Our team has just received a request from a Scout Troop to provide some training this coming Sat. for their Emergency Preparedness requirements, including some instruction on climbing or climbing-like experiences. The contact person faxed me a page from what I must assume is the Scout Handbook titled “Emergency Preparedness and another page on “Climbing”. It looks like we will have 3 hours to work with them. I am not sure of the number of Scouts we will have attend, nor to I know how many Team members will be able to assist, but I know several of you may have experience with the Scouting approach to these topics and would like to get your input on whether 3 hours is enough time to cover the requirements or will we just be making a dent. Also any hints to make it a rewarding experience for the Scouts. Thanks Pete

Tho it's been a long time since I was a scout, I can't imagine adequately covering either of those topics alone in 3 hours.

Some basics maybe

Preparedness
"Be able to stay warm, dry, hydrated, and fed; wherever and whenever" - done

Climbing
"Use Good rope, Learn a bowline knot and a body rappel and proper belay technique, keep your knees and but off the rock" - done

If you adequately cover those two lessons it should take you the full 3 hours.

I am a Scout Leader for my Daughters troop. They are Junior Scouts in age range from 10-12. Age plays a major factor in trying to convey things like this. I try to keep it simple and just use the basics. The attention span is limited so you need to be high energy. I agree with mini me in that if you cover just the basics, skim the edges you should be fine. If this is an older group you can be more in depth. Get yourself a couple helpers if you can! Most importantly have fun and make it fun. The more they have fun, the more they will retain. JMHO

PM me for a fax number or email the documents to my home address AyersTG@mchsi.com and I'll get back with you this evening. I'm a certified Lead Climbing Instructor for BSA, on the books as Emerg Prep Merit Badge Instructor, etc. I'm sure I can better answer your questions after I see the materials.

Tom

Pete

You will make a good dent but they will still have the paper work to do on their own. The climbing portion is "Lower a person from a sufficient height to show how" We hang a pulley from a tree a lift them up before we lower them ;-)

Also one of the requirements is to create a "bug out bag" you should do well with this one.

Here is a link to a worksheet, PM me if you need anything else!

meritbadge.com

Pete,

But just to get you started, the "official" method is "Tell, Show, Do" - Tell them how to do it, show them how to do it, and have them actually do it. Venturing BSA goes a couple of steps beyond that, including requiring them to teach what they learned to another group, but for Scouts, the T-S-D method works great.

Tom

I'm currently a scout with the Emergency Prep merit badge. I remember when we did the badge at different places in the building were we held our meetings the instructor set up different scenerios with adults that would look like a particular situation. Like in one scenario was there was water on the floor with two adults laying on the floor next to it and there was a wire placed in the water in an inconspicuous place. For some we were told what happened, for others we would just walk into the room and try to help. We were watched by the instructor and later told we did and then told what we did wrong. I thought it was a lot more fun then the usual "guy talking for 20 minutes".

Also, I remember we spent a lot of time on rescue knots and our Emergency Prep kits (which are basically what we call "Bug-Out bags") <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Not sure if 3 hours is enough if these are motivated boys but if there is interest you might suggest a followup in small group to complete your lessons. Not only will the scouts be appreciative but you you will get a deep sense of satisfaction working with the younguns knowing that you may make a difference in their lives with your knowledge and they in turn may teach others. One suggestion, be enthusiastic, the scouts will feed off of that.

Prioritize your contribution so that the requirements that directly pertain to your skills and experience are completed in the alloted time frame. Many of the requirements can be taught and tested by most scout leaders in the troop, sio if you don't cover all of the requirements, they can pick up the rest. Check out MeritBadge.Com for more infoi and links.

First I would like to thank everyone for their time and input. I was unable to get back to update everyone, as my youngest was not feeling too well and had to perform Daddy duty and then go in for my duty shift on the medic unit. So, here is where it stands now, after I had the opportunity to discuss with the leader in some detail, what their goals for the day were to entail. The activity will be a combination of instruction and an actual rescue scenario. This activity will involve around10 scouts between the ages of 10 and 17. They are planning on camping Friday night and the leader thought he might have a few scouts drop out since the weather is suppose to get quite nasty around here over the next few days. On Sat. we will all meet at the park headquarters, where one of the rangers will discuss with them on how to prepare for search activities and the basics of search, we will then present and demonstrate patient assessment and packaging. We will then go over some basic safety and rigging techniques. I am hoping one of our team members who is also on the Dog Team will be able to demonstrate search techniques with his dog. One of the rangers will then hide, with the understanding that he was able to contact 911 before he went unconscious and his cell phone died, he indicated he is lost, has a broken leg and is suffering from hypothermia. The scouts will then perform a search, hopefully locate the victim, assess his injuries, perform basic first aid, package the patient and then set up a haul system to get him up a steep embankment. In discussing with the leader, he and I agreed there would not be enough time to incorporate the climbing activities. I will be making copies of the kit lists and other pertinent information to be handed out. Hopefully, the weather will not be too bad and we can proceed with the activity, if so I will let you all know how it worked out. Thanks Pete