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Nov 15, 2007 SANDPIPER BAG MARK 2 LAUNCH

On 15th November the Sandpiper  Trust entered a new phase with the presentation by Chris Tiso of 500 specially designed medical rescue rucsacs  to  the Sandpiper  Trust. 

A chance meeting between Chris Tiso and Aly Dickson at Sandpiper, during a St Andrews Fashion Show sponsored by Tiso just over a year ago, was the beginning of a remarkable partnership. Chris and his enthusiastic team were able  to provide the technical knowledge and production capacity for the Mark 2 Sandpiper bag and were able to interpret the  detailed medical requirements and layout of the kit as specified by  BASICS Scotland under Brian Carlin's watchful and creative eye.  The objective was to design the ultimate emergency medical rescue rucsac. 

Many new features in the more portable and compact Sandpiper Bag include insulated fluid pouches,  lockable drug pockets, spent needle compartments and detachable colour coded sections all  designed to improve  the medical response in an emergency.

Tiso used their skill and knowledge of  the outdoor product sector and combined it with the medical experience and expertise of BASICS to help develop this unique solution specifically for  the medical world. The result is a  rucsac that is easy to  carry and transport while providing all the necessary equipment for use in a medical  emergency.  Standardised BASICS training coupled with  standardised equipment in the Sandpiper Bag – both pioneered in Scotland -  are  now recognised as a standard of medical excellence that has  attracted  interest across the world. 

The Sandpiper Trust, a Scottish Charity, was set up in memory of Sandy Dickson by his parents, family and friends. The primary aim of the Trust is to ensure that all rural GPs in Scotland are provided with essential emergency medical equipment and resources once they have undergone specialist training courses and gained certification from BASICS Scotland.

During the last six years the Sandpiper Trust (of which Gavin Hastings is Patron) has delivered over  650 medical kits costing over £1000 each to remote and rural GPs and nurses in Scotland. From the island of Foula in Shetland right down to the Borders:  from St Kilda to Aberdeenshire  the kits assist doctors and nurses to  provide emergency medical cover when required. Attendance at  a road traffic accident is one of the most common calls but heart attacks, riding accidents and agricultural emergencies  are often encountered.   Lives have been saved and more will be so in the future.

The Sandpiper Trust are most grateful to Chris Tiso for his generosity, enthusiasm  and continued support throughout this amazing project.  The Trustees  are likewise  indebted to BASICS, especially Brian Carlin, for the input into the design and medical requirements of the new bag and for their constant assistance in furthering the aims of the Trust.

If current holders of the Mark 1 Sandpiper Bag wish to  change to the new Mark 2 version  a donation of £100 direct to the Sandpiper Trust would be required. Further details can be obtained from Sandpiper House. 

New Applicants for Sandpiper Bags should request an application form from BASICS Scotland, Sandpiper House. 

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