Jack King spent much of the Darrell Cronin Cadet First Aid Competition laying on a crash mat on the floor inside the 103 Search and Rescue Squadron building in Gander.
A member of the 288 Ardent Sea Cadet corps in Gander, he was there for a very good reason. King played the victim for five groups as they took part in the Feb. 16 competition.
He told each group he had slipped on the ice and may have broken his right arm and cut his right knee.
Each of those times, his arm was put in a splint and his knee was wrapped in gauze. Chances are he was covered in a blanket as well.
“It was interesting to see some of the different techniques some of the groups used,” said King. “It is an overall fun experience, really."
He was able to take on a less stressful role since he had already competed in the event.
As he observed, King would make mental notes on the work his fellow cadets were doing.
The competition brought 105 air, sea and army cadets together from across the province. Divided into 35 teams of three, cadets were evaluated on their response to a fictional emergency scenario being played out all over the base.
Across the day, they were aided by 103 Search and Rescue Squadron technicians and others who helped refine their first-aid techniques and evaluated them.
The competition is in its 20th year and is named after Master Cpl. Darrell Cronin, a search and rescue technician, who died along with five others in a helicopter crash during a 1998 search and rescue mission in a Labrador helicopter in Quebec.
Over the course of the day, cadets were judged on their actions and teamwork during the scenario. However, a most spirited team award meant the opportunity to have some fun while doing so.
Some teams painted their faces, wore bandanas or southwester hats as a way to show their spirit.
“It is great hanging out with people and meeting people from across the province,” said Eric Senior, a warrant officer second class with the 515 North Atlantic Air Cadet Caribou Squadron in St. John’s. “You see people that you don’t see very often and it is nice to have a very supportive environment.”
The competition is just one part of the weekend, but other opportunities made it memorable.
When they weren’t competing in the first aid challenge, cadets took turns getting a Cormorant helicopter tour and utilizing the rock climbing course on base.
The latter meant conquering some fears along the way.
Growing up in Bay de Verde, on the tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula, Emily Follett was always afraid of heights.
It is something the 295 Baccalieu Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps member in Old Perlican developed amid the cliffs and rocky coastline for which her hometown is known.
She wasn’t going to attempt the rock climbing course at first, but Follett gave in after some pleading by a friend and one of the officers.
“I was going to stop halfway through, but I decided not to and turns out I made it to the top,” she said, moments after putting her fear to rest. “I’ve tried before, but I’ve made myself too nervous that I’d stop.”
Twillingate’s Jacob Bennett will often head into the woods with his friends. During these excursions, they’ll build their own shelters and explore a bit of their island.
His friends turn to him if they require first aid. He picked up those skills as a petty officer first class with the 83 Briton Sea Cadets.
“It is good to have in case we’re chopping wood and someone cuts themselves with the axe,” said Bennett. “It is really nice to have for practical use.
“If someone was walking down the road and hurt themselves, you’d be able to help them. It is all good to have.”
