Last week, one of our former Scouts was on a new job when his fellow employee suffered a bad cut from a circular saw. Undeterred by the large amount of blood, the Scout rendered aid from the first aid kit in his truck, as the business did not have its own first aid kit. In talking to the owner of the business, he stated, "I guess I should have expected that of a Boy Scout, and I guess we should go buy our own first aid kit, too."
On a much larger scale, in June of this year 16 Scouts and eight adult Scouters returning from Philmont Scout Ranch and en route back to Wisconsin on an Amtrak train with 287 occupants. In Mendon, Missouri, the train collided with a dump truck, derailing the train and causing it to flip on its side. Climbing from the wreckage, the Scouts sprang into action, extracting trapped passengers and performing first aid. Ultimately, four people died in that crash and 150 were injured. The 15 year-old Senior Patrol Leader attempted first aid on the dump truck driver and stayed by his side until the driver passed due to his injuries. Firefighter Battalion Chief Todd Covington, on the train and en route to Chicago for training, commented on the Scouts' skill and bravery, "This Boy Scout group was fantastic. They probably saved 20 or 30 people's lives." Scott Armstrong, BSA Director of National Media Relations, stated about the Scouts, "These Scouts are highly trained. They would have received advanced first-aid training prior to going [to Philmont], including their adult leaders, would have had people with wilderness first-aid certification, which is a pretty advanced course. Luckily they had that training because I'm sure they put it to use [that day]."
Sometimes I hear a lament from an older Scout – "We're doing Scout Skills again…" Yes, we do Scout Skills a lot. Incidents like those in Missouri and in our neighborhood are why we practice. The reactions from Scouts and Scouters are a product of training and repetition. Repetition drives mastery and mastery produces instinctive reactions. Those instinctive reactions are lifesaving, particularly in instances where blood and injuries would cause the untrained to hesitate.
Do not take your training for granted, as many youth are not getting what you receive. Pay close attention to your first aid training, practice, learn to teach and Be Prepared to act when called upon.
A Scout is Helpful.
A Scout is Brave.