Keansburg Teens Win First Place In First Aid Competition

KEYPORT, NJ — These outstanding Bayshore teens won first place in the annual Keyport First Aid Cadet Competition, held this past Saturday at Keyport High School.

Keansburg Fire Department EMS Cadet members took home first place in the advanced level at the event, which attracts junior EMS teams from across the greater New York City area to compete. From left to right, they are: Julia Mendez, Ian Phillips, Grace Hynes and Carriele Parks, all local Keansburg teens and EMT volunteers.

The team from Forest Hills, Queens took the first place title in the basic skills competition.

“This event is so awesome for these kids,” said David Goodwin, one of the cadet advisors for the Keansburg Fire Department EMS. “It really challenges them so they can prove to themselves that more or less they can handle the skills they’re being taught. And it’s also just bringing camaraderie between each of the groups. When guys get called out, everyone cheers them on, ‘Good luck, good luck.’ Just the interaction between the kids and seeing that is great.”

The Keansburg EMS team is led by Goodwin, Stacy Smallze, Anthony Cappiello, Anastasia Millicker, Dan Lindberg and Alyssa Christiana. Smallze is the lead advisor.

More than 40 teams from across the Tristate region competed this past weekend, participating in skill events such as taking a patient’s vital signs, handling cardiac arrests, CPR, splinting, patient assessment and removing patients from motor vehicle wrecks.

Some of the teams were participating for the first time. And nearly 50 competitors arrived the night before and camped out in large tents set up around Keyport High School. It was quite a sight if you happened to drive by!

“Some of the students are surprising. Their knowledge, how they handle themselves, how some of them are taking a leadership role,” said Ken Krohe, chief of Keyport First Aid, who runs the competition.

Krohe said he was also happy to see the competitors interacting with each other and happy about participating in the competition. “Listening to the cheers before they go out, when they’re announced and just seeing the smiles on their faces when they come out,” Krohe said.

Past Patch reporting: Teens Descend On Keyport For EMS Cadet Competition Saturday

Matt Phillips, the cadet advisor from Bay Shore-Brightwaters Rescue Ambulance in Long Island said the Keyport event marked his team’s first competition.

“They’re getting not only the joy of fellowship with the other people but learning to put their skills into place in a competitive atmosphere,” Phillips said.

“They’re having fun,” Phillips said, “and just learning more about EMS through other people and this experience.”

When not competing, competitors were able to explore equipment from the New Jersey EMS Task Force and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

The competition was open to youth members of emergency services organizations and was sponsored by Keyport First Aid and the EMS Council of New Jersey.

“It is so wonderful to see such a great turnout for this event. I am so proud of every one of you,” NJ EMS Council President Barbara Platt told attendees.

In addition to the Keansburg and Forest Hills top wins, Keyport First Aid (Team B) earned 2nd place in the basic competition, while Forest Hills (B) took third. In the advanced competition, Cranford First Aid (Team C) took second and Cranford (Team A) earned third. Hazlet First Aid & Rescue Squad was presented with the Grand Prize Judges Award.

“Hopefully, this is the future of EMS,” Krohe said looking at the various teams before him at the competition. “Many will be some sort of EMS provider. Whether it’s a paramedic, an EMT, some of these kids are going to be doctors, nurses, so hopefully this will help their career along.”