By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – After several rounds of competitive displays of first aid skills, the Immigration ‘B’ team emerged victors of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) 2013 First Aid Competition for the Smellie Cup.
The competition, held at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, was used to assess the first aid skills the ranks possess. The four teams in Friday’s finals belonged to four units of the GPF; General Office ‘A’ team who emerged second place winners, Immigration ‘A’ team who came in third and the Criminal Investigation Department ‘A’ team.
The teams received trophies and monetary awards at the end of the competition. First place winners received $100,000, second place received $75,000, third place received $50,000 and the final team received 25, 000. The best First Aider who also emerged from the winning team received an additional $50,000.
Eighteen teams participated in the competition. The officers were asked to explain first aid-related questions, and were then made to perform a practical assessment where a casualty was provided for the participants to attend to.
The questions fell along the lines of describing injuries and explaining first aid remedies and dressings.
First Aid was introduced to the force in 1927. It became a member of then St. John Ambulance Brigade in 1931. The Smellie Cup competition was started in 1950 as a means of promoting enthusiasm among members of the force.
