About 80 budding paramedics treated mock injuries from bee stings and grazes to leg fractures and burns at the annual St John Eastern District Youth Division competitions hosted on Saturday.
The competitions were hosted by Havelock North High School, with students from the school, many with drama class training, taking the roles of patients, among about 90 volunteers who also included marshals and judges.
The event attracted 14 teams of four cadets each from the area between Waipukurau and Hicks Bay, including two "penguin" teams — children aged 5-7 years.
Competitions started at 8.30am and continued until the early afternoon.
"I can guarantee you there will be 5-year-olds there who can fix your stubbed toe, and how to keep it clean afterwards," said district youth manager Tess Sykes before the competition started.