Lifesaving Badge

[5thGenTexan]

22 minutes ago, SiouxRanger said:

I hope I did not mean "put over head, and TWIST."

I just meant to take the circle formed by the pant legs with waist unit and put one'e head through that hole.

No, we held the thing under our chest once it was "full" with our arms to float.

[RememberSchiff]

6 hours ago, 5thGenTexan said:

No, we held the thing under our chest once it was "full" with our arms to float.

This video is from the  excellent   Navy Skills for Life - Water Survival Training playlist (5 videos)

Note: No belts got wet ,

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by RememberSchiff

[ScoutDad197]

Great to be able to see and visualize this. Over the course of this conversation we have packed and unpacked many belts and different types of pants. Only to talk to a scout who attended our camp in previous years for this badge who said “oh-we never did that…”—we shall see what happens! But seeing this the breathable pants I originally packed would not have worked as well as the chinos now packed. 😃

[DuctTape]

And note about the wet pants fabric holding air, this is best if the fabric is mostly cotton, as cotton swells when wet. Performance fabrics will work as they are generally a tighter weave but may not work as well due to the threads not absorbing water and swelling. 

[mrjohns2]

That used to be part of swimming MB. 

[SiouxRanger]

I'll just add, nearing 68, that when things GO BAD they go bad INSTANTANEOUSLY.

Even a second's interval to think is a luxury.

(Lightning strike at Clear Creek, Philmont, 1975. Had about a minute while racing up a trail to the stricken campsite.)

No time to think, analyze.  Just react.

And one reacts based on their training.  (Training enhances Judgment.)

ET, one does not have time to "phone home."

That is why scouting is so important.

I am convinced that in the few instances I have found myself in crisis situations I managed to make the right decisions based on my training and experiences in Scouting.

(And everyone at that campsite hit by lightning ended up with relatively minor injuries.)

 

 

[BetterWithCheddar]

OP, I hope your son has fun! Lifesaving was my favorite merit badge as a youth. It had a reputation as being very difficult at my local council camp. I did a lot of neat things as a Scout, but I still think of that merit badge as a literal "badge of honor."

[ScoutDad197]

As an update to this, Lifesaving Badge was successfully achieved at summer camp. Taking in everyone’s advice we sent dad’s (larger) pants and belt. Thank you to everyone and for the great stories that came along with the advice!