The Counties Manukau and Hauraki Coromandel senior and intermediate St John youth competition was held in Thames on August 4.
Activities were held at the Thames ambulance station and Moanataiari School, with the main event taking place at the Thames Goldmine Experience. The buildings and mining tunnels were set up with various emergency scenarios requiring the cadets to test their skills with CPR, amputations, burns, hypothermia, respiratory degloving, lacerations, broken bones, gas leaks, head wounds, and more. The ‘patients’ all had casualty simulation wounds – realistic stage makeup – to aid with the scenarios.
Seventy cadets from school years 7 to 13 took part in the day, competing individually and in teams of four. They were tested in first aid, drill (marching) and communication.
The competition day was made possible by the support of a large number of parents and volunteers, who served as the judges, marshals, record keepers, patients, team managers and planning team.
