Hartlepool Brownies learn how to act in an emergency

The members of 14th Hartlepool Brownies were presented with their Duke of Cornwall awards by Mayor of Hartlepool, Coun Paul Beck.

To gain their badges the children had to learn all about how to react in an emergency situation.

The Duke of Cornwall award was set up by Prince Charles after he questioned why youth organisations were not effectively engaged in the recovery effort in the aftermath of flooding in Cornwall.

The Duke of Cornwall Community Safety award was born in 2012 and enabled young people to progress through a series of awards between the ages of five and eighteen.

Hartlepool Brown Owl, Karen Lee, said: “The Brownies had to learn about escape routes and how they would escape from their own home.

“They also had to learn about what they would need in a grab bag for an emergency. Their grab bags included important documents, medication, tooth brushes and tooth paste, a phone and a phone charger.

“The girls learned that they couldn’t take their cuddly toys or their duvets and pillows.”

While doing the Duke of Cornwall award the Brownies visited Hartlepool lifeboat station to see how they react in emergencies and were visited by Cleveland Mountain Rescue and HM Coastguard.

Karen said: “The award is a great opportunity for the girls to learn some valuable skills for the future and how to deal with an emergency should it ever arise.

“The girls had a great time learning about this in a fun and exciting way.”