I hope all of you Scouters out there are able to complete your Nap on Safely training during summer camp. Show that you have completed your training with these “Nap on Safely” business cards.

This is a spoof of BSA training cards. Use these for your own joke training session or create your own Scoutmaster or Scout unit “business” cards with your contact information. The text on the back can be customized to meet your own needs.

“Nap on Safety” Training Cards by ScouterMom
Fulfill your business card order at zazzle.com.

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Our council has a “Toasted Chit” training for pressurized fuel use. I think this is a local requirement, but I thought the organization of the material might be helpful to anyone doing pressurized fuel instruction. So keep that in mind when reading.

Adults in our council are required to attend Toasted Chit training every three years and it must be conducted by a council approved trainer. So reading this should not be considered a replacement for official council training if your council has similar requirements.

Once trained, adults can train and supervise youth members. I get the feeling that our council actively discourages the use of pressurized fuel except in specific situations. I heard the suggestion that we use the “abundance of downed wood” in our area several times when I attended the training this past fall.

What I am giving here is just the outline. The actual training took about an hour.

If you are teaching others about the use of chemical fuels, you should also look at the Chemical Fuels and Equipment section of the Guide to Safe Scouting.

Toasted Chit

Three most important things to remember: Safety, Safety, Safety

T for Training

• A minimum of one TRAINED adult to supervise
• One mistake and TRAINED toasted chit should be revoked

O for Operation

• Know the OPERATION of the equipment you are using
• The refueling OPERATION for the equipment shall be 20 feet from the cooking area
• Before putting any stove in OPERATION, it shall be checked for leaks

A for Area

• Keep the cooking AREA free from Scout games
• Store fuel in a well ventilated AREA that can be secured
• Must have 4 feet open AREA above any equipment

S for Safety

• For SAFETY, one trained adult minimum
• A fire extinguisher should be present for SAFETY
• Never leave fuel or equipment unattended

T for Test

• TEST each other on the correct rules to follow
• TEST all connections fore leaks with bubbles before lighting
• TEST to make sure the flame is lit

E for Equipment

• Know the EQUIPMENT you are going to be using
• Read the EQUIPMENT operating instructions

D for Done

• When DONE, allow equipment to cool
• Remove pressure when DONE
• Store equipment safely
• When you have reviewed TOASTED and followed the safety guide, you are DONE

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The Sweet 16 of BSA Safety describe the measures we should use at all Scouting activities. The ninth point of the Sweet 16 is Weather Check (see below).

We’ve seen a lot of crazy weather over the last few months, so hopefully everyone knows to use their heads about the weather. It is important to know the difference between uncomfortable weather and hazardous weather. We don’t want to cancel every time there is a chance of rain, but we do need to find out if those storms heading our way could include lightening or could spawn tornadoes.  BSA provides a great online course for learning about hazardous weather. Check my article Weather Hazards Online Training for more information.

From the Sweet 16 of BSA Safety on the Scouting.org website:
8. WEATHER CHECK
The risk factors in many outdoor activities vary substantially with weather conditions. These variables and the appropriate response should be understood and anticipated.

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Today, I am continuing my review of A Scout Leader’s Guide to Youth Leadership Training: Working the Patrol Method. You can see part 1 of this review at

Review: General Format, Introduction, and Section 1

I am actually writing this post ahead of time, since I plan to be camping when it is published. Hopefully I will have some time for reading on my vacation so I can post a review of sections 4 and 5 next week.

Section 2: The “Why of Scout Leadership Training”

This section is basically a history of Baden-Powell and his experiment at Brownsea Island. I was familiar with the story of the origins of Scouting, but not in this detail. So I really enjoyed reading this section and learning more.  Understanding the history of Scouting helps you realize why the patrol method is a pillar of the program.

