In a life-threatening situation outdoors, a Scout’s skills are only as good as his memory. That’s why mnemonic devices — popular for schoolchildren memorizing the order of the planets, the metric system, or the colors of the rainbow — are also useful when the pressure’s on you to react to a health or safety emergency. Boost your emergency preparedness with the 20 mnemonics below. Most come courtesy of Scouting magazine’s friends on and. Have one we missed?

For those who want to achieve the first aid requirements in Boy Scouts. Boy Scout First Aid requirements for Troop. And poison sumac are the poisonous plants. Webelos Walkabout Webelos Scout's. Photos any poisonous plants and. Sign in the boy’s handbook, indicating the Cub Scout has done his best to.

Leave a comment at the end of the post. 1 – Treating shock “Face is red, raise the head; face is pale, raise the tail.” — Nancy R. 2 – Warning signs of a stroke Think: Face – One side of smile droops. Arms – Do they have equal strength? Speech – Is it slurred? Time – If you observe these, get them to a hospital quick. 3 – Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia “Hot and dry, sugar high; cold and clammy, need some candy.” — Matt D.

4 – Dehydration If you’re drinking enough water, your urine should be “Clear and Copious.” (Lots more user-submitted hydration mnemonics.) — Stephanie H. 5 – Poisonous plants “Leaves of three, let it be.” Also, for the non-leafed seasons of the year, “Don’t touch the hairy vines!” — Tom H. 6 – Treating diarrhea Switch to the BRAT or BRATTY diet: Banana Rice Applesauce Toast Some like to add T and Y to get BRATTY: Tea Yogurt — Meg M.

And Carrie M. 7 – Using a fire extinguisher Cool things off with the: Pull the pin Aim at the base of the fire Squeeze the trigger Sweep across the fire — Stan W. 8 – Proper winter camping attire Stay warm, but not too warm, by getting COLD: Clean – dirty clothes lose their loft and get you cold. Overheat – never get sweaty; strip off layers to stay warm but no too hot. Layers – dress in synthetic layers for easy temperature control.

Dry – wet clothes (and sleeping bags) also lose their insulation. 9 – Diagnosing hypothermia Look for the “umble” family. Does the person fumble, mumble, stumble, and grumble? 10 – Identifying poisonous snakes Looking at the color of bands works for some varieties of snakes. Ripened Peach Crack more. Remember “red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, friend of Jack.” — Seana D. 11 – Treating strains It’s all about RICE, RICE, baby: Rest: The patient should rest the injured area. Have him or her avoid movement that causes pain.

Immobilize the injured area. Immobilization can lessen pain and prevent further damage. Cold: Apply cold to the injured area. Applying ice or a cold pack can help reduce swelling and ease pain.

Elevate the injured area above heart level to reduce swelling. Serious injuries to the limbs may preclude this. 12 – When you’re on fire Just as we learned as kids: “stop, drop, and roll.” — Heidi H. 13 – The ABCs of CPR ABC in its original form stood for “Airway, Breathing, Circulation.” But as explains, there are now several variations recommended by different groups. Nearly all groups still use ABC in some form, but others add D for defibrillation using an AED.

14 – Determining a person’s medical history This one is usually for the pros, but when interviewing a patient, take a SAMPLE: Signs and Symptoms Allergies Medications Past medical history Last oral intake Events leading up to the injury and/or illness — Mike A. 15 – Signs of a fracture Think SLIPDUCT: Swelling Loss of function Irregularities on the bone surface, such as depressions or lumps Pain Deformity Unnatural movement Crepitus, a sound similar to scrunching a bag of frozen peas heard/felt when the two ends of a broken bone grate together Tenderness — Mandy M. 16 – Saving someone from drowning We’ve always learned this order: “reach, throw, row, go.” But Bob K. Suggests starting with “talk.” “Always try to talk them back first,” he says.

17 – Conditions that could cause unconsciousness They’re summarized in the longest mnemonic of the day: FISH SHAPED. Faint Infantile convulsions Shock Head injury Stroke Heart attack Anaphylaxis Poisoning Epilepsy Diabetes 18 – Identifying edible berries Lifehacker offers: White and yellow, kill a fellow. Purple and blue, good for you.

