Three Dacorum army cadets win first aid awards

Three Dacorum cadets from the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force have received awards for first aid.

First aid has long been a subject held with great importance within the Army Cadet Force, with cadets and adults both encouraged to learn and to keep up to date as much as possible.

It is a skill that while hopefully not needed too often, can make a huge contribution to unfortunate situations.

In the past cadets and adults may have administered first aid and maybe not received the recognition for their actions, so the national Army Cadet Force Association present awards for Praiseworthy First Aid.

These awards are given to both cadets and adult volunteers in recognition of their quick thinking and knowledge of how to help in first aid situations.

Corporal Vienna Tillotson, of Hemel Hempstead Detachment, gave first aid to her mother who collapsed in the garden due to her diabetes.

Lance Corporal Mia Cunningham, of Tring Detachment, gave first aid to a fellow cadet who was having breathing difficulties.

Cadet Quinlan Long, of Berkhamsted Detachment, gave first aid to his younger brother after he cut his left hand in the kitchen.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire ACF have just received their 50th Praiseworthy First Aid award since 2016, the first County to do so.

Recent awards have been for first aid administered to family members, fellow cadets, fellow school friends and associates as well as members of the public.

The incidents have ranged from traffic accidents and lacerations from kitchen utensils, to collapses and associated head injuries both received and suspected, and asthma attacks and seizures.

Sgt Rob Tillotson, detachment commander - Hemel Hempstead, said: "First aid on anyone can be traumatic, more so when it is a friend and even more so when a family member.

"But thankfully, despite thinking they will forget or get it wrong, our cadets have remembered exactly what to do and the excellent first aid training has kicked in, allowing them to deal with the incident at hand.

"All cadets and adults have a debrief as part of the reporting and follow up after incidents to check on their own health.

"Well done to all those who have received awards, and we hope all who have received first aid have fully recovered.

"Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire ACF will continue to ensure our cadets and adults receive the best first aid training they can to future cadets and adults."

For more information about the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force visit: armycadets.com/county/bedfordshire-and-hertfordshire-acf.