Section 3: The Patrol Method: A Scoutmaster’s Perspective

This section goes into detail about why the power and control which Scouts receive through the patrol method are important. It also gives some insight into why modern youth are not used to this type of responsiblity. I was very happy to find that it also gave some tips on communicating to parents the importance of the patrol method and the expectations of the Boy Scout program. Finally, it includes a very nice Patrol Leader’s Pledge and a list of Patrol Members Rights and Responsibilites. Very helpful!

If you are interested in this book but you don’t have a copy yet, it is available on Amazon. I’d love to hear other Scouters’ thoughts on this book and how the patrol method is going in their troops. So leave a comment below.

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I recently started reading a book called A Scout Leader’s Guide to Youth Leadership Training: Working the Patrol Method. It is by Rob Faris, Ted Knight, Harry Wimbrough, and Joseph Durel – all Eagle Scouts.

I don’t have as much free time for reading as I’d like to, but I’ve read the first few sections and I am really impressed with this book. Training youth leaders and really implementing the patrol method are things which our Boy Scout  troop continues to struggle with.

Since I am not finished with this book yet, I can’t review the entire book. So I am going to review it in pieces. Today I am reviewing the general format, the introduction, and section one.  If you have read the book, add your comments on any of these sections below. We can have a “virtual book club”. Next week, I’ll review sections 2 and 3, so if you have the book, read along and join in.

General Format

The book is well organized and practical. Some of the things I like about the format is that it includes “leadership yarns”.  These are stories used to illustrate the concepts. These make the book very readable. They are interspersed in the sections, providing concrete examples of how the concepts are applied or not applied in typical Boy Scout troops.

There are also a good number of quotes from Baden-Powell, which is a big plus. While the world has changed a lot since his time, his original theories are still relevant to modern troops.

Introduction

The introduction gives a basic overview of what is being presented, but also provides some other interesting nuggets of information. It emphasizes that in many cases adults are doing too much of the “doing” in our troops. This book emphasizes that while that might lead to an efficient, well run troop, that is not really what the Boy Scout program is all about.

In the introduction and throughout the book, the authors return over and over again to the point that the purpose of adults in a troop is not to make sure plans are carried out efficiently. The purpose of the adults is to train our youth leaders. I think that is why I am so enthusiastic about this book. We have a great troop, but getting the adults to step back and not carry everything out for the youth is difficult.

And to be honest, I have to admit that I probably intervene more than I should from time to time. Usually this is just for expediency. It is so much easier just to do it myself sometimes. But this book is a good reminder to step back and remember what we are trying to do.

Section 1: Understanding and Telling “The Why”

Section 1 is about communicating to the youth why we are doing things via the patrol method. Youth leaders should understand the purpose of Scouting. They in turn, should communicate the reasoning to the younger members. I think this is a really good point. This section has some good leadership yarns about the importance of communication. It also offers some practical examples about how to work this into the troop program through the Scoutmaster Conference or Board of Review.

The only thing I wish is that it had more about how to get the parents to understand the patrol method and why we are using it. It doesn’t do any good to have a handful of adults who understand the program and are trying to really fully implement the patrol method, but then to have other adults step in and try to do things more efficiently by doing things themselves. Hopefully there will be more about this later in the book.

If you are interested in this book but you don’t have a copy yet, it is available on Amazon. I’d love to hear other Scouters’ thoughts on this book and how the patrol method is going in their troops. So leave a comment below.

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National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is an intense week long leadership training class for youth.

We are fortunate that our Council has a strong NYLT program, offering four weeks of classes for Boy Scouts in both a traditional “land based” format and a “pack and paddle” format. For the pack and paddle, they spend three days going from one campsite to another by canoe and the other three days backpacking. The course materials are taught on the trail along the way. This year they are even offering a coed pack and paddle option for Venturers.

Both JD and DS have been to NYLT. In addition, DS served on staff for one of the weeks last summer. They both thought it was a great experience. JD did the land based  program and DS did a pack and paddle program. Both came back with a lot of new information about how the patrol method should work, how to teach skills to younger Scouts, and how to lead.

