Whenever we jump to negative conclusions, and start judging and name calling in these incidents, it makes me uncomfortable.

As a Scout Leader, I think we should be encouraging more peope getting of the couch and get out there. I can't tell you how many youth join Scouts and then never get any outdoor time because mom and dad have no experience. We have kids that don't get to get hiking or camping with us because their parents are afraid of the unknown, or at least don't value outdoor time. (One kid finally got to join us for a camping trip, afterwhich his parents pulled him out of Scouts completely because he had to use... shudder... an outhouse!)

EDUCATE. EDUCATE. EDUCATE.

The same goes for preparedness. EDUCATE. EDUCATE. EDUCATE. People don't know what they don't know. That doesn't mean they should hit the couch.

If we constantly jump all over people that need rescue, regardless of the details, that education is going to turn even more people away, or worse. I fell into a frozen creek when I was younger and I needed help. I wasn't shamed out of it or beaten about the head to never take risks and never ask for help. Thankfully I learned a little more and my parents kept encouraging me to get out there.

Just because we're better prepared than the average Joe, doesn't mean we own the outdoors, or that we're beyond mistakes or mishaps. It could happen to us too. We should keep that in mind. "Yeah but...." doesn't cut it if we insist on dragging everyone else over the coles with relentless unforgiveness.

What our experience should mean is that we have a responsibility to help people learn. Many of us ETSers are SAR, LEO, EMS, FD, nurses, Scout Leaders, etc... I think I can safely say that most of us are in it to help not berate. That's the spirit we should be encouraging here at ETS!