News and Press
Truck & Driver October IssueThe one with the big silver Volvo on the front in case you were wondering....
Contains an article about the PDF, telling a little about how we started and what the Professional Drivers Foundation is seeking to do. Its an informative, well written piece, which also contains the contact information for ordering your Next of Kin card. These are free, and have been flying out the door since Will Shiers mentioned them in his editorial last month. However despite our best efforts Royal Mail won't deliver them for nothing, so a stamped addressed envelope would be appreciated if you're ordering by post. On behalf of all the Trustees of the Professional Drivers Foundation I'd like to thank Truck and Driver magazine for helping to promote the work we're doing. If you'd like to say thank you too, I recommend buying a copy now.
Ian Ratcliffe
VOSA's Moving On monthly magazine.
The Professional Drivers Association has an article in VOSA's Moving On monthly magazine.
Click the following link: Moving On to read the full story.
ICE/NOK
As a Paramedic working now for some 17 years on 'front-line' duties, I come across people in need from all walks of life and many professions. One of those professions that can present some specific challenges is the community that travels our roads in whatever form. Truck drivers carry very special considerations for Emergency A&E services when called upon. I am called to the inconvenient conditions such as 'dodgy guts' (a medical term of course) to the more serious conditions such as Stroke or Cardiac pain or Trauma often as a result of collisions, loading/unloading incidents or to the devastating tyre explosion or fire.
A lonely existence though clearly not without camaraderie, a specific difficulty often arises when the driver is unconscious or unable to communicate for him/herself due to illness or injury, in trying to confirm the identity of the casualty or understanding if there are any pre existing medical conditions or allergies and what they may be and who to contact.
Please consider keeping with you something that clearly states your name, contains a photo, preferably a date of birth, any allergies or significant medical conditions such as asthma or cardiac disease for instance and so important, who to contact (having first agreed with those people) and their contact numbers.
A shocking worldwide average of in excess of five hours (and often much longer) to notify the unconscious patients next of kin and confirmidentity has been reported and is so unnecessary. It is accepted that security is or can be an issue but in all honesty, if fraudsters want your details enough, they will get it from more mundane sources! In any event, it is all about choice. You decide if, how much info to have about your person and in what medium. e.g, I.C.E (In Case of Emergency) in the contacts section of your mobile (ICE Wife, ICE Sammy-Daughter, etc) as Paramedics often know to look for this as it is probably the most well known acronym for this purpose in the world! I recommend this method being the founder of the concept as well as carrying a card such as the PDF - NOK card. This covers the eventuality of the phone being disabled or damaged or lost and is a great way of giving you the best possible chance of early appropriate intervention and your loved ones being advised as quickly as possible in that rare eventuality.
Bob Brotchie
The Professional Drivers Foundation Next Of Kin Card has received the backing of Bob Brotchie, Paramedic and founder of ICE (In Case of Emergency)
Bob says ‘’The Professional Drivers Foundation NOK card should be seen as essential and carried in your wallet with your drivers licence. It’s a free and optional 'insurance' policy in the event of the holder being rendered unconscious or unable to communicate. As an emergency health care professional, I fully support the NOK card.’’
The PDF NOK Card along with ICE in your mobile phone provides a belt and braces approach to being identified quickly and your family being contacted. Your free laminated NOK Card can be obtained by sending your name and the contact details of your next of kin to;
Professional Drivers Foundation
10 Eastmoor Lane
Doddington
March
Cambs
PE15 0TD
The Professional Drivers Foundation is a Charity and a small donation is certainly not essential but is always appreciated.
Pat Nicholson
PDA/PDF
Next of Kin Cards
The Professional Drivers Foundation has developed a Next Of Kin Card to be kept in drivers wallets for identification purposes in the case of an accident or emergency. This is as a result of the loss of one of our long standing members, Mercenary, in an accident at work. He lived alone and tramped all week, and as such carried no real identification on him. His firm kept no next of kin details on record at that time. He was taken to Lincoln Hospital and for the first 24 hours his Son and Daughter were totally unaware that he had been involved in an accident in his lorry. He had ICE on his phone but it wasn't used on this occasion. Sadly he died just over 12 hours after his family were traced but they could have had another 24 hours with him, when he was fully conscious if he had been traced earlier. The NOK card is credit card size and can be laminated and kept on your person at all times. We have laminated and distributed several hundred this weekend over Truckfest and would like to extend this to anyone wanting one who couldn't attend.
Please send a stamped addressed envelope to;
Professional Drivers Association
10 Eastmoor Lane
Doddington
March
Cambs
PE15 0TD
We will send you one, but laminating will only be done if you supply your own name and address and the phone number you wish to be contacted in the case of an emergency in the letter. (Your address will be put on the back of the card) The PDF would appreciate a small donation for laminating, although this isn't compulsory at all.
NOK Card Update
Well, we have been inundated with requests for free PDF Next Of Kin cards both by telephone and by post. Add those to the ones given out at Truckfest it makes for a fair few lorry drivers with contact details carried on them. Andy Gormanley ( mercenary) would be so proud to read this. The one thing we realised we did wrong was NOT to ask for any money to cover our costs. We did say donations were optional and to date we have only had TWO very small ones. This has depleted our funds somewhat and we would like to ask anyone who has had a card, or who would like one, to please consider a small donation just to cover laminating, printing and postage. Reading this months T&D article, the postman's going to be busy again. Thanks Will Shiers, you're a star, and so is the person who wrote it.
Dear Rikki, Lucy and all at Trucknet:
Professional Drivers Association Xmas Raffle
Our Supporters
Other Information
Professional Drivers AssociationThe PDF was born through ideas put forward by a PDA member. To see what the PDA is all about have a look around the website by clicking on the above link
PDA ForumsThe above links directly to the PDA Forums where you can post your opinion on the many topics being discussed.
PDA HealthMattersThis section of the PDA Website designed is to provide information and support to drivers who have experienced any illness or condition that may affect their HGV licence. We all know what a profound affect conditions such as Diabetes, Heart Attacks, Strokes, Hypertension, Osteoporosis, Arthritis etc. can have on our ability and legal right to continue to do our jobs. Once we’ve been diagnosed it can be a very lonely place to be, not able to work for a time, and no way of finding any information as to what the future holds. The PDA Health Buddy Scheme is a way to communicate with other drivers who’ve already been through this and are happy to give help and advice about what can be done, how to get back to work. We’re asking anyone to submit their experience with any health matter and indicate whether they are prepared to have contact by email or phone with other people who would like some support. This will then be included in PDA HealthMatters for anyone to gain valuable information from, although the resulting contact will remain private. There will be more sections added as time goes on and if anyone feels they have anything to contribute or any ideas to extend this further please contact;
Andrew Gormanly,
4/2/55 - 10/01/09
This website is dedicated to the memory of Andy Gormanly. Before becoming a professional HGV driver, he had a distinguished military career in the RAMC. He served in Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, the Falkands and the the Gulf.
When he left the Army, he took like a duck to water to HGV driving. He was always ready to offer advice to new drivers, and he was a founder member of the Professional Drivers Association in 2002. He was splendid company, and never at a loss for words.
Tragically, he died following an accident at work, ten days after the Foundation was launched. We were able to offer his family support, and they very generously asked for all donations to his memory to go towards the Foundation's work in helping other drivers. Andy is very sadly missed, not only by his family, friends and colleagues, but by the wider community of professional drivers online.