The March, 2006 issue of Boy's Life (a magazine for youth in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts) has a nice article on survival. The author is Peter Kummerfeldt, a survival instructor at the Air Force Acadamy. Keeping in mind that the target audience is 6-18 year old boys, here are the highlights of the article:


#1 Tell someone where you're going.
#2 Build a survival kit:
•1 heavy-duty 4mm orange plastic bag, approx. 38"x65" (2?)
•1 metal match with scraper
•cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly
•1 plastic whistle
•1 glass signal mirror

#3 Stop moving around.
#4 Think about what needs to be done.
#5 Observe your surroundings.
#6 Plan a course of action and implement it.
#7 Stay warm.
#8 Hydrate or die.
#9 Start a fire. He mentions he'll get some heat for this due to concerns of fires getting out of control, but adds to be careful!
#10 Make yourself BIG.

Last weekend I went on a winter cabin outting with my son's new Boy Scout Troop, and though I'm sure they had all of their Outdoor Essentials packed inside their daypacks, while those boys were hiking through the woods, those daypacks were neatly stowed underneath their bunks. Being a new assistant Scoutmaster I kept my mouth shut, at least for the first outing, but I also understand that the boys don't want to haul all that gear with them while running around.

At our next troop committee meeting I'll be recommending that boys put together and carry a minimual survival kit that stays with them at all times - maybe in a small fanny pack or in their pockets. The contents of the article's kit pretty much sums up what I'd put in the kit, though I'd probably include a disposable butane lighter and either a second large plastic bag or a mylar survival blanket (one over you & one under you) as well. The boys each carry a pocketknife too.

Your thoughts?

|Ken,

Congrats on "your" bridging over. My advice is twofold: 1) Walk the talk, all the time - always always always have your pack with you; and 2) Be relentless with reminding the scouts to have their "Be Prepared" or "Ready" packs with them, as our scouts refer to them. Every meeting, every outing. Reward them with encouragement and perhaps an inexpensive bit of gear they crave or want. Sharpen knives at meetings (and show them how), using items from your pack. Help out the boys with clueless (or resourcele$$) parents. Encourage regular use of contents at regular meetings and on outings. Take hikes on campouts - they can be little more than out of sight of camp - and indulge your (and their) imagination - put them in scenarios that cause them to rely on what they have with them. Make it all fun.

I'm sure you'll do great - just become a zealot with it and the scouts will catch on.

HTH,

Tom

So do you have your boys ALWAYS carry their outdoor essentials with them?

Ken

Almost. The motto, you know... There are a few occasions where it is not possible.

Remember, these guys can't EDC things most of us adults take for granted - like pocket knives. The whole thing is fun if you put your imagination to work. And walking the talk is really important.

Get real!

Some Boy Scouts show up for winter camping, in the snow, in shorts and t-shirts. This is after they have been warned to dress warmly and not wear cotton pants or shirts. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

I got the March 2006 issue of Boy’s Life yesterday. I have been looking at it. The expert is Peter Kummerfeldt. He is described as the director of survival training for the U.S. Air Force Academy (12 years) and as a top instructor at the U.S. Air Force Basic Survival School. Let me say that anyone that will donate time to the Boy Scouts is a hero in my book.

The title and focus of the article is: “10 Survival Tips …that can save your life!” The photos are of a boy under an inverted “V” tarp shelter with a headlamp, some scouts watching Mr. Kummerfeldt building a fire lay that looks like the one in the Ritter PSP instructions, PJ cotton balls being made, a signal mirror being used, and a few other less interesting pictures of PSK items. He has a video listed on ETS “Preparing To Survive with Peter Kummerfeldt” (www.outdoorsafe.com) Doug gave it 3 stars. His choices seem to be a combination of Cody Lundin (98.6) (www.alssadventures.com) and Gene Ward (www.survivalandoutdoorsafety.com).

The article is missing a reference to the rule of 3s. There is a misprint describing the orange plastic bag as 4mm. It should say 4mil. All of the PSK items listed in the article are for sale on his web site. I like that he specifically lists a glass signal mirror. On his web site he does say that a quality plastic mirror is also good. I would say that does not include the Star Flash! He suggests that everyone have some prepared PJ cotton balls and a ferro rod, etc.

Most people here do not get “Boy’s Life”. It might be at your library. Just go to his web site if you want to know what was in the article. He has the same information there.

Ken,

Time to start a BSA-PSK movement! A PSK for every scout! Maybe we should write BSA National HQ and have them push it. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Craig-

From your comment, I'm guessing there's not an "official BSA PSK" like so many other bits of "official" gear (if not, I"m sure surprised). Maybe you could propose that they create and market one, perhaps something similar to the Ritter Pocket Survival Pak (suppose a scapel blade could be a little touchy).

Dan

Dan,

The closest BSA comes to a PSK is the "You Can Survive"



They sell them out of the catalog and at the Boy Scout Store at Thomas and Hwy 51. They cost about $12.00. The best, affordable, PSK is the Ritter PSP.

The Boy Scouts have a Wilderness Survival merit badge. I have the book and my son earned the merit badge. There is a PSK item list.

It seems that if Scouts were required to have a PSK when they go camping that it might help some survive. I know there have been lost Scouts in the news over the last few years.

<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

The official list of gear that the boys are to carry is the "Outdoor Essentials":

-Pocketknife
-First aid kit
-Extra clothing
-Rain gear
-Water bottle
-Flashlight
-Trail food
-Matches and fire starters
-Sun protection (sunscreen, brimmed hat, lip balm, sunglasses)
-Map and compass

Many troops also include:
-Whistle on a lanyard
-Mylar space blanket

The problem I have is that I'm seeing the boys take this gear with them, stow it away, and they don't actually carry the gear with them during activities. At least one adult leader has said that the gear isn't that important while camping in the midwest since there really isn't much that can happen to them.

Does anyone know if search and rescue statistics are available out there somewhere? Maybe 11+ year old boys really don't get into survival situations in the midwest.