Red could be good, could be dead. 19 – Boating mnemonics has a nice collection of them.

20 – An essential rule of camping And finally, one that made me laugh: “Dark sky at night, you’re up too late; Dark sky in the morning, you are up too early.” — Leon V. – Your turn Share your mnemonic in the comments section below. Photo from Flickr:.

No 3 is dangerously false. First, it doesn’t state that this is related to diabetics. For kids it’s usually type 1 insulin dependent and the camp leaders should be notified.

There should be someone trained in the troop to recognize what causes hypos or hypers. And how to respond in emergencies. If a passerby finds a diabetic having trouble, check their medical bracelet which they should have.

Every diabetic has different symtoms. If the diabetic is able to speak, they can tell U about taking their blood sugar. 911 should be called in meantime bc a hypo event can cause unconsciousness where an injection of glucagon needs to be given. If u give.candy to someone who u assume is low but they r actually high, it could put them into diabetic keacidosis.

Someone who is hyperglycemic and hasn’t been diagnosed yet, they will not be hot and red, but they always will have frequent urination, unquencable thirst, constant hunger and rapid weight loss and needs emergency treatment at hospital. Obviously, this is close to my heart since my son was recently diagnosed, so going back to summer camp will be very scary. In heneral, there is little awareness of type 1. It can’t be prevented and is really nothing like type 2. It’s hard for kids at school bc training required by law really isn’t done well and I hope soon there will be a campaign for awareness since so many kids r getting it. Sorry for length!

The AHA is normally in the lead on the changes with the Red Cross usually being much farther behind. Circulation is first now. Studies have shown that “Compressions-Only” CPR is much more effective with success rates as high as 50+%. Before, those rates were as low as less than 1%. The reason is that the circulatory system holds oxygen cells even when a person is not breathing. With the circulation by compressions, you are keeping them alive. You are also introducing “new” oxygen through the person’s mouth with each compression, thus keeping the normal respiratory process in place almost like it was the person breathing on their own.

HOWEVER, one time when you would want to check the airway FIRST is if you suspect that the victim had choked on something. If the foreign object is still in place the respiratory system will not work as designed with the “Compressions-Only” CPR until the foreign object is removed.

The CAB is for professionals as well. Two minutes of good CPR before any other interventions. As stated above, compressions only CPR gets the blood moving. It is also better than doing nothing at all. Remember, nobody is certified in CPR, your cards all say you successfully completed a course. The AHA is the main organization that the professionals use.

The Red Cross always simplifies everything and takes a while to catch up. The AHA actually does the research and puts the science behind what they teach. Thanks for using my “leaves of three/hairy vines”! 🙂 One I forgot: if you get lost (or “a mite mis-directed”) – STOP! S = Stop – don’t get more lost. Waiting for someone to find you is usually the best course of action.

T = Think – when did I first realize I was lost? What options do I need to consider to help others find me, or get myself un-lost? What do I have with me that can help? (map, compass, survival gear, water, energy bars/candy, etc.) O = Observe – use all senses. What dangers or assets can I detect? Can I smell smoke or hear voices or traffic noises (possible human habitation)?

What is around me that I can use to survive/make myself comfortable until help comes? Did I leave tracks I can retrace (carefully) to get back to my group/familiar territory?

P = Plan – whether you intend to try to un-lose yourself or wait for help, formulate a plan and stick to it. Consider the Rule of Three: when making your priority list, remember that an average human in reasonable physical condition can survive at least 3 minutes without air (only an issue if you’re underwater!) 3 hours (+/-) without some kind of shelter, depending on weather conditions (appropriate clothing counts as “shelter”) 3 days without water (make sure it’s purified in some fashion!), and 3 weeks without food (although in cold situations, food can also serve as “shelter” by restocking our inner “furnace,” which burns calories) Don’t waste time and energy on low-priority issues! The coral snake rhyme is wrong, because a snake with red and black rings touching is not “safe for Jack”. A non-venomous snake bite is still a puncture wound.

The rhyme I learned was “venom lack”. But I prefer “red and black, leave the danged snake alone!” I have this image of a Tenderfoot getting down for a closer look at the snake to see if it is safe or not. Finally, there are venomous coral snakes in Mexico that have red and black neighboring rings. We don’t really need a mnemonic for poisonous berries in North America. All the poisonous berries taste bad. Take a tiny taste of a berry and if it tastes bad, spit it out.

