From the very beginning of the course it occurred to me that first aid, adventure and being prepared are all inseparable, plus an excellent program idea source if I have ever seen one!
They say adventure starts when your plan doesn't quite pan out as expected, not to tempt fate but this does sound pretty much spot on.
First aid also starts when the unexpected takes a turn to the worst and being prepared is not so much about being a prophet but accepting that this can happen and plan for it.
I've once heard that you prepare for the rain by taking an umbrella, no reason to spend to much time preparing for a lovely sunny day is it? (Do wear your sunscreen!)
So week in - week out, in scouting, we help young scouts to have this outlook over things... So if we aim to help them learn First Aid just by doing the DRsABC(DE) and highlighting the use of the necker as a triangular bandage we might miss the opportunity to make it a more holistic experience. After all lessons in scouting become knowledge out there in the field when we do scouty things, not in an academic way or by sitting in a class.
They say adventure starts when your plan doesn't quite pan out as expected, not to tempt fate but this does sound pretty much spot on.
First aid also starts when the unexpected takes a turn to the worst and being prepared is not so much about being a prophet but accepting that this can happen and plan for it.
I've once heard that you prepare for the rain by taking an umbrella, no reason to spend to much time preparing for a lovely sunny day is it? (Do wear your sunscreen!)
So week in - week out, in scouting, we help young scouts to have this outlook over things... So if we aim to help them learn First Aid just by doing the DRsABC(DE) and highlighting the use of the necker as a triangular bandage we might miss the opportunity to make it a more holistic experience. After all lessons in scouting become knowledge out there in the field when we do scouty things, not in an academic way or by sitting in a class.
A Short Story
When
the hiking party got caught out in the rain, a couple of scouts felt a bit
tired and the moral quickly started falling. Hypothermia was high in the
leader's worries and it looked like they had to decide; Do we keep going or do we stop here?
The young leaders immediately saw the opportunity; Set up a tarpaulin, look for dry space to light a camp fire, make some hot chocolate and get us all warmed up. Then we go over our maps, maybe have a team go find a phone signal up the nearby hill, see what needs to be done as we have enough time to alternate the route but if we all feel strong and in high moral 2 hours ahead is the shelter, easy to reach if we are all up and happy again...
Soon enough, the rain stopped, the group packed their stuff and they all got ready to move on, two hours later they arrived at the shelter, didn't even register they did something extraordinary, extraordinary people as scouts are.
The young leaders immediately saw the opportunity; Set up a tarpaulin, look for dry space to light a camp fire, make some hot chocolate and get us all warmed up. Then we go over our maps, maybe have a team go find a phone signal up the nearby hill, see what needs to be done as we have enough time to alternate the route but if we all feel strong and in high moral 2 hours ahead is the shelter, easy to reach if we are all up and happy again...
Soon enough, the rain stopped, the group packed their stuff and they all got ready to move on, two hours later they arrived at the shelter, didn't even register they did something extraordinary, extraordinary people as scouts are.
The Program
I
can see a program stemming from the above case, and it all hinges
around First Aid Training without a triangular bandage in sight although
By all means do incorporate more calamity if you wish.
Scouts should know what to do with just a simple "let's stop here and put the kettle on!". Soon a couple will set up the tarpaulin, another the fire, the kettle and at the same time they can all chill with a few silly songs, thinking about backtracking or going ahead based on what is happening now and not underestimate the condition of the one or two fellow scouts.
If you are prepared for this scenario, aren't you prepared for an adventure?
As a first aider and Leader I can see the benefit of assigning jobs to scouts who are prepared to do them.
It raises morale, gives me time to deal with the casualty and have all the help I need looking after the group as a whole.
A scout program must incorporate all the elements and activities that help to achieve this level of readiness.
To put it another way, my first aid pack is one side of the equation, the group's readiness is the other.
Scouts should know what to do with just a simple "let's stop here and put the kettle on!". Soon a couple will set up the tarpaulin, another the fire, the kettle and at the same time they can all chill with a few silly songs, thinking about backtracking or going ahead based on what is happening now and not underestimate the condition of the one or two fellow scouts.
If you are prepared for this scenario, aren't you prepared for an adventure?
As a first aider and Leader I can see the benefit of assigning jobs to scouts who are prepared to do them.
It raises morale, gives me time to deal with the casualty and have all the help I need looking after the group as a whole.
A scout program must incorporate all the elements and activities that help to achieve this level of readiness.
To put it another way, my first aid pack is one side of the equation, the group's readiness is the other.
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