BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Members of the Township of Washington Volunteer Ambulance Corps visited a meeting of Jessie F. George School Brownie Troop 97083 on Feb. 1, and was it fun!
Corpsmembers led tours of the ambulance and welcomed the girls, age 7–9, in flashing its lights and wailing its siren.
According to EMT Lt. Justin G. Tsai, a few scouts tried out lying on the ambulance stretcher. All learned where supplies were kept and how they’re to be used, and several took special note of military time after noticing the unit’s 24-hour clock.
The second-graders sat in the driver’s and passenger’s seats, while Capt. Bob Rayve demonstrated the lights and sirens.
“The girls were extremely fond of testing out the different sirens,” Tsai told Pascack Press.
After Tsai’s presentation on first aid, the squad reviewed with the young ladies when to call 9-1-1 and what to say to be most helpful during emergencies.
“Corpsmembers also emphasized the importance of safety first in an emergency, including the importance of using gloves, not touching bodily fluids, washing hands, staying on the line with 9-1-1 until told otherwise, staying with the patient if possible, and keeping the patient warm and comfortable,” Tsai said.
Then there was more hands-on work, all of which helped the girls knock out their first aid badges.
The squad taught the girls how to properly apply a bandage and apply pressure to a bleeding wound. They practiced on their friends and members of the squad.
Tsai said the troop went above and beyond, learning how to “pop” a disposable ice pack and how EMTs administer oxygen.
Tsai said the corps emphasized “When in doubt, call for help.”
In addition to Rayve and Tsai, corps members at the event were EMTs Christopher Hahn and Nina Buchakjian, probationary EMT Lindsey Sirois, and EMR Joseph Conway.
Tsai thanked the troop and its leaders, Alicia Xaka, Roni Silberstein, Nicole Murad, and Mandy Terzi “for affording us this fruitful opportunity to both educate and positively influence the young ladies of Brownie Troop 97083.”
Ready for trouble
According to Xaka, who was a Girl Scout herself, the first aid badge shows girls know how to get help in an emergency and even treat minor injuries.
The badge builds on knowledge of how to treat first-degree burns, how to apply a finger splint, what to do for animal bites and insect stings, how to apply bandages and gauze, and what to do for nosebleeds.
The work included skits, games and puzzles, and family follow up.
Xaka said the troop of 20, including her daughter, Sophie, has been together since Daisy days.
“Our group is really happy that the ambulance corps could take the time to spend with the girls and take an ambulance out of service to do it,” she told Pascack Press on March 5.
She said she hopes the corps has many opportunities to meet with other children’s groups because the message is so important and “because it sounded like they liked to be able to be out and talking with the kids.”
She joked that the troop “drove the neighbors crazy” by sounding the ambulance siren.
Next up for the troop, Xaka said: a visit to Goodwill as part of their philanthropy badge; a hike; and wrapping up a unit on money management, which includes an examination of what common things cost.
It also includes cookie sales. Look for their booth this month.
WTVAC has loan-out medical supplies available to residents of the Pascack Valley. Anyone in need of free equipment should call Naomi at (201) 474-5626. For more information on the WTVAC, including volunteering, visit wtvac.org or call (201) 664-3784.
Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey serves girls 5–18 in 160 communities in Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and northern Warren counties.