A local contractor now feels he could help save or prolong someone’s life after leading shale gas exploration company Cuadrilla put him and a team of colleagues through specialist training.

Matthew Hales, 33, of Astley Bridge, recently completed a Medicine in Remote Areas (MIRA) course, which is endorsed by the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, and designed for medics working in a number of industries including the oil and gas sector.

It provides people with the skills to handle medical emergencies from fractures and dislocations through to oxygen therapy and even life-threatening chest injuries.

Contractor Matt, who has worked with Cuadrilla since 2017, was among six members of the team who completed the MIRA course and said he feels he could now use his training for wider good.

“The course was extremely challenging, intensive and a little daunting with medical professionals also taking part in the training, which included a wide range of practical exercises with dummies and live scenarios,” he said.

“But I’m really proud of myself. To have the certification and if there was an incident at site, the front gate or anywhere when I’m out and about I feel I could help save someone’s life or prolong it until the emergency services arrive.”

There are also several emergency medic bags located at the flagship Preston New Road site, which is also home to a defibrillator.

Rowland Wright, health, safety and external affairs director at Cuadrilla, said: “We are committed to conducting our operations in a responsible way and in particular managing risks to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people, including our staff, contractors and our local communities.

“We also want to ensure that our employees, whether full-time or contractors, work in an environment where training opportunities are made equally available. The MIRA training is an intensive programme of work, so we’re very proud of Matthew and his colleagues for completing the course – but the main thing is that with these transferable skills our people feel they have the confidence to potentially help save someone’s life when they are in distress, wherever they are.”

Matt joined Cuadrilla more than two years ago with experience a site maintenance manager and civils expert. Since then he has been an ever-present face at the site working as part of the maintenance team where he has also bolstered his CV with training in gas detection, platform operations and advanced waste classification to name but a few.

To date, as part of the company’s commitment to Putting Lancashire First Cuadrilla has created over 50 contract or temporary jobs based in Lancashire as a result of its operations, as well as 29 full-time jobs based in the county.

You can also read this article in The Blackpool Gazette.