Submitted by Kent Lucas
Fourteen Cranford First Aid Squad cadets entered the New Jersey State Cadet competition and Cranford teams came home with 1st and 3rd places. The event was hosted by Keyport First Aid Squad, with teams coming from New York and Pennsylvania in addition to New Jersey.
The Cranford team of Caitlin Cook, Grace DiGiovanni, Emily Marinucci and Layla Serna won first place. The team of Zack Kornberger, Joseph Lopes and Parth Shah won third place.
Others competing were Emma DeBole, Kristina Kortbaoui, Enya Manning, Jayna Mallon, Dan Gomez, Amanda Hogan and Winona Whelan. Advisors for the teams were Abraham Pritzker, Justin Goncalves, Sue Lucas and Kent Lucas.
Cranford competed in the Advanced division, where the three to four-person teams were required to have at least one certified EMT. They were judged in three scenarios, including a trauma victim, a cardiac victim, and a motor vehicle collision with entrapped victims.
Advanced teams were judged on patient assessment and proper equipment use – backboard, traction splint, cervical collar, oxygen and nitroglycerin administration, obtaining vital signs, CPR and airway management. The teams worked with fire department crews during the car crash scenarios with actual vehicles.
The Cranford First Aid Squad cadet program consists of high school members from age 16-18, with the intent of them becoming New Jersey certified EMTs. Cranford has the largest cadet program in Union County with over 20 members.
(above) Fourteen Cranford First Aid Squad cadets competed in the New Jersey State Cadet competition. Events included a trauma victim, a cardiac victim and a motor vehicle collision with entrapped victims that tested each teams’ abilities.
(above) The first place team posing with their trophy. The team included Caitlin Cook, Grace DiGiovanni, Emily Marinucci and Layla Serna.
(above) Posing with their third place trophy, was the team of Zack Kornberger, Joseph Lopes and Parth Shah.
