tapout/callout ceremony after dark with no fire...

[kahits]

I just got the word, we won't be able to have camp fire for this weekends ceremony. We were planning on having two fires to do our ceremonies, but need an alternative idea, instead. My first idea was to just move it up, before sunset, but that is probably not going to be possible. Anybody have a good idea of how to do a night ceremony without a fire?(This message has been edited by kahits)

[ASM416]

How about torches? I have seen some very bright and long lasting ones made from a roll of TP. I don't know the specifics (if there are any other ingredients) but maybe someone else can help with that. Have fun!

[GernBlansten]

Usually a fire ban encompasses all open flame not controlled with a valve. TP torches probably are banned also. In our region, all OA ceremonies have propane fire pits since during the summer months, we are usually under a fire ban. Or they go without a fire. My tapout was done without a fire at sunset.

[John-in-KC]

Why do we have two threads on this topic running?

 

I'm for doing the ceremony at noon.

[kahits]

Yes, no open flames.... this is being held next to a gun club (for the shooting event), but is pretty primitive, so no means to have even a propane fire, if that wouild even be allowed. I would love to move up the ceremony, but this camporee is so over scheduled, it runs to Noon on Sunday, just for the events. It's going to be dark, no way around that.

[GernBlansten]

Coleman makes a portable propane fire pit. I've seen them used by troops at camporees when traditional campfires were banned. I think they are technically classified as stoves or gas appliances so they are not usually banned.

[John-in-KC]

Having grown up in Southern California, having seen the Santa Susannah, San Gabriel, and Santa Monica ranges burn, I say again:

 

The camporee organizer needs to contact the area Fire Chief, TODAY. The local Fire Chief, or one of his officers, needs to define the limits of the burn ban. If the ban is absolute, do not dare to try and slip around it. PERIOD.

 

I grew up in the tinder box which is Southern California. If the fire danger is "extreme," then there should not be so much as a Bic being flicked. Scouts are Obedient.

 

As for the over-scheduling of camporee events, that is a serious conversation in ADULT capacities between the Camping Chair, the Activities Chair, the OA Adviser, and the District Chairman.

[kahits]

I agree, John. They are going to use some portable flood lights, becasue they have to teach range safety on Friday night, and will use that for the tapout circle. It won't be the same as a fire, but as long as we don't over light it, the ceremony should be fine. Hearing the bells of the dancer in the ceremony team approaching in the darkness should be still very interesting. Once they have tapped them out they will take them to another location with a single propane lantern to do the rest of the ceremony. We don't want to risk starting a fire, even though they had a truck with 600 gallons and a 100 ft. hose that could pump the water out another 50 feet. What brought this about was a massive fire, not far away that started yesterday, so it could have been alot worse. As for the event going to noon on Sunday, it could have all been done on Saturday, but alot of events were scheduled for an hour, and it became a nightmare to schedule. Now we have a chedule with alot of open blocks for alternate activities, but many of the units won't be completing the the event, and will leave after breakfasat on Sunday. The LDS units will leave Saturday night after the ceremony. As the Camping Chair and Chapter adviser, I think we need to talk about this, between the organizer, who is going to be the new activites chair, and our new DE. He assumed there was going to be alot more people coming then will likly show up, and it wasn't worth the effot to extend this, when whoever gets the awards for the most points will be an exercise in who wanted or could stay until the end. Getting home late Sunday afternoon is alot to ask, when it's always been over late Saturday night.

[Horizon]

Restate my comment from the other thread:

 

Glowsticks attached to blunt arrows fired from the sides of the stage area to cross / land near where you light up your light.

 

I promise - flying, glowing arrows are FUN! You just need to practice, and ensure safe angles for the shots.

[kenk]

I like the glowstick idea for certain parts of the ceremony. I also can see the use of lots of keroscene lanterns being a cool replacement for a fire. I first thought about Coleman lanterns, but they tend to be too bright - almost electric lightbulb like.

 

Heck, with some imagination you could do some nice things with just flashlights too.

[epalmer84]

We had a burn ban enacted the day before a camporee a while back. They drove a stake in the ground and had everyone shne their flashlight at it. It worked better then I would have thought.

 

Ed

[moxieman]

I like Epalmer's idea. One of the extra things we've added to ours regardless of whether or not we can have a fire (and even in Maine we've had bans before) is a flute player hidden off in the woods playing a few notes as the clansman approach the circle and again as they leave.

[John-in-KC]

kahits,

 

How did you get there from here, now that it's happened???