Missing Boy Scout just found alive!

[Cubmaster-Fred]

Great news we all heard yesterday. Glad the boy is all right.

 

CMF

 

 

[berkshirescouter]

Great news, but here is someting to think about.

A news report this morning (6/22/05) stated the boy saw the people looking for him a while ago, but he did not go to them because they were strangers. In our zeal to protect children from preditors we almost lost one to the wilderness.

[Kahuna]

I noticed the same thing. The boy was afraid of strangers because of all the warnings he'd been given. But what can you do? You have to train them to be wary of strangers, but at the same time let them know there are certain exceptions. It's a problem since kids do not make fine distinctions.

[bbng]

I'm sure there will be many lessons--or reinforcements of them at least--as a result of this boy's last week. It sure does highlight the purpose of the buddy system and why it should always be used. The news about the strangers/searchers is disturbing, and perhaps a way to deal with that in the future will come of this. I can't even imagine how tired and frightened he must have been at this point, all alone, waiting for help, but not recognizing it and therefore hiding from it. He strikes me as a smart boy, who handled a scary situation in the best way possible for 11 years old--or older. How do we teach our children to recognize help in the form of strangers? That's a tough question to me, but if we teach them to hug a tree, how do we let them know when it's ok to let go of it?

[KoreaScouter]

Searchers are aware that lost kids may avoid them due to parental cautions about strangers, embarrassment, fear (particularly if search dogs are involved), fatigue, what have you. There are protocols for this, to include calling the lost child's name continuously, so he knows they're looking for him; distinctive clothing or identification to make all of them, even the volunteers, appear "official"; markers or tags that identify areas already searched, AND contain "get found" instructions for the lost kid if he sees the marker; making sure that a significant percentage of the searchers are women. There are others, but you get the point.

 

It's funny how we default to what our parents taught us, which is what their parents taught them. The stranger warning is one, and one that just can't be complied with from a practical standpoint. Another is the "find a policeman if we get separated" instruction. Both go back to small towns or insular neighborhoods, where everyone knew everybody else, and beat cops were on every corner. Welcome to the 21st century. To a little kid, the FedEx guy might look like a cop, and many people don't know their next door neighbors' names, let alone anything about them. When my kids were little, I told them that if we got separated, find the nearest woman with small kids, walk up to her, and tell her you can't find your parents. In five minutes, we'll be reunited. It works, just think about it.

 

KS

 

 

[bbng]

Thank you KS. I didn't know how the searchers would handle this. Thanks too for the "look for a woman with small children" advice; that makes far more sense than the standard watch out for strangers advice.

[briantshore]

I was at work today, and heard a little about this story on the radio. The local DJ's were saying that the boy was 11 years old, and wondering about what suvival skills he had learned in the scouts.

The fact that he was out west I would hope he would have learned some skills. I will have to look up to get the full story.

One thing that was not talked about yet, is that when you are lost, SIT DOWN AND STAY PUT!!!!

It also gives us a prime example to show our scouts what could happen to anyone if we do not use the buddy system. I am currently a Cub Scout Den Leader. I was familler with the buddy system as a scout mainly when we were using aquatic activities. What change have been made in the last 25 years, I am not certain of. I do wonder if the leaders are using the buddy system also.

remember my favorite phrase (LEAD BY EXAMPLE)

Brian

[SeattlePioneer]

A month or so ago there was a thread in which some people suggested that things like flashlights and knives could be shared between participants on backpacking trips. We didn't get as far as the possibility of sharing such things as a map and compass.

 

But this kind of lost Scout situation illustrates to my satisfaction why everyone needs to carry safety equipment such as a knife, flashlight, map, compass, extra food, extra clothing, matches and the rest of the ten essentials ---and more.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[juris]

We in Scouting are all glad that this boy has been found. In my days of scouting we did not tie our boys with a buddy system. Only at the waterfront and when the boys took solo hike, and they had to have a strong walkie talkie with them so they could communicate with home base.I have a few questions to pose for you.

 

a...was the boy 10 1/2 or younger (some parents forged their son's age so the boy could go to a camp free ) Was he mature to undertake staying at a rugged camp ? Why was he allowed to use the climbing tower at age 10 1/2. I remember they had to be 14, Have rules changed ? I suspect the boy was homesick and that is why he walked west from camp. I think he knew very well where his campsite was. When I had a home sick boy , I always had some one, for nothing better then to cheer him up. Why did the Troop notice his disapearance so late, close to darkness. Where was the Camp Staff immediately not searching for the boy. Why was not the loud speaker system not used to play music or call out his name ? Looking at the TV news, I feel this boy could have have some emotional problems, maybe with his parents, who just wanted to get rid of him, so they can have their own vacation ?

 

Thanks for the media, or otherwise we would have never found this out. ( Where was out training commitee on aims and concepts of Scouting. Juris,www ( SM for 30+ years )

[reid01]

I think i heard about that story too. Wasn't the boy out there in the mountains for three days but survived because of the knowledge he got from scouting.

[concerned_scout66]

I think you might be remembering references to Jonathan Hubble, the 15 YO Scout who was found last week after spending 2-3 days lost in the mountains above Fresno.

 

In both situations, however, these boys both violated even the most basic rules about being found. Brennan Hawkins was just too young to have ever been allowed on that trip. Jon Hubble was 15, prepared, experienced, and convinced that he could self-rescue himself. I don't think I've ever seen both ends of the spectrum show up in the same month.

 

Concerned

[Lynda J]

The leaders also have responsibility in this because they did not enforce the buddy system.

[SR540Beaver]

I had not heard about Jon Hubble until I read about him here. I did a google search and read about him. While he did a lot of things right, he did a lot of things wrong. He was found in spite of himself. He built a fire, he took efforts to make rescue signs seen. Yet, he kept moving instead of sitting still and waiting to be found. It is hard to find a needle in a haystack, especially if it keeps shifting position just out of your reach constantly. Heck, he even said he heard people on bull horns and figured they were looking for someone else!!! What? He even stumbled on some campers and headed back out and got lost again. I think he knew he was sorta kinda maybe a little lost, but not really. If he kept wondering around, he'd eventually pop out somewhere familiar. He was one lucky kid.

[Matthew43]

In concerned_scout66 message about Brennan Hawkins being to young. That's NOT TRUE at all they have camp for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Some Boy Scouts start out at the age 11 (especially ones who graduate from Cub Scout to Boy scouts). I don't know where you got that info about Brennan being to young!! Brennan's age is actually ideal for being a Boy Scout.

 

Now yes I do agree the buddy system rules were violated. But that wasn't Brennan's fault at all, it was his buddy's!! As he run off on Brennan before Brennan could even get out of his climbing harness!!

 

Plus in Brennan's case where he had no partner to follow with it could happen to ANY SCOUT!! Its very easy to take a wrong turn especially if you didn't know the camp well!!

 

Yes Brennan violated the STOP rule of being lost. But he's ONLY 11YR's old, who's never been trained in Wilderness Survival!! So he wouldn't know what to do when he was lost.

 

Its just EXCELLENT to know that he was found, alive, and in good health, thats what REALLY COUNTS!! THANK GOD!!

 

I pray that Brennan does stick with scouting even after this ordeal he had. I think personally he would like scouting!!

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Matthew43)