Scout leaders use training to help distressed hikers

Article originally Published by Whittier Daily News
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Scout leaders use training to help distressed hikers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHITTIER- Scout leaders Lonnie Wold and Mike Taylor recently put into practice what they have trained scouts to do for years.

Last week as they led a group of seven scouts from Whittier Boy Scout Troop 54 backpacking on Mt.Whitney, the two men rescued a teen and his father as well as another male over a 12-hour period of time. “It was God’s plan,” said a modest Wold, who originally became a scout leader for his son about 20 years ago.  The troop, which included three other scout leaders, had set camp and was having dinner, when scouts spotted a young man collapse on the trail 30 feet in front of them.

Alarmed, Wold and Taylor first approached the adult male, who turned out to be the teen’s father, to give assistance.

“The boy, Simeon, was very incoherent,” Wold said. After observing him,Taylor and Wold surmised the teen was suffering from severe dehydration. They gave him water, and offered to go for help.  The father, Norm, insisted on trying to get himself and his son back down the trail.Wold and Taylor did not like that idea, but did not want to go against the father’s wishes. “We were distraught when the dad didn’t take us up on our offer,” Wold said.

They didn’t get very far.

At about 9:30 p.m., after securing the father and son in a tent, Wold and Taylor went down the summit, in the dark with only head lamps and flashlights. Along the way, they asked those they encountered if they had cell phone service.  “We knew our troop was safe with the other leaders, and we had the strongest legs to make the trek after a day of hiking,” Wold said.  On the way down the mountain, they encountered another family of three, with the father not looking so well.  The man’s 16-year-old daughter, Janine, asked for help. “She was distraught and asked if we could help get her father (Dave) down,” Wold said. “He wasn’t doing well, very disoriented.”  They got the Woodland Hills family to their car, and then went looking for help for Simeon.  Rescuers were on a search and rescue, so they were not quickly available.

At 2 a.m., they found out that rescuers had located Simeon and his father and they were doing well.

They reunited with their troop at 6:30 a.m. “We were able to help them because of our training,”Taylor said. “We were prepared.”

sandra.molina@sgvn.com

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Breaking News! Lonnie Wold

On March 7, 2011, Los Angeles Area Council High Adventure Team recognized Troop’s 54 very own Lonnie Wold for his support and leadership of the troop’s high adventure efforts. For his efforts, Mr. Wold was bestowed as Grand High Adventure Maker.

TEN COMMANDMENT HIKE 2010

TEN COMMANDMENT HIKE 2010Hosted By the Rio Hondo District
Saturday, March 13, 2010

All are invited, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Youth Groups & anyone interested in learning about the diversity of faiths in our community.
The hike is approximately 3 miles long and visits many houses of worship in the Montebello area.

H2O during the hike will be provided. Registration will begin at 8:30am. Hike will begin from 9am till approximately 2:30pm.

I will have more information at the next Scout meeting. I think it would be great if we could get a large group from Troop 54 to participate in this. Please call me on my cell (562) 762-9932 if you have any questions.

Steve Vermilye
East Whittier Middle School
Whittier, California
Phone: (562) 789-7263

Attachments:

Flier – COMREG

LUNCH PRE ORDER

Youth Protection Training

From, Michelle Vermilye:
I just logged on to the Rio Hondo website to see if Youth Protection was being held during Roundtable, and, yes, it will be.
For those of you who need to take Youth Protection or renew your Youth Protection training, it will be held at Roundtable on Wednesday, January 20, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at First United Methodist Church, 13222 Bailey St, Whittier, CA, 90601 (uptown Whittier, across the street from the Red Cross).
Parents who intend on attending scouting events need to be Youth Protected. This is your opportunity to get the training needed and get you on your way to Troop 54 activities. This training is for adults only and children will not be allowed in the training class.
One last thing about YP training… YP training has to be completed every 2 years (not my rule, or Troop 54’s rule, but BSA rules). Some of your YP training is expiring in April 2010. So you may want to take the training during Roundtable.  Also, you may take the training online. Visit the Rio Hondo website to find out how.
And new parents… this is an opportunity for you to get trained. Don’t wait til the last minute and find yourself trying to get training before an event.

Key word for 2010’s Planned Troop 54 Backpacks: “Flexibility”

Stephen L. Jenkins, AICP
Happy New Year, Everyone !!!
It is with great Joy and Optimism that I greet the New Year, and I wish the same for you and your families.  However, the key word for our planned Troop 54 Backpack outings in 2010 is “flexibility”.  Here is why (please share this update with your Scouts….there are 7 parts):

1)  Our outings in 2009 were primarily shorter backpacks (Hoegees and Bridge to Nowhere) and 10-mile day hikes to get the Scouts used to altitude and hiking 8-10 miles per day.  In 2010, our outings will all (with the exception of the first shakedown) be 15-mile backpacks over two days (see attached patch display).

