Scoutmaster

Wilderness First Aid

This weekend I completed my 16 hours of Wilderness First Aid training. Crews bound for Philmont this summer must have “... at a least one person, preferably two, (either an advisor or a youth participant) in each crew be currently certified in American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid or the equivalent and CPR from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or the equivalent."

Our three high adventure crews are headed north to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario Canada this summer rather than west to Philmont but we will be in a similarly remote situation and thought it wise that we should observe the same precautions. Wilderness First Aid  prepares us for emergencies when help is some hours away.

Focused on the the prevention, recognition and response of illness and injury the course builds on basic first aid skills. Much of the time was devoted to learning and practicing how to assess, stabilize and monitor injuries. Trainees don't leave the course as EMT's or anything close but they should be capable of applying some advanced skills while waiting for help to arrive.  I wouldn't be surprised if WFA training became a requirement to obtain a tour permit for any Scout activity where emergency response time was four or more hours in length. 

Safety on any Scouting adventure depends on good leadership. Good leadership requires a commitment to training. If your Scout Council has an active High Adventure Program they have probably arranged to offer WFA training.

Wilderness First Aid article in Scouting Magazine

Wilderness Safety Council website (courses offered in Mid Atlantic states)

NOTE That while the Philmont policy quoted above specifically references  'American Red Cross Wilderness First Aid' I was unable to find any such training on their website.

Model Scout Outing

"Scouting is Outing" and any lively, active Troop has an out-of-doors overnight experience planned every month of the year. Here's a model of a typical outing that capitalizes on youth leadership and the Patrol Method.

Preparation
After the Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) has developed a schedule of events for the year Scouts are detailed to set up the particulars of the trip. A few of the logistics are attended to by the adults ( securing campsites, various registrations etc.) but the PLC does the vast  majority of planning.

Patrols select a grubmaster for the trip who plans, purchases, packs and prepares their meals for the outing. Patrol Scribes collect fees and permission slips, the Patrol Quartermaster checks over the gear they will need and the Patrol leader administers all of these preparations.

The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and his cohorts form a transportation plan and oversee the preparations of the Patrols. The Troop Scribe collects money and permission slips from Patrol Scribes and develops a Troop roster for the outing. The Troop Quartermaster oversees the Patrol Quartermasters in preparing their gear. The SPL creates a schedule of activities for the outing.

Troop meetings leading up to the outing discuss any special skills or preparations for the trip. Ample time is scheduled for Patrols to complete their preparations.

Friday Night
The SPL and Patrol Leaders see that the Scouts have the proper personal gear and draw their Patrol and Troop gear from the Quartermaster, see that it is all packed properly, load everything up and move out.

Once they arrive at the campsite the SPL surveys the ground and assigns areas for each Patrol. He does his best to see that Patrols camp far enough apart to operate independently and that the adults are billeted far enough away to allow the Troop to function properly.

Before they head off to bed the PLC meets and reviews the schedule for the next day.

Saturday
The SPL and Patrol leaders get everyone up at the specified hour and breakfast is prepared. Patrols cook on their own and the Adults (who have planned and packed their own food) observe from a respectful distance.

Once breakfast is cleared away the day begins. The SPL and Patrol Leaders lead the Scouts through whatever activity is the order of the day. Adults may be invited to offer instruction (rarely) or asked to lend some oversight if the nature of the activity demands it. Otherwise the adults are pursing their own activities away from the Scouts.

Lunch and dinner happen much like breakfast as the day wears on.

The entire Troop gathers together for the first time Saturday evening. It may be a brief review of the day's events, a campfire, a cracker-barrel or similar function.

Before everyone retires the SPL reviews Sunday's activities with the PLC.

Sunday
Breakfast again prepared by the Patrols. It may be time to pack up, or to pursue some activity before returning home. On returning the SPL oversees the return of gear with the Quartermaster and Patrol Quartermasters.

After Action
The PLC meets to discuss the outing and what improvements can be made to their preparations or implementation. The gear is checked and cleaned if needed and the whole process is ready to begin again.

This model is just that, a model. It is based on the idea that Scouts must be given a very wide latitude to operate independent of adult interference yet with appropriate oversight. There is very little that the Scouts cannot do for themselves and they should be encouraged to do as much as they can manage.

Scouts cook on their own, camp on their own and pursue their activities on their own. Adults may be invited to participate actively, but unless they are they keep a respectful distance. How far distant? Ideally out of earshot and out of sight but close enough to be called upon if required. 

Scouting is not a father or mother and son activity, not a family outing. Scouting happens when the Scouts lead themselves. When they are given autonomy and trust they respond by being responsible.

Ray Mears Extreme Survival Video Collection

Veho hosts a great collection of 24 full length  Ray Mears Videos .

As I have noted before Mears shares many useful skills in these videos without sensationalism. Well worth watching.

Via Rikkis Scouting Resources

Ray Mears Building a Fire

Ray Mears is an expert woodsman from southern Great Britan. I remember watching him on a U.S. cable network a few years ago. They can still be found on UKTV but I can't find them in the U.S.

Thankfully there are a number of clips on line like the one embedded above.

