Emergency Service for Seniors
By Ralph H. MozaAssistant National Director, Senior Scouting Service
By Ralph H. MozaAssistant National Director, Senior Scouting Service
By Ralph H. MozaAssistant National Director, Senior Scouting Service
By Ralph H. MozaAssistant National Director, Senior Scouting Service
●Before the swirling flood waters had stopped pouring into Vanport, Oregon, last May, Sea Scouts were driving rescue boats through the break in the levee. They had been alerted two days earlier, and were ready when called.
Will your Senior Unit be ready when needed for disaster duty?
You cannot answer that question easily, because flood, fire, explosion, tornado, and earthquake strike so suddenly that there rarely is time for alerting. You may even think you will never have to face an emergency. But remember, few of the people at any scene of disasterexpectedit to happen to themselves!
One thing is certain: if an emergency does occur in your community, Senior Scouts who have had emergency service training will be very greatly appreciated men to have on hand.
Every registered Senior Scout Unit is a potential Emergency Service Corps. As a Senior Scout registers in his Unit and becomes an Apprentice Senior Scout, he can at the same time become an Emergency Service Apprentice.
The Emergency Service Corps consists of Senior Scouts in their existing Units, under their own leadership, or Crews of Emergency Service Corps members in registered Boy Scout Troops, under their own Unit leadership. The term “Crew” replaces “Patrol” in Troops, thus indicating that it is a young man’s group.
There are three good reasons for promoting Emergency Service Training in Senior Units:
1. Senior Scouts are often the first to be called for service when disaster strikes. With this in mind, Emergency Service Training stimulates interest in the service principle of Scouting, as out-lined in the Oath, Law, and Motto.
2. As one of the important parts in the vigorous physical activity program requiring knowledge and skill, Emergency Service Training can be one of the important activities planned and promoted by the outdoor committee.
3. It develops knowledge and skills which contribute to the worthwhile training of the Scout, and insures his effectiveness in time of Emergency.
THE NEW PLAN
One of the most important changes in the Emergency Service Training Plan is that the emphasis is now on training being carried out within the Unit, under Unit leadership. It is recommended that the Local Council have a member of the District Commissioner’s Staff specialize as a coordinatorof all Emergency Service Corps Units within his District. His responsibility would be to coordinate and supervise the activity of Emergency Service Corps within his area, organized in Senior Scout Units and Emergency Service Crews (within Scout Troops). He would stimulate Emergency Service Training within the Unit, providing lists of qualified instructors in the various skills required for Corps membership. He would recommend joint planning of inter-Unit and District activities for the purpose of Emergency Service Training, practice, and demonstration when and as desirable.
If an area larger than a geographical District is stricken, a Scout Executive, a Field Executive, or a Special Field Commissioner, should serve as Special Director and coordinator of the various Emergency Service Corps involved.
START NOW!
Now is the time to start pointing out the various phases of Emergency Service Training to program planning committees, and indicating how it affects them. Get them to suggest plans for organizing a Corps within their Unit.
The Senior Scout is immediately qualified as an Apprentice Emergency Service Corps member if the information obtained in any recent medical examination is sufficient to cover the items listed on the application for membership (Form C-1278, Cat. No. 4425), by adding the health history, and filing the application with parents’ approval.
The next step is to develop activity programs which will enable him to qualify for full membership. The requirements for the Emergency Service Corps are as follows:
Be a Registered Air Scout Observer, Explorer Woodsman, Ordinary Sea Scout, or First Class Scout of 15 or over, in excellent physical condition as shown by medical examination. He must run one mile in 7½ minutes, and climb an 18-foot rope, hand over hand in 25 seconds or less. He must whip the ends of a rope of at least ½-inch in diameter, and tie a square knot, sheet bend, bowline, bowline-on-a-bight, two half hitches, clove hitch, clove hitch secured with half hitch, taut line hitch, and Timber hitch.
Finally, he must have the written permission of his parents or guardian, the approval of his Unit leader, and must have earned the following Merit Badges: First Aid, Firemanship, Life Saving, Path-finding, Personal Health, Public Health, Rowing (where necessary), and Safety.
Photo by George Berstrom
Photo by George Berstrom
Photo by George Berstrom