First aid

[JazerNorth]

Oh yeah, I forgot this in another post....teach kids (Scouting or not) wilderness survival for any area they'll be in. This includes learning STOP. One of the biggest problems with any "lost person, is that they move (not commenting about when one SHOULD move, haha).

Here is a story, a bit off topic, but interesting still. I was at Scout Camp with my Troop. We were biking around the lake, takes about 2 hours or so. We were 1/2 way around when 4 boys in the middle of the group took the wrong turn. The lead guide cyclist had stopped a bit down the trail, but didnt' know they went the wrong way. I was well behind, old guy syndrom, and noticed some go left and some right. Perfect teaching opportunity. I went the correct direction (right) and stopped where the leader was. We waited for the caboose guide. The other Scout Leader had seen the other boys take the wrong turn. We told the guides that they needed to go get the other scouts. They instructed us to wait, and left to get the boys. About 15 or so minutes later they all came back. The guides proceeded to teach the boys about being lost. The told the boys to keep moving if they are lost. I about fell over. I couldn't believe that the guides were telling scouts to keep moving. We, the adult leaders, corrected them, and they argued. We then told our boys that they are not not move when lost, unless their life is in danger. Then to move so safety and then stop. Once we got back, I found a very good camp commissionor and explained the details. He was going to re-train the staff on what to do when lost. Thank goodness we were there to correct the error.

Just a simple story.

JazerNorth

[odin]

I'm not a MBC in First Aid, but do consider this area to be very important for a person (not only scouts) to understand and carry through life. No matter what you do, sooner or later you'll come across someone in need of First Aid.

I carry a kit while hiking and hunting. One day, I was hiking in the White Mtn Nat'l Forest (NH) and came across two "kids", mid-20s, hiking without proper clothing for the conditions. It was raining and they were soaked. The temperature was dropping rapidly and the wind was picking up. They were shivering to the point where they couldn't talk (hypothermia). My wife & I gave them our cheap "space blankets" and a candy bar. They weren't too far from the parking lot and lots of others were coming off the mountain.

It's important for scouts to know there are First Aid kits and to look at them objectively. Planning for handling emergencies with only a kit can be disastrous, but planning to supplement a kit for emergencies (by evaluating the environment the kits will be used in) can save lives.

The importance of this MB cannot be understated.

[riverwalk]

Without rehashing that point (about all the good points y'all made)....First Aid or all the new Emergency themes in Scouting, are bringing Scoutcraft back to some of it's important beginnings. When "First Aid" was thought of in Merit Badge status only, it might not have received the attention it deserved?

I don't mean to veer from the suture, I mean thread, of First Aid. But, more important than equipment/supplies, is the "Plan". When one plans for their outing, they'll consider conditions, activities, supplies, and therefore a safer experience. And don't forget they'll have the opportunities to teach Scout skills to others.