Mears is a serious student and teacher of bushcraft not a sensationalist unlike another British import whose show is (unfortunately) much more popular on U.S. televisions. He has authored many books available (with a selection of gear and related items at his website.

Vaseline and Cotton Ball Fire starter

Outdoorsman / Woodsman Skills - Homemade Fire Starter

Vaseline and Cotton Ball Fire starter

This fire starter is easy to make and cost next to nothing, it has the extra benefit of being nearly waterproof.

Simply place a small amount of Vaseline in a microwave safe dish and melt on medium heat only until it begins to run. Place 6-10 cotton balls in the melted Vaseline and saturate them completely. Allow the mixture to cool and place the cotton balls in a used film container.

When you need to use them, take several cotton balls out of the film container and pull them apart. Place the Vaseline cotton ball fire starter under your tinder and light. The cotton ball acts like a wick for the Vaseline and will burn intensely for several minutes.

Build an Igloo

Not everyone has the right depth and kind of snow to build an igloo as shown above.
How to Build an Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters by Norbert Yankielun contains instructions on how to build snow shelters adapted to your local conditions.

How to Build an Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters At Amazon

Also at Scoutmaster
Igloo Building Tool

Long Term Weather Forecasting

After long preparation and excited anticipation our annual backpacking trip looked like a real washout - rain from Friday night to Sunday morning. Enduring a couple of days of rain is not anyone's idea of a great time so we are postponing until next weekend.

But will next weekend's weather be any better? Before deciding to postpone I checked with the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. The center publishes daily 6-10 and 8-14 day maps that predict above or below normal temperatures and chances of precipitation (an example of a temperature map is shown above).

These predictions, like any forecast, are reasonably reliable but we'll still be prepared for rain. Our Scouts and their families feel that most times there is no better predictor of rain than our schedule of camping trips.

Associated posts at Scoutmaster
Eric Sloane's Weather Book
What 'Partly Cloudy' Means and More
Weather Underground

Three Wall Fireplace

Illustration       by Hap Wilson. Originally appeared in The       Keewaydin Way by Brian Back

 

Lake Temagami and environs is one of the great good places to go canoeing. According to  the Ottertooth website:

The three-walled heritage fireplace has been a Temagami tradition for over a hundred years and many blackened campsite fireplaces  have been in use for decades.

Daily baking, particularly for bannock, remains an essential part of heritage Temagami. Many of the camps have two bakes at dinner, one for dessert that night, and a second for lunch the next day. Who would go canoeing and not expect pineapple-upside-down cake and blueberry bannock?

Tips for building the fireplace

• Build fireplace on a level spot.
• Fireplace should be open into the wind.
• Place fire irons six to twelve inches off the ground.
• Space irons at least wide enough to hold the smallest pot or pan.
• Rear wall should be flat, vertical and without holes to maximize heat reflection into the oven.
• Set fire irons near the rear wall so heat can't escape behind the pots.
• Walls should be high enough to keep heat from escaping early.
• Rock down the ends of fire irons for stability

Camp Sanitation

Two recent events remind us all of the importance of correct sanitation practices when camping:

In Virginia Goshen Scout Reservation closed early due to an outbreak of E. Coli illnesses traced to contaminated, undercooked ground beef (reportedly in foil dinners).

In Pennsylvania Horseshoe Scout Reservation closed early due to an outbreak of the Norwalk virus. Norovirus causes acute gastrointestinal illness and is sometimes called the 'cruise ship virus'.

Both camps have great programs, conscientious, professional staff and excellent health and safety records. Events such as these can have tragic results on the health of Scouts and the reputation of a Camp or Troop.

E. coli from tainted meat is avoidable if proper food handling and cooking practices are followed. Norovirus related illnesses are a bit more difficult to avoid once an outbreak begins as the virus is very difficult to eliminate from the environment. Food handling is a definite concern with norovirus but proper sanitation is paramount to avoiding infection.

Three simple practices insure avoiding food-borne illness:
1. Protect food from time and temperature abuse:

The key to keeping food safe during storage is to keep it out of the temperature danger zone. The danger zone is when the temperature falls between 41 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. In this range, microorganisms that may be present on food can grow and reproduce, making it unsafe. Remember - refrigerating or freezing food does not kill microorganisms! However, it does slow their growth.
From the NSF website.

2. Avoid Cross Contamination

Don't allow raw meats or poultry to contact other foods by using separate surfaces and utensils in preparing meals.

3. Keep it clean

Properly clean and disinfect hands, surfaces and utensils

Similarly three practices will keep one safe from viral infections;

1. Wash your hands
2. Avoid sharing clothing or other body contact items like water bottles, etc.
3. Clean and disinfect common surfaces and gear.

Related posts at Scoutmaster
Hygiene and Gastrointestinal Illness in the Wilderness
Steramine
Camp Suds

The Perfect Patrol Box

Here is an illustrated set of directions on stocking the perfect patrol box (perhaps a little too perfect in my humble opinion). It's always interesting to get a look at the way other Troops do things.

Associated posts at Scoutmaster
Chuck Boxes
More Camp Kitchens
Patrol Box Design
Two Patrol Boxes
Even More Chuck Boxes Patrol Kits and the Like
Grub Box