2)  Our previously planned first shakedown backpack scheduled for Little Jimmy on May 8th has to be canceled because the next Skyline Hike is now scheduled for that date, and there is great uncertainty about whether that part of the Angeles Forest will re-open by May due to the ongoing assessment of the Station Fire.  However, I will be leading another 20-mile Skyline to Firestone hike on May 8th for those who did not make the last one in December.  This will be the last 20-miler for me so plan on staying in shape and joining in the fun.

3)  As a result of this schedule change, and the uncertainty of other alternative backpack locations in the San Bernardino mountains due to possible lingering snow, we will be conducting our first 2010 backpack shakedown as part of the Desert Camp on January 23-24 at Joshua Tree/29 Palms.  I will send another mail later today with more details, but it is very important for any Scout and Adult Scouter who plans on going on the subsequent backpack outings shown on the attached display of patches and medals to sign up for this shakedown outing at the Troop meeting on Monday Jan 4th.

4)  Another reason for “flexibility” is because I will be moving to Sacramento for employment reasons right after the meeting on Monday night.  While I will not be able to attend future Troop meetings, I do plan on organizing and leading the weekend activities shown on the attached patch display but will need the continued support of other adult Scouters to do so.

5)  Which brings me to the topic of Adult Backpack Leader Training.  Per the attached notice, this High Adventure training is only offered once per year.  The deadline for enrollment is Feb 12th, and the training will be at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Fri Feb 19 to Sun Feb 21.  Unfortunately, this is the same weekend as our Troop 54 Winter Camp.  However, without more trained backpack leaders, we may need to limit the number of Scouts who go on some of our planned outings.

As an example, the outings to San Bernardino Peak, San Jacinto and San Gorgonio will all have Wilderness Permit limits of 12 persons per Group (we will hike with 8 Scouts and 4 Adults per Group per Tahquitz Peak outing last Sept).  It is likely that we may have at least 2 Groups and possible 3 for each outing and, therefore, will need more trained adults.  I hope that we can find 4-6 of the Intermediate or older Scout parents to attend this training, and 2-3 of the Beginner or younger Scout parents as well.  Whether you actually plan and lead an outing is less important than having the training to do so.

6)  Similarly, our 2009 outings were orgainzed by Patrol and Scouts were given the opportunity to begin assuming responsilities for conducting the outings (Patrol Leader and other Positions, as well as training and expectations).  For 2010, it is hoped that the Scouts who activity participated in 2009 will want to take on more proactive responsibility for planning as well as conducting our 2010 outings.  Therefore, I encourage all those who are at least 13 and First Class to enroll and attend the attached High Adventure Jr. Leader Backpack training.  Again, this is only offered once per year and has already been calendared on the Troop 54 Calendar.

7)  Finally, and very importantly, the attached new 3-part BSA Medical Forms became mandatory on Jan 1st.  Only this Form can be used when you update your Medical Info in 2010.  With respect to our 2010 Backpack Outings, ALL  will be located in excess of 30-minutes from emergency medical treatment and, as a result, completion and compliance with the Part B standards will be mandatory.  Please take time to look the chart over.  Both Rio Hondo District and LA Council High Adventure Trainers have stressed that BSA Insurance will not cover anyone who does not meet the requirements and Scoutmasters and Tour Permit outing leaders will assume personal liability for non-compliance.  Therefore, we must require compliance.

Anyway, hope that this is helpful and useful information as we get ready for an exciting and fun 2010.  Please look for the next email later today on the signups for the Jan 23-24 shakedown backpack outing.

New 2010 BSA Medical With Consent and Hold Harmless

HAT Jr Leader Backpack Training Mar 2010

2010 Troop 54 Planned or Proposed Activity Patches

HAT Adult Leader Backpack Training Feb 2010

Stephen L. Jenkins

New Updates and Changes To Our Winter Camp!!!

From:

Michelle Vermilye

NEW UPDATES AND CHANGES TO OUR WINTER CAMP!!!

The updates are as follow:
New date is Saturday February 27 thru Sunday February 28, 2009 (was 2/20 thru 2/21)
New cost is $130.00 per Scout or Parent (doing both snow activities and lodging) (was $125.00)
The attached documents provide detailed information that explain the changes such as camp availability and camp cost.
Mr. Munoz will discuss these changes at tonight’s Scout meeting and at tomorrow’s parent meeting.
Forms:

2010 Winter Camp 2-20-10

2010_FLSR_Camp_Pollock_Winter_Camp_Reservation_Form

2010_FLSR_Camp_Pollock_Winter_Camp_Flyer

2010 Winter Camp info sheet