Rival Red Cross rescuers bid to save lives

For the rivalry was all part of the National First Aid Finals taking place in Ballyfin College, just outside Portlaoise. Finalists came from all over Ireland to take part in four different competitions; the President's Perpetual Trophy, the EMT* Ambulance Competition; the Advanced Ambulance Competition and the Individual First Aid Competition.

Teams from Cork, and Dublin Borough (City) competed in all four competitions, while Limerick was represented in all but the Advanced Ambulance Competition. Galway competed in the President's Trophy and Individual First Aid Competitions, while Louth competed in the EMT Ambulance, Advanced Ambulance and Individual First Aid Competitions. Dún Laoghaire, Laois and Tipperary all fielded individuals for the Individual First Aid Competition.

The competitions provide an opportunity for Red Cross members to test their abilities - in what are often life and death situations - against one another. Those who win the President's Perpetual Trophy competition will then go on to face the rest of Europe at the European First Aid Championships, which Ireland, represented by the Irish Red Cross, has won more often than any other country.

Because it is often Red Cross personnel who rescue people from serious accidents, the competitions contain life-like "scenarios" or mock incidents where teams perform First Aid on seriously injured casualties. Injuries can range from limb breakages to serious head wounds, heart attacks and other conditions.

Cork, in fact took double honours, winning both the Advanced Ambulance Competition and the Individual First Aid Competitions - and taking third place in the EMT Ambulance Competition. The President's Perpetual Trophy Competition was won by Dublin Borough (City), who also took third place in the Individual First Aid Competition.

Limerick, which this year represented Ireland at the European First Aid Competitions and came in the top third of competitors, also scored a double at the Competitions, taking second place in the President's Trophy Competition, and in the EMT Ambulance Competition.

Louth scored a hat-trick, securing a place in three competitions. Louth came first in the EMT Ambulance Competitions, second place in the Advanced Ambulance Competition and second place in the Individual First Aid Competition.

And there were also laurels for Galway which took third place in the President's Perpetual Trophy Competition. Hosts, Laois, took fourth place in the Individual First Aid Competition, where Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown scored positively also.

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