Robert McCrorie, a senior medical advisor for the Asymmetric Warfare Group, coaches Boy Scouts to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation during the CPR phase of first-aid instruction held Aug. 1 to 6 in Sykesville. Volunteers from the AWG conducted fir...
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - Volunteers from the Asymmetric Warfare Group helped with educating Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from Sykesville and neighboring areas to train on first-aid skills.
Participation in the weeklong training event, held Aug. 1 to 6, allowed Scouts from Troops 392, 833, 733, 1059 and 1163 to earn various Scout badges.
Robert McCrorie, a medical advisor with the AWG who is also a retired Special Forces medical sergeant, is in his second year of volunteering to train the Scouts.
"I initially volunteered to teach basic life saving and first aid because another member from the AWG asked me to," he said.
McCrorie was referring to Master Sgt. Christina Truesdale, the senior logistics noncommissioned officer in charge for the AWG who volunteers with the Scout troops.
"But I also volunteered because I like the idea of teaching the kids the importance of recognizing life-threatening events and how and when to respond in an emergency," McCrorie said.
Truesdale's daughter, Leighann, is a member of Troop 1163.
"I not only get to volunteer and help these kids learn about life-saving techniques, but it also gives me the opportunity to spend a bit more time with my daughter, given my busy schedule," Truesdale said.
The Scouts participated in two types of first-aid training. First Aid for Children Training helps children ages 6 to 8 understand the importance in managing their personal safety and health. The training encourages children to make positive choices when it comes to health and the environment.
Basic Aid Training is designed to help children learn basic first aid for situations that include CPR, burns, insect bites, controlling bleeding and choking.
Scouts had the opportunity to train realistically by using each other and props such as mannequins during the choking- and CPR portions of the training.
"I think learning CPR is helpful," said Alex Rosenberg, 13, of New Windsor. "I know what CPR is now, and that it can be used to save a life like a baby."
Alex is a second-class Scout with Troop 733.
"A kid might very well find themselves in an emergency situation, so it is important to prepare them to learn how to stay calm, avoid placing themselves in a dangerous situation, calling 911, perform CPR and even how to stop life-threatening bleeding," McCrorie said. "The parents who attended seemed to get something out of it as well."
Nicole Kahler and Grace Kulp, first-aid training partners and members of Troop 1059, started in Girl Scouts this year and are using this training to get their first-aid badges. Both are 9 years old.
"I think this training is exciting but scary at the same time," said Grace, who lives in Eldersburg. "You never know when you will have to be prepared."
Nicole said the most important things to remember in all of the training is "being prepared, knowing what you are doing and staying calm."
"I think what we taught could apply directly to the Scouts," McCrorie said, "although I hope they are never put into a situation where they would have to use it."
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