ASM2

Well said "positive-beaver"! Are you hearing anything from your sources on "who" actually finally cancelled the show? I had one father of a scout working high up in security telling us everything you mentioned above PLUS - it was NOT the BSA people that cancelled the show that afternoon. The military finally reached the point where they had to step in and DEMAND that the scouts be sent back to their camps. Despite the impending storm the BSA people wanted to go on with the show (specifically the very expensive skit). But I have only heard that from 2 sources. Have you heard that from any of your sources?

Well thank you Mr. White. You have confirmed my greatest fear - that parents will hold me responsible for that day. For I know deep in my heart I am the one responsible for my scouts - no one else. I just can not shake that feeling of responsibility. When all else fails - those boys were in my care and I made the same decision that those in charge made - I offered shade and rest and water to those that obviously needed it - but what I should have done was to require that my scouts stand and march back to camp.

But wait, that would have been worse, or so I reasoned in own bad (heated) judgement. Without updated knowledge that the storm was arriving as quickly as it was I falsely believed that sitting in the sun or shade was better than walking in the sun. At least they were at rest. The three miles I ran EVERY morning for three months preparing to keep up with the scouts left me unprepared for what occured that day.

As rescue units tried in vain to crawl down the same entrance road the scouts were exiting the arena on, my scouts were ushered (ordered) by those in charge into the woods - where they stepped on a yellow jacket nest - one scout was stung 12 times and many others stung only 4 or 5 times. In the sea of scouts it took nearly 15 minutes to make it to a medical tent - only to be told they were CLOSE - completely over whelmed with heat victims. Not knowing if he was alergic - I asked "What do I do if he collapses?" - Call 911 was the official answer I received. My shaken scout finally made it to the next medical tent another 15 minutes later. One of your friends, Mr White, advised that it is wise to look where you are stepping when in the woods. Professional scouts can be so helpful when times are tough! Next time we will be sure to bring our x-ray vision glasses so we can see those little guys in their underground next. At least the scout knew whose fault the adults in charge thought it was that he got stung.

I suppose it was also my responsibility that following the closing arena show we were walking back up the side of Thomas Road in the dark of night - without street lights - without flashlights (as we were not allowed to bring them) as cars and trucks moved both ways on Thomas Road. I am sure were I to turn a trip request (or my son seek approval for an Eagle Service Project) that required scouts to hike on a road with traffic moving in both directions - in the pitch black of night - with Flashlights forbidden - such would NEVER be approved - NEVER!! Yet there we were with the full approval of National professional scouts. Off the road to avoid the traffic - out of the woods to avoid the yellow jackets - trying to manage our way safely back to camp.

In the vast sea of humnanity there was no way for me to corral my 36 scouts - yet I feard then as I do now that others would second guess my ill judgement and hold me responsible as you do Mr. White. I look forward to your guide to assit me in determing who is to stay in camp at the next Jamboree. Because when I walk off and leave that scout in camp and tell him he is not physically fit enough to particitpate in the openning show as everyone else is - I want to be sure I am using the sound and effective judgement of someone like yourself. Imagine you have sent your son with me to Jambo and he returns home to say he missed the President and openning arena show becasue I deemed him physically unfit - left in camp as all the other 35 scouts marched off to the show. Please send me your guidelines - so I know that I am in the right next time.

You guys are missing the real point on the water issue from what I heard. Yes there were water bottles everywhere and I mean everywhere at the first arena show. When I stood to leave just in our troop I would guess there were 200 empty bottles - easily 4 to 6 for each boy. The problem was not the water - the reports I heard was that the boys who were in real medical trouble had taken in larege amounts of water and sweated it all out along with all their electrolites. There was no gatoraid or other such drink offerd. So we received new instructions the next morning regarding drinking one bottle of gatoraid for every two bottles of water.