What is an emergency service project?

[BartHumphries]

The Emergency Preparedness service project says, "Take part in an emergency service project, either a real one or a practice drill, with a Scouting unit or a community agency." So, what's an emergency service project?

 

I was thinking something like, and it's winter, so I have cold on the mind... someone calls up, "My pipes froze last night and now it's leaking in my living room!" "It turns out we don't have enough wood, do you have any to spare?" Time to go fix a broken pipe, or cut/split wood or something.

 

At first I was thinking of some sort of disaster-related scenario that would also require first aid, but it does say "service project". I guess bandaging neighbors would count as service.

 

What sorts of things have you all seen?

[moosetracker]

Is this a special type of Service project that you get special recognition for over your normal type service project.. Or do you mean a requirement in the Emerg. Prep. Merit Badge book??

 

If you think of all the people who come out to help people who have been flooded out of their homes, ruined by Earthquakes, fires etc.. Those volunteers are participating in an emergency service project.. With Scouts you would not want them in harms way, so they would more likely be of help at the emergancy shelters or something like that.

 

But I know when power goes down for large areas and many might be out of power for a week or more (especially during winter weather).. They will sometimes label that a state of emergancy too.. Still to be a service project you would need to help more then your own family.

[chaoman45]

It is E-Prep MB requirement 7.

 

I think when I did it, it was a scenario where some guy had a car accident and we had to secure the area and render first aid. Basically, you are training for an emergency. It doesn't have to be "service," per se. The wording of the requirement makes it so. The intent is to practice your skills. How would your unit deal with a (pretend) earthquake? A forest fire? A flood? Virus?

[Basementdweller]

Our community offers semi annual emergency preparedness drills for first responders.....I bet participating in that would qualify for it.

[shortridge]

Other examples might be:

 

>> Running a community emergency preparedness workshop for senior citizens, including information on what to include in emergency kits, handouts with emergency contact information, evacuation routes and locations of emergency shelters.

 

>> Helping the Red Cross with a CPR or First Aid training program.

 

>> Running a disaster drill with the Red Cross, Citizen Corps or other local group to test emergency capabilities.

 

>> Helping a local ham radio group with an emergency communications test.

[Papadaddy]

In my experience, Scouts often assist with disaster drills, serving as mock "victims", or older scouts can help with crowd and traffic control.

[qwazse]

Our crew and troop once served as victims in a triage drill at the local airport. They needed hundreds of volunteers. The youths' time and availability was greatly appreciated.

[Frank17]

We generally do the drill, by calling up the local fire department or hospital service and participating in one of their emergency drills (massive car accident; flood preparation / injuries; large high-rise fire). The scouts enjoy being victims and the emergency providers enjoy teaching the scouts about how they can help and work with emergency services.

 

I can't say I can recommend waiting around until the real emergency shows up to do your service project.

[srisom]

Around here, Scouts and leaders used to be used as victims in sccident scenes for drills. Even had them involved in a terrorist plot with one of the leadrs, a minister, playing the main part of a terrorist.

 

They stopped using the Scouts a few years ago saying it was a potential problem with insurance. Not sure that was the real reason.

 

The Scouts and adults had great times helping with the drills. Maybe we can get them involved again.

[OwntheNight]

At winter camp a couple of years ago, our Troop worked on this. We ended up doing a lost scout scenario.

 

All scouts were supposed to meet at the flags before lunch. SPL and ASPL's always did troop counts to verify all patrols were present and accounted for. This time, one of the ASPL's was not present and accounted for. He had set up the premise for this, by telling a couple of boys he was going off for a hike after breakfast. All Patrol's were organized and branched off by groups, and then headed out in each direction calling for him. After about 20 minutes, we hear one group call out they had found him, every body reconvened at the flag poles with ASPL in tow.

 

Little bugger was sitting in my car enjoying my heated seats and my satellite radio the entire time!

[Tampa Turtle]

I thought an emergency service project was when a scout realizes he has not done any service hours and the COH is in 2 weeks?

[Stosh]

Tampa! That was my first thought when I read the thread title!

 

One could also do different educational programs for the community, i.e. Smoke/Carbon Monoxide promotion/awareness, Fire Extinguisher promotion/awareness, Medical bracelet awareness.

 

They could also do safety checks of public buildings, panic bar exits, exit lights all working, power outage emergency light check, door blockages, etc.

 

Provide literature to neighborhoods on Tornado awareness, Storm/Blizzard awareness, Medical emergency phone numbers, 9-1-1, medical doctor, clergy, etc. for elderly, or maybe marking homes who have small children, elderly and/or pets in a fire emergency.

 

Auto/traveler's medical and bad weather kit lists.

 

There are many ideas like these that would fit into the project arena without being in a drill where insurance might be a problem.

 

Going door-to-door in a neighborhood and ask people if they have certain items ready in an emergency, i.e. water, radio, food cache, medicines handy, first aid kits, flashlights, alarms all with good batteries, etc. If they don't, it might get the homeowners thinking about such things. Kind of like a safety fair, but instead of having people come to a certain location, the scouts fan out and go to the people. Could work either way. Maybe a scout safety booth at the local craft fair or sporting event.

 

Stosh

[Jay K]

We were part of a dedicated population at the amusement park at the Mall of America. We participated in an evacuation drill which was held to verify whether their evacuation plan was workable. It was, but I bet Scouts are more mangeable than an actual panicky general crowd...

I told the Scouts that they had all fulfilled a requirement for Emergency Preparedness, but that they had to get Lifesaving Merit Badge first. (I'm an Aquatics Director.) We all had a good laugh over that.

[Tampa Turtle]

I am teaching EM MB now for the first time. How much collaboration between individual scouts would you think is appropriate? If I have 6 boys working on it about the same time does the Troop really need 6 individual mobilization plans? Or am I missing the point (i.e. teach the boy not the badge) and focusing on the finished product?

[Jay K]

I'm no expert on EPMB, as I am very aquatics oriented, but my impression is that 1 Scout is the leader and the other 5 would be the rescue crew (6b) and for 8(a) it seems that 1 Scout writes the plan, and explains it to the others, so for 6 Scouts, they would each have to do that requirement, i.e., you might have to see each Scout explain it to the others 6 repetitions. Fun.