BOSS and Outward Bound Fatalities

Apparently there was a fatality on both a BOSS and Outward Bound courses this weekend.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/...world-headlines

Additional stories:
http://news.google.com/news?q=Boulder%20Outdoor%20Survival%20School

http://news.google.com/news?q=Outward%20Bound

Here's a local article:

I cannot believe how assinine the people who ran these particular groups must be to not allow their victims to carry water at all times. It is unfortunate that now the State will have to step in and regulate these programs because they are obviously not doing it themselves.

Wow! Someone needs to go explain to them that a survivalist doesn't try to push himself to the edge of death. Instead he does everything possible to stay as far away as possible from the grim reaper. I'm an amateur if you are talking about building fire from nothing or finding water in the desert, but hiking in the heat with little water is down right retarded - IMHO. They should have been training them to stay in the shade during the heat - then look for water & head for rescue when it's cooler. Amazing.

Even though it's a terrible story thanks for the post. I will remember this one as I'm training my two boys. As I'm teaching them how to find their way using the Stars & Moon so they can travel at night with minimum water loss.

A few years back there was another tragedy of 9 year old kid that got lost 1/2 mile from his condo up in Mass(?) that has also stuck with me. My boys carry a whistle at all times when hiking & I've ground into their heads to STOP as soon as you realize you are lost. Every step just widens the circumference.

This boggles my mind. Not ALLOWED to carry water?!?

And what exactly was their plan if someone was seperated from the group? Find them real fast? At the very least they should carry water and reserve it for "emergency" use. Even that sends the wrong message.

Instructors, you need to drill it into your student's heads:

Carry plenty of water. Just because you're learning where to find water doesn't mean you should bet your life on finding it.

Drink at every opportunity, every time you stop to rest, every time you blink.

To be caught without your water bottle on your person at any time is a crime worse than dealing drugs to children.

Unless they just filled it 5 minutes ago, if they are caught with a full canteen force them to chug the whole thing on the spot.

Make your students HATE the words "Alright, people - DRINK!"

The girl was found with water still in her bottle. If she rationed herself to death after two weeks of survival school, she should get her money back.

I do a lot of desert hiking myself in 90+ degree weather. For a ten-mile canyon hike in Joshua Tree I’d usually carry one and a half gallons in a mix of quart and half gallon bottles. One-quart bottle I usually have filled with an electrolyte replacement mix and carry an extra package to mix a second bottle if I start to feel cramps in my legs or stomach. Every half hour I measure out a cup or two of water and drink it down. By measuring out my water I know exactly who much I have and always head back when I have drunk half of my supply. Other things I do in the desert are to wear breathable nylon leather boots and good quality wool socks with nylon liners. Every hour or two I’ll change into a pair of dry socket and give my feet a quick rub down with a little alcohol I carry in a small spray bottle. All topped off with a ball cap and bandana to keep the sun off my head and neck. With this, I’m ready for a day of solitude, the desert is one of the few place I’ve been where you can hear your own breath and heart beat.

Those truly are a couple of sad, unfortunate and unnecessary incidents.

The reminder of how to best stay alive in extreme heat is appreciated. I’ll be at Tracker School next week, and though it’s nothing near the realm of those courses the information will be fresh in my memory.

Thanks for the post.

No water allowed?

If this has been part of the course for a while, the question is not "why did it happen" but "why did it take so long to happen". The machismo and hubris that some of clowns display is amazing. And the blasted city slickers who don't do homework don't know that they are walking into a trap.

Why is it that these sadistic morons feel that you need to be brought to the brink of death in order to learn about survival skills. A little bit of discomfort is good, it takes you out of your comfort zone and makes you think. However, pushing things this far just makes for a miserable experience. Our Boy Scout troop preferred to teach us how to be comfortable in the outdoors, not miserable. It became a game to see who could build the most comfortable shelter/bed and who could make the most out of the situation. Minimalism (except for what survival tools you carried) was not encouraged, creativity was.

Wasn't BOSS originally affiliated with the survival school run by Larry Olsen (author: Outdoor Survival Skills)? I had my doubts about Olsen's methods when in one chapter of his book he boasted that there had never been a fatality or serious incident involving any of his students, and in another chapter described how he himself had passed out from dehydration on a hike (where he was the lead instructor), had to be rescued by the other instructor, and was later medevac'ed out by a passing cowboy, since they had no radios or other communications equipment that would have enabled them to call for help.

The ultimate sanction amonst the Bedouin is to be taken into the Great Erg (of the Sahara) and abandoned. Right now, I am tempted....