Posted July 24, 2023
Montgomery Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) cadets have always claimed to have the best training program in Somerset County. The cadets, all high school students who are at least 16 years old, had the opportunity to defend these claims on May 27 by participating in the first regional competition with cadets from three other Somerset squads: South Branch, Middlesex Borough, and Martinsville.
From left: Aditi Deshmukh, Esha Pai, Angela Qian, Nathaniel Jebaraj, Ashvik Vankayala, Ashwin Lobo, and Krishan Patel.
Cadets Angela Qian, Aditi Deshmukh, Ashvik Vankayala, Ashwin Lobo, Esha Pai, Nathaniel Jebaraj, and Krishan Patel participated in the competition, held at Mountain View Park in Middlesex Borough. Cadets were scored on their ability to perform full medical and trauma assessments, splint a broken knee, treat a patient with chest pain with progression to CPR, and participate in a Kahoot trivia game evaluating their medical knowledge.
“It was reassuring knowing that these were all skills that we had previously practiced,” Cadet Lobo commented. The judges analyzed their every decision and action in accordance to a strict checklist. The first station was the trauma assessment, in which the cadets were tasked with treating a patient with traumatic injuries who required preparation for transport into the ambulance.
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Monty cadets successfully wowed the judge while also achieving a record time, finishing under the 10-minute mark. Cadet Pai says, “It was exciting to see how our hard work paid off.” MEMS cadets performed equally well in the two other stations, earning high praises from each of the judges.
In fact, the MEMS cadets earned first place in the competition by a wide margin. “I am extremely proud of our cadets,” says MEMS’s Squad Captain Louis Dundi. These MEMS cadets are constantly training to become better. Supervised by experienced EMTs and paramedics, they receive hands-on training in a variety of medical skills.
Cadet applications for next year will open in December. Interested sophomores are encouraged to apply on the MEMS website.
Ashvik Vankayala won a $1,000 scholarship from EMSCNJ.
Ashvik Vankayala won a cadet scholarship from EMSCNJ, the largest organization representing volunteer EMS. One of their annual programs is awarding 12 $1,000 scholarships to cadets who are good standing members of their squad. This year there were 39 applicants. MEMS Cadet Vankayala was one of those 12 recipients. “I am extremely honored and humbled to be winning this scholarship,” Vankayala says. “I am so grateful to MEMS who gave me the opportunity to hone my pre-professional medical skills and to Captain Louis Dundi who constantly motivates me to become better. Moments like competing in this cadet competition are what made it possible for me to receive this award.”
Montgomery Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) is looking for it’s next volunteer. No experience necessary, all training is provided. To apply visit mems47.org.
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