SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — Under the watchful eye of a Vermont Air National Guard assistant fire chief, he asks a student to explain how they would treat a patient with an object protruding from their eye, one of many high-pressure scenarios during the SkillsUSA competition.

This event is part of a statewide SkillsUSA competition held at multiple locations across Vermont, giving students in career and technical education programs the chance to test their skills. The Vermont Air National Guard was one such location that hosted the fire and medical portions, where about nine students competed in first aid, CPR and firefighting events.

For Assistant Chief of Training Blake Lahue, who served as the contest manager, scenarios like the eye injury are designed to test how well students can apply their training in certain scenarios and conditions.

“So, we walked through some first aid steps, and I asked them questions on penetrating eye injuries to see if they remembered their training basic life support,” said Lahue. “Essentially, how they are going to secure the object, and what else are they going to do?”

The Vermont Air National Guard has hosted portions of the competition for more than a decade, providing a realistic training environment for students exploring careers in emergency services.

“SkillsUSA is for CTE programs throughout the country,” said Master Sgt. Kristine Koch, a first sergeant in maintenance with the Vermont Air National Guard and a public safety instructor at Northwest Career and Technical Center. “Every state competes in their own SkillsUSA competition. Students compete from cosmetology to culinary to building trades, every CTE has some type of competition.”

At the fire station, students were tested on both their knowledge and how they performed in real-time scenarios. “For CPR and first aid scenarios, students are tested on infants, adults, heat stroke, fractures, a wide range,” said Koch. “They do not know exactly what they will get, so they have to be prepared for anything.”

Firefighting competitors faced a similar challenge, completing hands on tasks that can change from year to year.

“We created a realistic environment,” said Lahue. “They smoked out a room, so students had to go in and find a victim and drag them to safety. They have to be mindful of their location, knowing where their exit is, and safely get the victim out without becoming a victim themselves.”

According to Koch, one big goal is to get students out of their comfort zone and let them compete in something they are learning, stating that “It helps prepare them for real careers after graduation.”

One of those students was Rihanna Freeman, a senior from Stafford Technical Center in Rutland, Vermont, competing in first aid and CPR.

Freeman, competing for her second year, said coming back made a difference. She went on to say, “I think it went well. I love this competition. Coming back, you are less nervous because you know what to expect.”

According to Freeman, her biggest takeaways came from the interview portion of the competition.

“One piece of advice they said was that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you, making sure it is a good fit.”

Freeman also said she appreciated the opportunity to be at the Vermont Air National Guard.

“Oh, I love it here. Everyone’s so kind,” she said. “There’s so many different opportunities.”

For students like Freeman, this competition is not just an event, it is a chance to practice the skills they will one day rely on in real life situations.