Be Prepared....

The motto of the Boy Scouts of America. A couple months back we got a call at the station that the local scout troop was interested in sending over a pack/gaggle/herd/brood of Webelos (evidently a rank) to work on their "Readyman Badge". The Readyman Badge is basica first aid/first responder type training for the scouts. Basically to be "ready" for emergency situations they may be presented with in the perfomance of their scouting duties and community service. The Denmaster wanted a couple EMT's from the station to help out and show the little buggers what to do in a bunch of different situations:

#1:
(explain first aid)Activity: Discussion Questions
#2:
(help list for home)Activity: Discussion and complete Help List handout.
#3:
(bleeding, breathing, poison, heart attack)Activity: play-act situation and treat the problem.
#4:
(treat shock)Activity: play-act situation and treat the problem.
#5:
(cuts, burns, choking)Activity: play-act situation and treat the problem.
#6:
(safe swim)Activity: review rules from Aquanaut badge
#8:
(fire escape plan)Homework: with family, define a plan
#9:
(first aid kit usage)Activity: disect our 1st aid kitHomework: check first aid kit at home with parents
#10:
(likely accidents)Activity: Discussion
#11:
(car safety)Activity: Discussion

Not too bad, right? WRONG!!!!! It wasnt a bad thing but i have never met a group of kids that was so interested and packed with "what if" questions. I forgot how annoying i was as a little kid, man i'd have hurt myself. It took us 30 minutes longer than we had intended to cover HALF of the material. THEY'RE COMING BACK NEXT WEEK!!!

Its fun and I love teaching, and it makes it easy that the kids are interested, but keeping them on track is a bit challenging. Oh well, they're coming back we'll play a quick recall game to see if they soaked up any useful info and get them on their way and with a shiny new badge to show for it.

I think some of the parents learned a lot too, gave out the number for poison control, told the kids about how its not a BAD thing to call 911 but never do it as a joke. Showed them aroudn the firestation and of course all the kids loved the fire engine and the ambulance.

I'll write more about when the little terror's come back next week.