Boy Scout First Aid Training The Boy Scout Brigade is a global organization and the rules of membership may vary a little from country to country, but the fundamentals of scouting are the same the world over. One of the codes of belief of scouting is to 'Be Prepared' and being prepared involves being prepared to help others in distress, which also includes First Aid. Boy Scouts are encouraged to take badges such as the First Aid badge, there are also badges denoting different degrees of ability. One of the items that a scout learns when training for his first First Aid badge is how to put together a personal First Aid kit. A typical fundamental Boy Scout's First Aid kit will include such items as soap, bandages, plasters, iodine, scissors, matches, tweezers and safety pins. At a higher degree, the kit may get supplemented with a triangular bandage, insect repellent, talcum powder, aspirins or paracetamol, gloves and a mouthpiece for giving artificial respiration. A scout and especially a sea scout will learn how to put a person in the coma position and will also be taught how to get water out of a person pulled from the water. The First Aid training that Boy Scouts receive now has been upgraded numerous times during the last fifty years due to advances in medical knowledge and the proliferation of aids and other contagious illnesses. Scouts lead a very active existence and are always building things and climbing. This means that there are quite a few sprains and fractured bones among scouts, so it is no wonder that caring for fractured bones features highly in their First Aid training. In fact, one of the first things that a cub or a scout is taught is how to use their neckerchief as a triangular bandage to support a broken arm and how to fold it in order to tie splints to a fractured leg. Scouts going for higher level First Aid badges will get taught more detailed courses which may include how and when to apply CPR; how to recognize a victim of stroke or heart attack; what to do if someone has an epileptic fit; what to do if someone is unconscious or suffering from concussion; how to handle shock and much more. Lord Baden Powell founded the Boys Scout Brigade as a sort of preliminary to going into the army, but it has not been regarded like that for numerous decades. These days the scouts give boys (and occasionally girls) and teenagers the opportunity to do things that they otherwise would never have the opportunity to experience - events like boating, canoing, camping, map-reading et cetera. These events put the children at a higher danger of injury, but the scouting organization counters that increased risk by training all their boys in First Aid and both the activities and the First Aid training remains with them for the remainder of their lives. It has with me and I will always be obliged to the Boy Scouts for the items they taught me and enabled me to experience.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with First Aid trainer courses. If you have an interest in First Aid too go over to our website now at First Aid Courses Online.