If your troop is not taking advantage of this program, I strongly encourage you to look into it.  Our troop tries to send at least two Scouts every year. It is a big budget expense for us, but it pays off in the long run. Usually we send 13 or 14 year olds. The Scouts you send to NYLT need to be mature enough to work cooperatively with a group of other youth they didn’t previously know.

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On New Year’s Eve. tornados tore through our neighboorhood about a half mile away from where I live. Yesterday, while I was out walking, I saw some of the damage firsthand. The destructive power of nature is both amazing and terrifying. Four homes were taken down to their foundations and many others were severely damaged. Miraculously, only minor injuries were sustained by the occupants. They reported that it came without warning and was over in about half a minute. They had to think very quickly to get themselves to safety.

So today I am reposting my post from last month on the Weather Hazards Course. If you have not taken this class, please do – for your own safety and the safety of your Scouts.

Repost:

The BSA Online Training Center at http://olc.scouting.org offers more than just youth protection courses. One of the courses I took a couple of years ago was the Weather Hazards course.  While much of the information in the course was stuff I already knew and some of it didn’t seem to apply to our area (we don’t worry too much about hurricanes in Missouri) it was worthwhile to review the material.

When we take our Scouts out camping or hiking, we need to be prepared for unexpected changes in the weather. The weather on the first camping trip I went on with my first Webelos den was “not as advertised”.  As a novice camper, there was enough for me to handle without unexpected rain and unseasonably cold weather in late April. I had another Scouter with me who was an experienced camper, so all was fine. Plus the Boy Scout troop was on the other side of the field. But imagine if two inexperienced adults took some Webelos out on a hike and the weather suddenly turned ugly. That could be serious trouble.

Now I have a lot more experience under my belt and I am very comfortable and confident when I go hiking or camping. But a lot of that experience came through training. Getting the right training will help you know how to cope with unexpected situations and to see when it is time to bug out on an outing. And no matter how much experience you have, remember not to be too confident in your skills. If you have any doubts at all, call it off or turn around and go back.

So I recommend the Weather Hazards course at the Online Training Center. It is long – maybe a couple of hours – but you can do part of it and then pick up later where you left off. And even though this training doesn’t expire, I’ll probably go through the relevant sections again sometime soon.

Copyright Scouter Mom - A resource for adults and youth involved in Scouting

The BSA Online Training Center at http://olc.scouting.org offers more than just youth protection courses. One of the courses I took a couple of years ago was the Weather Hazards course.  While much of the information in the course was stuff I already knew and some of it didn’t seem to apply to our area (we don’t worry too much about hurricanes in Missouri) it was worthwhile to review the material.

When we take our Scouts out camping or hiking, we need to be prepared for unexpected changes in the weather. The weather on the first camping trip I went on with my first Webelos den was “not as advertised”.  As a novice camper, there was enough for me to handle without unexpected rain and unseasonably cold weather in late April. I had another Scouter with me who was an experienced camper, so all was fine. Plus the Boy Scout troop was on the other side of the field. But imagine if two inexperienced adults took some Webelos out on a hike and the weather suddenly turned ugly. That could be serious trouble.

Now I have a lot more experience under my belt and I am very comfortable and confident when I go hiking or camping. But a lot of that experience came through training. Getting the right training will help you know how to cope with unexpected situations and to see when it is time to bug out on an outing. And no matter how much experience you have, remember not to be too confident in your skills. If you have any doubts at all, call it off or turn around and go back.

So I recommend the Weather Hazards course at the Online Training Center. It is long – maybe a couple of hours – but you can do part of it and then pick up later where you left off. And even though this training doesn’t expire, I’ll probably go through the relevant sections again sometime soon.

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If you aren’t familiar with the BSA Online Learning Center, you are missing out on a great resource. The Online Learning Center can be found at olc.scouting.org.

