Requirements at Boxwell Summer Camp

Most of the requirements were completed at the Boxwell Summer Camp between 06/20 and 06/26/2021.  Items that were signed off in my Boy Scout Handbook are not documented here.  The items below are the additional requirements that I needed to complete outside of the camp.

Requirements at Chickasaw State Park Outing

A few requirements were completed during the Oct 21-23, 2022, outing to Chickasaw State Park.  In this outing, our group focused on Wilderness Survival and Horseback riding.  For the Emergency Service project, our troop did a simulation of a missing hiker, where we created a search line to look for the target.  I also work with Mr. Quirk on a few outstanding requirements.

Requirement 2c

Meet with and teach your family how to get or build a kit, make a plan, and be informed for the situations on the chart you created for requirement 2b. Complete a family plan. Then meet with your counselor and report on your family meeting, discuss their responses, and share your family plan.
For our emergency kit, I worked with my dad to build the kit.  We bought a toolbox to store the first aid items.  We then went through our existing first aid items and added them to the kit.  We made a list of missing items we wanted to include and bought those items.  Now we have a convenient kit that we keep downstairs that can be used in the event of an emergency.

I discussed the family plan in case of a tornado.  If we hear a tornado alarm or see a news broadcast concerning a tornado in the area, our family will jump to action.  First, we will all get together to ensure everyone is safe - this includes all the animals in the house if possible.  Next, we will take shelter in either the downstairs bathroom or the closet under the stairwell.  We will shelter in place until we are sure the storm has passed and by checking the local broadcast on our phones.  When we know the danger is clear, we will assess the damage and check on our neighbors.

Requirement 6c

​Find out who is your community's emergency management director and learn what this person does to prepare, respond to, recover from, prevent, and mitigate emergency situations in your community. Discuss this information with your counselor, and apply what you discover to the chart you created for requirement 2b.
"My community's emergency agency is the Shelby County Emergency Management and Homeland Security office.  The director of this emergency agency is Director Brenda Jones.  This organization "strengthens the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all hazards."  The mission of the organization is "to provide administrative assistance to address the unique planning, equipment, training, and exercise needs of Shelby County and the UASI region."

According to the group's website, the agency will support recovery efforts related to the following disasters:
​
- Severe Thunderstorms (Wind, Hail, Lightening)
- Floods/Flash Floods
- Extended Freeze/Severe Weather Storms
- Prolonged Excessive Heat Episodes
- Tornadoes
- Possible damage from a moderate/severe earthquake

Sources:
https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/3616/Emergency-Management
https://www.staysafeshelby.us/

Requirement 8b

​Prepare a personal emergency service pack for a mobilization call. Prepare a family emergency kit (suitcase or waterproof box) for use by your family in case an emergency evacuation is needed. Explain the needs and uses of the contents.
Our family has an emergency first aid kit (see image above) which was created for the First Aid merit badge earlier this year.  We keep the medical supplies in a waterproof toolbox to protect the contents.  We keep the toolbox in my parent's bedroom so we can access it when needed.  In the case of mobilizing for an emergency, we would grab the toolbox to take with us to the emergency.

For an emergency family evacuation kit, our family has personal backpacks that we stock with additional supplies to supplement the first aid kit.  The backpacks can be stored with essential items, such as bottles of drinking water, trail mix snacks, ponchos, tent, flashlights with batteries, waterproof matches, fire starters, knives, compass, and LifeStraws to make water drinkable.  We would also include our mobile phones and portable chargers.  We also have some waterproof bags that we use for kayaking that can be used to store extra clothes and toiletries if we need long-term supplies.

- The drinking bottles and LifeStraws are used to provide water for the family
- The ponchos and tents are ready in case we need temporary shelter
- Lights and batteries are for supplying light at night
- Matches and fire starters are used for creating fires for heat and cooking
- mobile phones and batteries are for keeping in touch and being informed o

Requirement 9b

​Review or develop a plan of escape for your family in case of fire in your home.
I live in a two-story house with my bedroom on the top floor.  Our plans for escape during a fire depend on where the fire is and where we are.

If the family is downstairs and there is a fire, we will exit the house and meet at the mailbox in the front yard.  We have three door exits - front door, back door, and garage door.  We would exit at the door that is farthest away from the fire.  If the doors are blocked, we can exit from any of the windows on the back side of the house.

If all exits are blocked by fire and we must go through the fire to exit, we would get a blanket, wet it with water if possible, and wrap it around our bodies.  We would crawl low to the floor to avoid inhaling smoke.

If there is a fire while I am upstairs, I would first check the stairs to see if it is safe to go downstairs.  If so, I would get my younger brother and we would race downstairs and out of the house.  If we could not get to the stairs, I would get my brother and open my window.  We can use a fire escape ladder to crawl down to the outside.  In the worst case, we would open a window and jump to the ground.  When we get outside, we would meet at the mailbox.

Once we get outside to our meeting point, we would call 911 to report the fire.

My family does check the fire alarms around our house on an annual basis.  All fire alarms are hard-wired with battery backups.  My dad tests the alarms to make sure they work.  We also replaced all alarms in 2019 to ensure we have modern alarms installed.

We have 4 pets in the house.  We will try our best to get the animals out of the house safely by opening doors and escorting them out.  I will not go back into the house for the pets - my dad would do it before me.

Sources

  • Worksheet - http://www.usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/Emergency-Preparedness.pdf
  • Workbook Details - https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Emergency_Preparedness.pdf

Award

  • Requirements completed on: 10/23/2022
  • Awarded on: 11/21/2022
  • Merit Badge Counselor: 
    • Boxwell Camp Counselor - See Stahlman
    • Troop 56 Counselor - Mr. Mike Quirk / Mr. Muskina