Immigration ‘B’ wins GPF’s Smellie Cup competition

Nov 29, 2009 News

By Andrunie Harris and Jamal Scott

After several rounds of competitive displays of first aid skills, the Immigration ‘B’ team emerged victors of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) 2009 First Aid Competition for the Smellie Cup.

The first prize winners, Immigration ‘B’, with Commissioner Greene and Assistant Commissioner Conway

The competition, held at the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, was used to assess the first aid skills the ranks possess. The five teams in yesterday’s finals belonged to four units of the GPF; Special Constabulary Headquarters, two immigration teams ‘A’ and ‘B’ and the Tactical Services Unit (TSU). The Felix Austin Police College (FAPC) was the other participating group.

First, second and third positions went to the Immigration Team ‘B’, TSU and FAPC respectively, while Immigration ‘A’ took fourth spot. Special Constabulary Headquarters brought up the rear.

Immigration ‘B’ received $50,000 for their “above average” performance and $40,000 was rewarded to the Tactical Services Unit. The Felix Austin Police College received $30,000 for their presentation, while $25,000 was given to Immigration ‘A’. Special Constabulary Headquarters received $10,000 for their efforts.

Woman Police Constable Pindar, Captain of Immigration ‘B’ for two years running, was promoted to Lance Corporal. The promotion was ordered by Commissioner Henry Greene himself, for her captaincy of the winning team two years in a row.

Woman Police Constable Dazzell, also of Immigration ‘B’, was awarded Best First Aider and received an additional $25,000 for her outstanding performance during the practical assessment.

Commissioner Greene recommended that the awardees receive certificates depicting their participation and their qualifications after undertaking the first aid training.

He urged that all police officers understand and recognise the importance of first aid, as they are often first on the scene of accidents. “Many more lives could be saved if many more of us understand and appreciate the correct application of first aid,” the commissioner opined.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway, said that the competition was of a “high quality as normal,” adding that the GPF had a “good representation from a wide cross section of the force.”

Fourteen teams participated in the entire competition. However, though the top four would normally have been chosen to advance, there was a tie between Immigration ‘A’ and ‘B’.

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. Most of the competitors gave straightforward answers, while a few nearly succumbed to nervousness.

Immigration ‘B’ and Tactical Services Unit were clearly the favourites for the grand prize, and it looked a tight contest between the two.

The members of both teams answered their questions correctly and both performed their practical sessions swiftly and skillfully.

Immigration ‘B’ was eventually judged to be the better team.

There was some dissatisfaction with the results among the audience, as some believed the Tactical Service Unit had done enough to secure the cup.

Both teams demonstrated correct crowd-clearing tactics, by speaking directly to the “crowd” surrounding their casualty. Both teams judged the head injury of their casualty to be the priority injury and first focused on strapping the casualty’s skull. They then turned their attention on the less critical injuries their casualty had received.

The captains of the teams showed great leadership skills as they appointed tasks to their team members. The Tactical Service Unit was unique in its crowd-clearing tactics as two of its ranks proceeded to demonstrate traffic control; something none of the other teams had thought of doing.