I haven’t put out a post specifically for Venturers lately, so today I’d like to highlight the Venturing Crew Officers Orientation at the Online Learning Center. Here is a direct link to this training:

http://olc.scouting.org/courses/coo/index.html

This training is meant to be shown directly to your Venturing Crew officers. If you are a new Advisor or Associate Advisor, you will also find this training informational.

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The latest Boy Scout requirements for Tenderfoot and Life ranks require the Scout to use the BSA EDGE method. This is a four step method for teaching a skill. It is sometimes called Scoutings Teaching EDGE.

EDGE is very basic, but it really does work. It will help Cub Scouts learn and retain skills also.  So it is not only for Boy Scouts and Venturers, but for den leaders also.

The EDGE Method

The EDGE method is a four step method for teaching a skill:

• Explain
• Demonstrate
• Guide
• Enable

Explain

First explain what you will be doing. Tell them the steps involved. Visual aids might be helpful for this step. Use questions to gauge their understanding.

Demonstrate

Show them how to do the skill. Demonstrate the steps using the actual materials. Describe what you are doing.

Guide

Let them practice the skill. Guide and coach them as they try to do it themselves. This step will take the most time.

Enable

Enable them by letting them do the skill themselves without any intervention.

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I hope all of you Scouters out there were able to complete your Nap on Safely training during summer camp. If not, I have listed the guidelines below.

(Yes, this is a spoof on BSA training! We were at summer camp a couple of years ago, and they did “Nap on Safely” training there. I don’t remember the exact steps of the training, so this is my version.)

If you really want to have some fun with this, check out these Nap On Safely Training Cards  to give to participants when they complete their training.

Nap On Safely Training

Physical Condition: All participants should be sufficiently tired to nap.

Lookout: At least one adult should serve as a lookout during napping activities. He must awaken the nappers from their slumber when Scouts are returning to the campsite.

Area: Before engaging in any napping activities, make sure that the area is free of Scouts.

Two Deep Leadership: It is recommended that all available adults participate in napping activities. At a minimum, ensure that at least two adults are resting at all times.

Equipment: Appropriate equipment is required for napping. All nappers should have a comfortable cot or hammock. A pillow is recommended.

When you have checked your PLATE you are ready to Nap on Safely!

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The troop is going canoeing on Nims Lake at S-F Scout Ranch in a little over a week, so one of the scouts lead a Safety Afloat seminar at the last meeting.

Safety Afloat is the list of rules for boating activities laid out in the Guide to Safe Scouting. For a boating activity to be an official BSA activity, those guidelines must be followed. A good practice is to present the Saftey Afloat guidelines at a meeting before the activity. Then present them again at the waterfront before embarking on the boating outing. A handout can help scouts when presenting this information, since the complete rules in the Guide to Safe Scouting are very long.

Printable copy of  Safety Afloat Presentation

Boy Scouts must understand Safety Afloat rules to fulfill

• First Class requirement 9a: Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat.
• Canoeing merit badge requirement 4: Discuss the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it applies to canoeing activities.
• Motorboating merit badge requirement 4d: Promise that you will follow BSA Safety Afloat guidelines. Explain the meaning of each point.
• Rowing merit badge requirement 4: Review and discuss Safety Afloat and demonstrate the proper fit and use of personal flotation devices (PFDs).
• Small Boat Sailing merit badge requirement 4a: Discuss the nine points of the BSA Safety Afloat plan.
• Water Sports merit badge requirement 4a: Discuss the BSA Safety Afloat policy. Tell how it applies to Water Sports.
• Whitewater merit badge requirement 2a: Review and compare BSA Safety Afloat and the American Whitewater safety guidelines and demonstrate your understanding of these principles by answering questions from your counselor.

Cub Scout leaders should be aware that Cub Scouts can only participate in boating activities at council or district events. There is a list of age-appropriate guidelines in the Guide to Safe Scouting if you are not sure what your Cub Scouts are allowed to do.

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