the virtual suggestions box

[Lisabob]

Brent mentioned in his post that maybe he needs a suggestions box where boys can put their ideas for new meeting ideas. I thought it might be fun to have a virtual box here, for us.

 

I'll start us off. The other day I was reading this article in Cook's Illustrated about kitchen grease fires (pg. 25 in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue, if anyone is interested). The author teamed up with a local fire department to find out what the typical causes and characteristics are for such fires, and how people should respond if they have a kitchen fire. And she wanted to test out different approaches to putting out grease fires.

 

So, they bought a bunch of different types of fire extinguishers, went to the fire department's practice area, and WITH the fire chief, they set a bunch of grease fires to try out the extinguishers.

 

The results were really interesting, combining some common sense, chemistry, and experience. Some of the extinguishers were easier/harder to use. Some actually caused the fire to grow or spread. Some were not terribly effective. Some worked pretty well.

 

The author points out that most people do not have experience using a fire extinguisher, and the fire chief said you typically have less than 2 minutes before the kitchen fire gets beyond the point of what a typical little home fire ext. can handle anyway, so you don't have time to run and find the thing, read the directions, and learn how to use it on the fire.

 

I thought, wow, this could be a really cool troop meeting activity(WITH the fire department!). I've never met a boy who wasn't at least somewhat fascinated with fire. This is a real-life emergency preparedness skill. The kids' parents might not even know how to use a fire extinguisher (I've never used one...have you?). At a minimum, kids might go home, look around the kitchen, and ask "Where is our fire extinguisher?"

 

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

One that's always good on a spring or summer evening is the 10 mile bike ride! It's a chance for them to do a qualifying ride for Cycling, and the youth pretty typically are glad to be away from the meeting room. It's even better if there's root beer floats at the end of the ride.

 

Another one I've seen is "Dutch Oven Dessert Chef" competition. Give Patrols an identical hamper of ingredients. 90 minutes later, they share desserts. Patrols cannot eat their own dessert. Ballots determine best patrol (ballots are customized ... the Owls cannot vote for themselves, ditto the Bears, the Foxes...)

[BrentAllen]

While not nearly as exciting as Lisa's fire idea (which I think would be great, with lots of parents interested in viewing, as well), I'm thinking that learning how to properly go on a night hike along the roads might be a nice change of pace. Learn and practice the real lessons - tie a white cloth or reflective material around your right arm and leg, use flashlights or headlamps-but keep them out of the eyes of drivers, stay single file on the left side of the road, etc.

 

Add in using a compass, how to find direction at night (will be tough to do with all the ground light, but might be possible). With the compass, they could record their path and write it up as for directions for another group to follow. Or have the PLC lay out the course beforehand (teach advance planning) and have the patrols follow it, with them all ending up at either Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks for hot chocolate.

[ScoutNut]

REI is a great resource for Boy Scout Troops. They will put on a training program for the Troop for any number of different outdoor activities, including LNT.

 

 

[JerseyScout]

All great ideas. The grease fire meeting stands out, I'd definately like to see that myself.

 

One of the popular ones in my group is the Search & Rescue/First Aid scenero. Pick a Scout (or adult) and send them out to lie down somewhere. Each patrol has to organize a search for the person, then acess the situation and take care of it.

 

My favorite time was when we first did this a few years ago and had a piece of rope laying out by the Scout. What they didn't know was that was a "power line". None of the patrols made it 30 seconds without adding three more victims as they rushed in without checking the scene out. Any Scout who was involved in that (they are the older kids running things now) makes sure to take time to acess the situation now.

 

Want to make it even better? Buy a bunch of fake blood cheap from Halloween stores just after the holiday and make it more realistic. There are also places you can go online to order stuff that makes it look and even smell like a real disaster scene (they use this stuff for nurse training). Take the old or expired bandages out of the troop first aid kit (make sure you have fresh replacements already bought) and use those for treatment.

 

 

[Eamonn]

Kinda what Jersey Scout posted.

In the UK we have the Casualties Union

http://www.casualtiesunion.org.uk/photos_dec03.html

They do a wonderful job of providing "Casualties" for First Aid Meets.

The District I was in back in London used them every year. A few Scout became interested and joined.

Have Scouts learn to be a casualty tie is a great way of teaching first Aid. (Chicken bones work great.)

Eamonn.

[John-in-KC]

ScoutNut...

 

That only applies when the Co-op is local to you. Nearest store to me is 250 miles away, in St Louis.

 

Rest assured neither Cabela's nor Bass Pro (both local) are anywhere as deep into LNT as REI. Now, if you want to learn how to use a deep fry turkey burner...(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)