Lights Out, and Safety On, Overnight Camping Guide for Scouters

[@pinking5555]

We use a GoalZero for our lighting for almost all of our car campout. It is way to big to bring it on a backing trip. Fire safety: We also carry around 3-4 fire extinguishers in our trailer for each patrol kitchen station as well as the camp site provided fire extinguishers. At summer camp we spread them out around the camp site since we usually go to a place the provides the meals. As well if needed one close to our fire barrels. For food safety: Stack things that will leak like meats at the bottom of the cooler and work your way up to the crushables like eggs at the top of the cooler. Store all food in the ones you mentioned as well as a troop trailer. Keep the food that needs to stay dry like pasta, breads, canned foods, and others in a plastic bin with a lid to protect them from being crushed. Wildlife: Keep smellables locked up in a bear box, bin, vehicle, or trailer to keep animals from getting into tent. If a scouts puts any sort of drink other than water in their water bottle it is a smellable for the rest of that campout. Hydration and Nutrition: With this, if the campout has different stations or classes I require scouts that come to may station even if they are not in my troops, I will make everyone drink water before I start the class/station. Also if you haven't heard this statement. Hydration rhymes with everything and anything. Since it is super important. First Aid: When I go on campouts my troops brings a first aid kit that has a ton of supplies. Like from the basics all the way up to things like SAM splints just to help the scout or scouter get to actual help and not make things any worse. On my person I usually carry a basic first aid as well as a bleeding control kit that will help for things go extremely south. (Hopefully it never will) This bleeding control kit has 2 tourniquets, 2 chest seals, combat gauze and other more advanced supplies that I am trained to use. Weather: Here in Colorado we can deal with all 4 seasons all in one day including tornados. I teach the scouts how to deal with tornados while we are out camping. Bubby system: 100% needs to be used. Leave No Trace: Basically leave a place as good as or better than you found it. Bring home trash that is not yours. Had to deal with 2 trash bags that other people left and we had to grab 2 new trash bags because the bags were falling apart to bring home with us.

[@twindaddy_sh_mn1092]

Thanks for all of the comments! Will you watch the live show on Sunday night?

[@pinking5555]

@@twindaddy_sh_mn1092 should be

[@Ethang1103]

Convenient timing for this video. My newly formed venturing crew is having its first outing this weekend.

[@ScouterStan]

That's awesome to hear! Have a great time on your first outing with the crew! YIS⚜

[@aaronfinley1067]

Hello Stan from FortScott Kansas Troop 114

[@eb9978]

Many camp sites do not allow you to bring your own wood because it spreads invasive speicies.

[@ScouterStan]

It’s probably best to check with the location and what guidelines they offer. Some campsites are in endangered environments. Remember the leave-no-trace principle includes unintentional introduction of organisms and plants you don’t see. Always best to ask. YIS⚜

[@twindaddy_sh_mn1092]

Q: Do you know the most dangerous words in Scouting? A: The most dangerous words are "we have always done it that way." These words are equally dangerous to people and units.

[@nimroddiaries_]

A bit of an aside, anyone have experience teaching Cubs to properly use fire extinguishers? I was given about a dozen expired units from a church. I am certain our local fire department will be happy to assist. I'm leaning toward a Pack meeting that focuses on fire safety. Demonstration on how to use and offer each scout a chance to be hands-on. What say all y'all? Thanks! 73

[@twindaddy_sh_mn1092]

Your local fire department is probably a great place to start.

[@JonSkulemowski1]

For cub scouts, the safest thing to teach them is how to leave the area and meet at a predetermined location so their parents don't look for them in a burning building. 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are not meant to fight fires.

[@nimroddiaries_]

@JonSkulemowski1 great point sir. Thanks.

[@robdusher357]

The guide to safe scouting was updated. Pack campouts are now allowed to be a maximum of two nights

[@ScouterStan]

Thank you so much for the update. It's nice that they can now have a weekend camp out instead of just an overnighter. Cub Scouts it's always “family camping” and the pack may have all the dens get together around campfire a lot like a Pack Meaning with all the dens. It's usually a really good get together from my past experience. YIS⚜

[@robdusher357]

@@ScouterStan No problem. I've enjoyed your videos for about a year. I'm a scoutmaster since 2020. Was a Den leader prior to that, and now I'm also the cubmaster to the same pack, with my granddaughter in the Lion den. If you ever mKe it to Niagara Falls, come and visit!