Here’s one I teach my kids “Every Snake Can Harm People” Note: It’s “can” harm–whether by venomous bite or infection from regular non-venomous bite. Eyes – Venomous snakes in the US all have elliptical (slit) pupils like a cat’s eye.

Non-venomous snakes have round pupils. There’s always an exception to the rule though, and Coral snakes do not have slit pupils!

Swimming – If a snake is swimming with just its head above water, it’s most likely to be a non-venomous water snake. Nearly all venomous swimming snakes swim with their lungs fully inflated causing their bodies to float on the surface of the water. Color – Most venomous snakes in the US tend to have bodies with varying colors. Snakes that are one solid color are usually harmless. The exception here is the Cottonmouth, so this spotting technique on it’s own is not foolproof Head – Most venomous snakes tend to have a triangular shaped head due to the venom glands. Non-venomous snakes have spoon shaped heads.

The Coral snake, being so small, makes this hard to spot. Pits – Some venomous snake in the US will have a small depression on their faces between their nostrils and their eyes called a ‘pit’ which is used to sense the heat of their prey.

These snakes are known as pit vipers. Both the American Heart Association AND the Red Cross are moving toward compression-only CPR as the “default setting,” at least for those who have not received formal training in CPR. Note, however, that these recommendations apply only to adult, not pediatric, victims. This is because adults in need of CPR most likely suffered a heart attack, whereas pediatric victims most likely suffered some injury or other issue (drowning, electric shock) that resulted in breathing stoppage, leading to cardiac arrest. Thus, children tend to need rescue breathing. I would personally recommend that adult Scouters receive training in both Adult and Pediatric CPR from a reputable source, regardless of whether or not it is required by BSA regs for their situation, just to have it. It’s not that expensive, and the life you save may be your child’s, or a friend’s child.

Tom Harbold Wilderness First Responder (Wilderness Medical Associates). As an ODS instructor, I teach a lot of wilderness survival. The first of the seven priorities in the book is STOP Stop- where you are Think- thin about your situation Observe- what is around you in the field and on the map Plan- your next actions according to the priorities Before discussing the priorities I always mention an old one which was PMA or positive mental attitude. Never forget the rule of three either. 3 seconds without clear thought 3 minutes without fresh breaths of air 3 hours without shelter from harsh elements 3 days without water 3 weeks without food And then three also appears in signaling such as three fires or loud, rhythmic noises to attract attention, or even with SOS (... There isn’t any good evidence that leg elevation treats shock.

It doesn’t hurt and it may help the patient think we are treating them, but even NOLS has a reluctant recommendation. This list is riddled with errors and bad advice. “RICE” is rest, ice, compression, elevation, not rest, immobilize, cold, elevation. For edible berries, you don’t need a mnemonic.

All poisonous berries in North America taste bad to humans. Taste one and be prepared to spit it out. Can we edit this post to add a big “May contain advice that will injure you or others” disclaimer at the top?

I’m looking for the acronym about the signs of a heart attack. All I can remember is the S-sweating (usually occurring a few hours before the heart attack. I can’t remember the rest. I’m not sure if it’s PULSE (I can’t remember what this stand for too) or something else. It would really help me and people who have heart problems or knows someone who has. I suddenly remembered this when my father was rushed to the hospital when he complains he is sweating (he is literally bathing in sweat even if he is just seating), he can’t breath properly. He has high blood pressure before we rushed him to the hospital and in the emergency room his blood pressure drops to almost no BP at all.

Hope to find it here (PULSE) too.

As the story goes, Chicago publisher William D. Boyce was lost in a dense London fog when a young boy offered to help him find his way. After reaching his destination, Boyce offered the boy a tip, but the boy refused the money, saying that he was just doing a “Good Turn” as a Scout. Impressed by the boy and his fine manners, Boyce sought a meeting with the British founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell. The next year (1910), Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. Nearly 100 years later, the organization now has nearly 3 million youth members in its Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and Venturing programs. Conservation has always been a foundation of the Boy Scouting program.

