CPL Karinne Gillespie
Base Auckland’s ‘G Force’ team during the competition. AK-07-0462-26-tn.jpg.
The annual Waterhouse First Aid Competition was held at Whangaparoa Training Camp on the Whangaparoa Peninsula east of Silverdale on Saturday 15 September.
The competition’s aim is to test the individual and collective first aid knowledge and skills of New Zealand Defence Force personnel.
The Air Force entered one team with members from Base Auckland. The team consisted of CAPT Dave Greenhough (Nursing Officer), SGT Aaron Grocott (SFire), LAC Amy Wenden (Medic), Team leader LAC Matt Griffin (Medic) and Team Manager CPL Karinne Gillespie (SMEDIC). The team’s name was ‘G’ Force.
A total of 13 teams, predominantly Army, entered the competition and were tested in: written test, CPR, 2 x teams, pairs and casualty transportation.
The day started off well with the first set of tests on casualty transportation. Team ‘G’ Force excelled in this area displaying excellent teamwork and communication skills. Communication was definitely required in the wet, dark, Whangaparoa tunnels, with no lighting, and various obstacles to overcome. The test was all the more trying because they needed to transport a patient by stretcher in a smoke-filled confined space while wearing a NBC respirator, and constantly communicating with each other.
Transportation was followed by the CPR and then an individual written test. The first team test was next and we were all a little unsure of what to expect when each team member was issued a steyr with two blank loaded magazines and two smoke grenades! The scenario was that there were eight to ten personnel requiring medical aid and evacuation. The enemy was still in the area posing a threat to the medical team.
SGT Grocott lead the way, letting off rounds (IAW the Geneva Conventions, of course) while the team made their way to the patients. CAPT Greenhough was leopard crawling as smoke grenades and rounds went off and blood and guts hung out all over the show. All the while paint balls were fired at them every time their heads were raised in sight of the enemy. LAC Wenden took up the role of monitoring patients in the safe zone avoiding any possible need to use her rifle.
LAC Matt Griffin displayed excellent leadership qualities throughout the competition and led his team to victory coming home with the following awards:
- 1st pair’s test;
- 2nd transportation test;
- 3rd team’s test;
- 3rd overall in the competition.
We look forward to seeing other Air Force teams step up to the challenge and take on the next Waterhouse Competition. Remember this competition is first aid only and therefore open to NZDF personnel from any trade.