I have often considered providing chem-lights. they are light and have a fairly long shelf-life. Problem is my kids love to play with them and consider them toys. If they knew that there were some in the bottom of their belly packs they would break them out and play at the first sleep-over and then the lights would be gone from the pack. As it is, I have to check and replace the batteries in the solitaires almost everytime out because they got played with and drained. I have even had to replace the solitaires once each so-far. Maybe the light sticks would be cheaper.... Hmmmmm

I have always thougt it more important to equip their minds than their belly-backs. (or their bellies for that matter). We have a bit of a marching song that includes the basics of the STOP practice. We have had fun making debris huts and spotting decent looking shelter spots (tight overhanging rocks, downed trees with roots up making a bit of a cave, overhanging evergreens with shelterd spaces underneath.) Identifying sources of tinder (birch bark, dry punk wood, milk-weed and cattails etc...) These things have become fun trail games to help pass the miles on hikes where there is long stretches of tree-covered logging road or old rail-bed which tends to be somewhat booring. Sometimes the kids even try scrunching themselves into potential shelter spots to see if they fit. (of course Dad pokes around in there with a stout stick first to roust anything that may be in there.)

Most importantly I respect the wilderness enough to never let them out of my sight in the woods! I think that it is way too much to expect any 10 year old to be responsible and calm enough to do the right thing in any stressful situation regardless of level of training. That is why we don't let them drive on the roads! There have been grown men with full gear and ton's of experience who panic and do just the wrong thing and get themselves killed. This is compounded by hunger, dehydration, and hypothermia - all of which make us humans more stupid than we would otherwise be. Someone posted that they doubted that their well trained 10 yr olds would make it alone but would probably make it if there were two. This is a vital insight. A companion will calm and help reason out what to do and provide key memories that may be helpful in surviving - not to mention body heat.

If I were bewailing the state of circumstances leading up to this tradedy I would not look to the scouts training or the SAR effeciency or the kids skill level, the fault for that kids death is the kids parent. Not for failing to train or equip his kid -though he failed there to - but for letting the kid race off into the woods out of sight of an adult!

'nuff from me. I'm I feel a full blown rant comming on.