Re: SEASCOUT-NET digest 200
Mark Ritter (ritterme@juno.com)
Wed, 13 Aug 1997 06:36:20 EDT
>"join sea scouts, get hurt"
>
>(yes, that is one of our mottos)
>
I HOPE you are jesting. But just in case ...
(soapbox on)
I'm sorry to hear that.
I've been involved with Scouts for 37 years: cub scout, boy scout, ASM,
SM, troop committee member, district and council training team,
round-table commissioner, camp staff, skipper, and Ship 90 Committee
member. I can still count the number of people in my units who have
needed medical attention beyond simple first aid with my shoes on - and
without using my thumbs. (The most serious, most hilarious, and saddest
were all a single incident. On our annual father/son campout, our SPL
was instructing the newest scouts the BSA approved method for splitting
firewood. SPL's father interrupted with a "better way". SPL explained
that wasn't safe. SPL's father insisted on giving a demonstration.
SPL's father sliced his own leg open from mid-shin to ankle. An
excellent, if unintentional, demonstration of WHY we do it the safe way.)
I've been a Ship 90 committee member for 14 years now, and offhand I
don't recall a single person needing medical attention beyond first aid
as the result of an accident.
Eight members of Ship 90 spent 3 weeks in July as crew aboard the 198'
square-rigged U.S. Brig Niagara. The captain and professional crew were
VERY serious about safety. With 40-50 people on site daily plus hundreds
of guests on tour, and approximately 40-50 crew plus 35-60 guests aboard
while under sail, the only incident that I'm aware of needing medical
attention beyond first aid was one case of dehydration/heat exhaustion.
And a working square-rigger isn't exactly your family living room for
safety conditions.
I do know of scout troops with less satisfactory safety records. One sad
case had 7 scouts taken way from a weekend campout by ambulance in one
day as the result of 7 separate "accidents". (A severe cut and 3 broken
bones in the AM, another broken bone, another cut, and a burn in the PM.)
The attitude of the adult in charge - NOT the Scoutmaster - was one of
acceptance: "boys will be boys" and "Scouting activities are inherently
dangerous".
Most "accidents" have causes, causes that COULD have been prevented. (1)
Don't accept them as inevitable. (2) For each one that occurs, FIND the
cause. (3) For each cause, find at least one and preferably more ways it
COULD have been prevented. (4) Do better the next time. (5) Change that
motto to - Join Sea Explorers, learn how to have FUN the SAFE way!
(soapbox off)
Mark Ritter - Committee Member
Ship 90 - The SES North Star - New Milford PA
http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/3990
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