Emergency Preparation Merit Badge List...

One of the most challenging merit badges to earn is the Emergency Preparation Merit Badge.  Only a few people are qualified to serve as counselor to this badge as well.  That makes it doubly difficult to earn, although it is a Eagle Required Merit badge.

That said, parents can make this merit badge easier to earn by helping their son gather the supplies needed to put together the two required emergency kits.  Without parental support, this merit badge may take months or years to complete, especially if the counselor has limited time to review supplies.

The first list is the Family Emergency Kit (on the left side.)  Our Merit Badge Counselor wants to see each item on the list.  This is challenging, with the water requirement especially, but not impossible.  Consider allowing your scout to load up the family vehicle with these items.  This would allow the MBC to see each item quickly without having to move the items in and out of the building.  The MBC can see the items in the parking lot when you bring your scout to activity night.

The second list (on the right) is for the individual scout mobilization.  Again, consider allowing your scout to load your vehicle with the items and show the MBC without much fuss. 

What about expensive items like crank powered radios?  Consider buying one, keeping the receipt and leaving the packing intact, and returning it to the store for a refund upon completion of the merit badge.  The important thing is that your scout becomes familiar with the items he might need to pack in each scenario. 

Help out your son by helping him gather these supplies and have them ready to bring to activity night sometime in September.  It will make things a lot easier.

Why Fill out the Annual Health and Medical Records???

Three long pages of detailed information!  And a visit to the doctor?  Why do I have to fill all of this out for my Scout?

It may take some time to fill out the forms, but the paperwork have the potential to save your scout's life!

The first page, Part A, is a consent form allowing the leaders to seek medical treatment for your scout in the event of an emergency.  Without it, your child might be denied treatment.

The second and third pages, Part B, allows you to inform the leaders of any medical conditions your child has, what medicines he takes and other concerns.  Allergies are noted so that treating physicians will know what treatments should be avoided.  Immunizations allow treating physicians to know whether they are up to date.  Where tetanus is concerned, this is valuable information.  Your insurance card information is entered here, also allowing the treating hospital to expedite admissions. A copy of your insurance card is requested too.  Most importantly, medications your child takes is noted with dosage information is recorded here.  As a parent, you will be able to sleep soundly knowing that your scout's leaders are aware of your son's needs.

The fourth page, Part C, is a physical administered by a doctor, nurse practitioner or a physician's assistant.  This one verifies that your son is able to handle the rigors of camping for more than 72 hours.  This part is only needed for camp-outs that last that long-- 72 hours or more.  Summer camps and High Adventures usually qualify, as well as many BSA District level camps.

The Scoutmaster will keep the records in a notebook along with the group during campouts and scouting activities should an emergency occur.  The original will be kept with the Committee Chair in case the notebook gets wet or is otherwise compromised.  The Committee Chair will keep the original in a confidential file so privacy will be respected.  A print-out of only pertinent information will be given to the Scoutmaster and/or his assistants.  This way they will know what medicines need to be taken daily or what to do for severe allergic reactions, for example.  They need to know this information before an emergency occurs.

Since it is an 'Annual' record, each Spring our Scouts' parents are asked to update it.  This is a good idea, since dosage of medicines may change as your scout grows and immunizations need to be updated as they are given.  Why risk another tetanus shot if your son just had one?  Without this update the attending physician wouldn't know. 

Why not be proactive?  If you take your son to a yearly well-child check up, bring along Part C and have the doctor fill it out and sign it before you leave.  Better yet, bring along Part B and update immunizations when the office prints out the immunization record for school.  It got into this habit and it saved me trying to remember.  I just keep the forms in my medical notebook and get it done at this appointment each year.

To find the latest version of the Annual Health and Medical Record, click this link:  Annual Health and Medical Record BSA

To get all parts, download the one at 'Are you going to camp?'

Not convinced?  Scroll down to the bottom of the link for the Annual Health and Medical Record BSA and watch the short video BSA made explaining why it's important. 

Another resource is this link to a Fillable Annual Health and Medical Record BSA  You can type the information in the blanks, print it out and sign it. Easy!

I still remember the look I got when I handed my forms to the Committee Chair in May one year.  He hadn't even started asking parents for the forms yet, even though summer camp was coming up.  It was a mixture of surprise and relief.

It all boils down to what's best for the boys.  Leaders can best care for the boys when they are armed with permission to treat and necessary medical information.  These forms provide that.  Let's fill 'em out and turn 'em in.

A Special Youth Protection Seminar

A very special training event has been organized in Atlanta!  Several experts are coming to speak at a conference organized by the Atlanta Area Council of BSA in October.  The several guest speakers are all experts in the field of abuse and keeping kids safe.  The best part is how inexpensive it is-- $35 for the whole seminar, which includes the cost of lunch.  Register at www.atlantabsa.org/yptseminar before it fills up. 

New Scout Information in a Nutshell

Welcome to Centerville Scouts!  We charter a Troop, Team and Crew all numbered 557 with the Sweetwater District of the Northeast Georgia Council of Boy Scouts of America.  When a boy turns 11, he is eligible to join the Troop.  At 14 he can register with the Varsity Team, and at 16 he can register with the Venture Crew. 

To join, a young man fills out a Youth Application in quadruplicate and has his parents/guardians sign it.  The application is signed by the Scoutmaster, then turned in to the District with the fees paid by the Centerville Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Chartered Organization. 

We encourage all parents and guardians of youth joining our units to join the Troop (or Team or Crew) committee.  To do this, fill out an Adult Application, also in quadruplicate.  It needs to be signed by the Committee chair and the Chartered Organization Representative before turned in to the District with the fees required.  Again, they are paid by the LDS church.

All adults who serve in any capacity within the BSA are required to take an online training course called 'Youth Protection Training.'  It expires in 2 years so it needs to be renewed or the adult will be dropped from the committee or their leadership position.  The District carefully tracks this to ensure the safety of all Scouts. 

The Boy Scouts are known for adventures in camping, fishing, cycling, and the like.  Due to the exertive nature of these activities, BSA requires certain medical forms to be filled out.  In short, an Annual Health and Medical Record is required which can be found at this link:  BSA Annual Health and Medical Record Forms   Click on the link for 'going to camp' to get all pages required. 
   A is basically a permission slip and permission to treat in case of emergency.
   B is a medical record, explaining medical conditions that your Scoutmaster should be aware of.
   C is equivalent to a sports physical, necessary for the rigors of camping longer than 72 hours.
A copy of insurance is also to be attached for emergency use.

With completed applications and health and medical record sheets, your scout will be able to fully enjoy his participation in the Centerville Scouting organization!