plus examination gloves provide robust and reliable barrier protection, with an extended cuff to give better coverage of the wrist and forearm for improved user protection. UltraSense® Plus nitrile gloves incorporate enhanced tactile sensitivity, which combined with their non-stick surface produces better grip and handling of instruments.
EXCEED® extra-fine nitrile gloves offer unparalleled comfort and tactile grip, whilst maintaining the levels of strength and protection required for regular every-day handling use.
 Jon Ellis, managing director at Ferno, said: “Ferno has a long association with Microflex, who are leaders in the field in the US and Europe. We work closely with them to deliver some of the best medical, pathology, funeral and mortuary service protection solutions in the UK.
“Our range of gloves offer excellent performance and strength without being restrictive to the demands of mortuary and pathology work. Each design has innovative qualities which make them stand out from other products on the market.”

Ferno on tour with Canadian visit

Our managing Director Jon Ellis and Alan Clark, Operations Director are over in Canada visiting the new Ferno Canada & Traverse Rescue facility in Mississauga.
Jon tells us first hand of his visit: “The 30,000 square foot facility is looking great and is a big step forward in the future growth of both these Ferno Group companies with everything now under one roof.”
Pictured, left to right, are Jon with Bruce Whitaker, MD of Ferno Canada & Traverse Rescue and Alan.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Vote for us in the Tomorrow's FM Awards

We’re in the awards again. Ferno has been shortlisted as a finalist in Tomorrow’s FM magazine’s Awards for our Saver Safe Evacuation Chair.
We developed the Saver Safe Evacuation Chair as an effective solution for helping the disabled or incapacitated down flights of stairs during emergency situations or evacuations without requiring any heavy lifting or manual handling.
As one of the major manufacturers of medical equipment, we invest a lot of time in research and development to ensure that we can deliver an effective solution to any emergency situation and the Saver Safe Evacuation Chair is no exception.
The Saver Safe Evacuation Chair includes many systems to enhance patient comfort and safety, yet remains lightweight and compact to ensure easy storage and use. The ease of patient transfers on and off the chair means that users remain safe at all times.
Being shortlisted as a finalist is a fantastic achievement for the team at Ferno – you can now support us by voting for us on the awards website here. Just look at for the Saver Safe Evacuation Chair – Ferno and vote for us.
Many thanks in advance.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Working with our Norwegian friends Tore and Trond

We have just spent a pleasant few days with Tore Larsen, Chairman and Owner of Ferno Norden along with Trond Stenshold, Sales Manager Norway, when they visited us at our headquarters in Cleckheaton.
Here they are pictured left to right with Alan Clark, Operations Directors Ferno (UK), Trond Strenhold, Jon Ellis, our Managing director and Tore Larsen.
Trond and Tore have been with us for the last two days looking to explore opportunities for Ferno (UK) products to be sold into the Scandinavian markets. We have had a very productive couple of days and we look forward to our future co-operation over the coming months.
Everyone at Ferno wishes Trond and Tore a safe journey home and we look forward to working together in the future.

Monday, January 6, 2014

RIP: Phil Barberton - sadly missed by all

Friends and colleagues at Ferno would like to send their sincere condolences to the Barberton family and all the team at Sartoris Products Limited.
Phil Barberton, the company’s managing director, passed away on New Year’s Eve. Phil and Sartoris Products Limited has been involved in supplying products to Ferno for more than 35 years and he will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him at Ferno.
This is a sad loss to Sartoris Products Limited and his family who are actively involved in the business. We would like to offer our support at this sad time.