In addition to their wellknown motto of “Be Prepared,” Boy Scouts have an outdoor code that says, “As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation minded.” From the very first edition, published in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America handbook has emphasized woodcraft. As part of their development, Boy Scouts learn about nature, develop outdoor skills and gain an appreciation for our natural resources. The program uses hiking, camping and canoeing among its many character-building activities. Of the 121 different merit badges that Boy Scouts can earn, many have strong conservation connections.

These include Environmental Science, Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry, Soil and Water Conservation, Insect Study, Bird Study and Reptile and Amphibian Study, as well as Hiking, Camping, Shotgun Shooting and Fishing. Scouts and the Conservation Department The Department of Conservation’s The Next Generation of Conservation strategic plan has a goal of supporting community conservation efforts and organizations such as the Boy Scouts. An important aspect of the Scouting program is giving something back to the local community in the form of community service hours. These service projects often involve conservation. For example, 78 Boy Scouts of America groups have enrolled as Missouri Stream Teams.

Their activities include stream litter pick-ups, water quality monitoring and streamside tree planting. Scouts or Scout troops are involved in many other conservation projects, including tree planting, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, bird house or bird feeder construction and placement, prairie restoration projects and nature trail construction and maintenance. Eagle Scouts for Conservation All Scouts are required to complete community service hours to advance in rank, but a special community service project is required of a Boy Scout to earn the coveted Eagle Scout rank. Many young men working toward becoming Eagle Scouts choose conservation projects. One Eagle Scout candidate recently completed a wood sample display that identifies various tree species. His project is used as a teaching aid to show people the differences in color, grain and bark in various wood samples. Another Scout’s project involved the construction of display boards showing various fishing lures and baits and fishing knots.

The displays are used by Conservation Department staff and volunteers when they provide fishing presentations to the public. Other Eagle Scout candidates have built and placed mourning dove nesting structures on several Northwest Missouri conservation areas.

After Eagle Scout Casey Johnson of Troop 60 in Savannah completed his mourning dove nesting project, he said he was happy he had chosen to work on behalf of conservation. “To a young man in the state of Missouri nothing can be better than the Boy Scouts of America and Missouri Department of Conservation,” Johnson said.

“BSA gives the young man a chance to learn about life and leadership, and MDC supplies a nice clean setting for these activities.” We can also thank Eagle Scout candidates for fish habitat structures in several Northwest Missouri conservation area lakes, aesthetically pleasing wooden slab benches at the entrance of the Conservation Department’s Northwest Regional Office, and for the shade structures at the Kid’s Fishing Pond at Lost Valley Fish Hatchery near Warsaw. Wildlife Management Biologist Sean Cleary testifies to the value of the partnership of the Conservation Department and the Boy Scouts of America. “Local Boy Scout troops have been a good source of volunteer help on state conservation lands,” Cleary said. Cdk Software Install Agent Service on this page.

“From trail enhancement projects to creating wildlife habitat, their work benefits the Conservation Department and Missouri citizens.” Other winners in the partnership are the individual Scouts. They get fully involved in their projects and coordinate their work with Conservation Department experts. As they complete their projects, they learn how conservation works on the ground, and they gain a sense of ownership of our natural resources. The slogan of the Boy Scouts of America is “Do a Good Turn Daily.” And, just like the anonymous Boy Scout in the London fog, Scouts have been doing Good Turns for conservation for nearly 100 years. Becoming a Scout The Boy Scouts of America has three programs open to youths.

They include Cub Scouts, which is designed for boys 7 to 10 years old. Boy Scouts, open to boys 10 to 17 years old, and Venturing, open to boys and girls between 14 and 20 years old who have completed eighth-grade.

All programs provide experiences, challenges and guidance designed to help young people mature into responsible and caring adults. To become a Scout or to learn more about Boy Scouts of America programs, contact one of the following Boy Scouts Councils in Missouri: • Great Rivers Council (Columbia)—(573) 449-2561 • Greater St. Louis Council— (314) 361-0600 • Heart of America Council (Kansas City)—(816) 942-9333 • Ozark Trails Council (Springfield)—(417) 883-1636 • Pony Express Council (St. Joseph)—(816) 233-1351 Other Youth Groups Involved in Conservation See the links listed below for other organizations actively involved in youth conservation education and/or conservation service projects.