Scout Salutes You may know first aid, but will you react instinctively in an emergency? Bob Galassi did, and his friend Josh Costes is thankful. Bob and Josh, both Eagle Scouts from Troop 175 in Niles, were cutting plywood with a circular saw for a Scout’s Eagle project. Suddenly the blade caught the cuff of Josh’s glove and sliced through his left wrist. Blood. Shock. You know the first aid scenario. But this was real, and Bob’s instincts were on target. He directed a co-worker to call an ambulance, then grabbed Josh’s wrist, applied direct pressure to the wound, and kept adding rags to stop the flow of blood. With severed veins, tendons and nerve endings, Josh went into shock, but says he knew he was in good hands. Paramedics were surprised to see that Josh’s blood loss was kept to a minimum. Bob says he’s proud of how quickly he reacted and how his training “just kicked in”. A day after the accident, Josh gave thanks to Bob for “saving my life.” Josh is undergoing therapy and his wrist is healing well, and Bob has been nominated for a BSA Lifesaving award. Bob Galassi knows he has the right skills and the right instincts!