whats yall's opinion

[bearpatrolleaderinctown]

i was planing what merit badges to take at camp and i wanted to take first aid so i can get e. prep next year at camp and on the prequistes, age, and rank sheet it says first class, but on the area that tells about the different areas of study it says second class. what is yall's opinion?

[lifescoutforlife]

When I was a scout you needed fisrt aid MB to be first class, The merit merit covers a lot of the 2nd & 1st class requirments, I have no idea why you would have to be first class to take this. Most scouts take this MB there first year at camp.

[wagionvigil]

For many merit badges the is a first aid requirement.Although not writtren down but implied you need to have First Aid MErit Badge. It is not a hard MB buit oh such an importantant one. WE open at the cave next week any scout that dioes not have First Aiod will not get climbing merit m\badge

[Mad Dog]

At our camp you can take First Aid at any rank or age but you must have completed the first aid portions of Second Class and First Class.

[wagionvigil]

My own opinion: Scouts should take First Aid Merit Badge IMMEDIATELY after joining the troop. Figures when you get your new Scouts and schedule a First Aid Councelor to start the boys the next week.

[Quailman]

I always thought that some camps limited participation in certain merit badges to allow for those who need it most to take advantage of it. If you're only going to have a certain number of slots in an eagle-required MB, then in makes sense to give priority to boys who are already at first class. It's not that the camp administration doesn't think the boys are prepared, they just don't have the resources to open it up to all comers.

Of course, that's just speculation on my part.

[cballman]

to also answer a question I think that most camps require you to be at least first class is so that they can have a first year program. If a troop is fairley active then there is not that great a need for a complete first year program but then again there are a lot of kids who who still need the program at camp. now the other question of what to take. we in our troop recommend that you take swimming and then maybe the art, basketry, space ex, woodcarving along with our own first year program that we provide for our boys in our campsite.

[Lynda J]

Does your area offer a Merit Badge College where you can sign up for badges. We have one that is sponsored by one District. If offers lots of required badges. One is First Aid. I help with this badge every year. There are about 8 counselors, This year we had 64 boys take the badge.
It is over a two weekend event. One Saturday then a weekend for homework and complete the next Saturday. Seldom do the boys not finish the badge. The main Counselor is really great. The boys are exposed to everything on the badge. I personally haven't been to impresssed with First Aid at summer camps. They don't seem to really cover the material.

[scubascout]

our camp offers first aid, but you have to be first class and 13. our troop encouragess scouts not to take first aid at camp. there is noway that anybody will remember anything they learned in the class.

What is the most important mb- First Aid- compare it to anything

this is a lifetime skill that one should master and know cold

[bearpatrolleaderinctown]

i know where you are coming from cballman,but do you think that you would take the first year program at camp if you were second class when you registered for merit badges and only have a few requirements left for first class. Also iwas not aking if i should take it because i havent decided yet but i was asking what you thought that on my councils website it said second class on one page for it, then first classon the other. and lynda i dont think that the east carolina council has a merit badge college but not for sure since i the troop i am in just started in june of last year

[WVBeaver05]

A couple of years ago I had a Scout that needed only a few requirements to reach First Class, but it was his first year at Summer Camp. I discussed the options with him and he was reluctant to miss some of the opportunities that the First Year program offered.

I then discussed the situation with the First Year program director and we were able to bring him in for the appropriate activities and he still completed 3 merit badges. He coordinated the MB activities.

YiS

[pipestone1991]

You need 1st Aid Merit Badge to get E.Prep.....& just a little curious, if your a patrol leader how can you be "pretty much"SPL,ASPL,APL,PL?

[scubascout]

thats off topic but otherwise he is the only one who has enough disipline to run the troop and is the only leader that is not lazy and wants to do something (from my interpretation)

[bearpatrolleaderinctown]

you have pretty hit the nail on the head.
The reason i put that is that since i hold the highest possible position of leadership for youth in my troop at this time since there is only one patrol and mostly all the other boys are in terms of figurative speech are just "lumps on a log" when it comes to leadership, but when it comes to spliting logs they are the only ones in their minds who can do it, i will do some of the things the boys are supposed to do in the other position if they held them.

[riverwalk]

While I don't think trying to complete this one at Camp is ideal, I support getting it as soon as possible. Not only because I'm a First Aider, but it really is used in Scouts. I've also seen First Aid needed at every Summer Camp I've been in.

[mommatoodle]

just mho, but first aid is a good badge to get. first, you need to know some basic first aid in order to get to 1st class. second, knowing first aid I don't think ever hurt anyone ( ), third, since many other badges require you to show some knowledge of first aid, these badges help to reenforce the first aid learned in the first aid merit badge.

[Quailman]

Since the 1st aid MB skills are useful all your life, make friends with some local EMTs and have them come teach the MB program to the whole troop when you have new members cross over. They can get older boys involved who'll remember the carries and splints, and they'll benefit from the refresher on signs of a heart attack, bee stings, snake bites, etc.

That way the boys are getting this important skill when as soon as they join, and the boys who graduate from scouting may remember more of it.