First Aid Kit: How to Make One

First Aid Kit: How to make one #BePrepared
by Millcreek Canyon Camps
Friday, April 20, 2018

Source: Facebook Post by Millcreek Canyon Camps

We love the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared. As adult leaders, we’re responsible to teach Cub Scouts how to be responsible for not only themselves, but those around them. One of the best ways to begin teaching this is by helping Cubs create their own first aid kit and then teaching them how to safely use it. We’ve put together a simple and cost-effective way to create a portable kit because every child should come to camp prepared. We’ll give you a step by step process of what you need for a kit as well as some fun suggestions to help get your Cubs even more excited to make them. Here’s what you’ll need:

Resealable Sandwich Bag

Resealable sandwich bags are the perfect size to fit a variety of supplies for a first aid kit.

Resealable sandwich bags work so well with a portable first aid kit. They allow different sized objects to fit into them depending on the activity you are participating in. They will keep first aid supplies clean and dry. And most importantly, they can be easily replaced. Add Color! While it’s fine to simply write your pack number of the bags, we recommend that you invite your Cubs to color their bags using different colored Sharpie markers. Have them draw their favorite animal, a campsite, or any other crazy thing that may pop into their head. This will get them excited to not only have a first aid kit, but to also fill it and use it.

Bandages

While there are many different types of bandages, my favorite for summer camp are the "Flexible Fabric". They allow for great breathablity on cuts & scrapes.

There are so many different sizes to choose from when it comes to bandages! Each pack should decide what size of bandages depending on the activities you’ll be participating in. I personally prefer using fabric bandages for most activities and cuts. Decorate! While it’s fun to buy character bandages, they’re pricey. Try adding stickers to them so that each Cub chooses what kind of fun bandage they want to use. Remember to only remove the outer wrapper. The bandage will not be sterile if the white underside covers are removed.

Alcohol Swabs

While bandages are important in keeping a wound clean, alcohol swabs are what actually clean the affected area.But let’s be honest, alcohol on any sort of wound isn’t fun. There are alternatives that will clean cuts just as good as alcohol but don’t cause that burning sensation. One in particular is called benzalkonium chloride. This does come as a swab, but sometimes can be a little more expensive than alcohol swabs.

Cotton Swabs

Cotton swabs are able to clean better than the alcohol swabs depending on the type of wound.

Cotton swabs are great for many things. Sometimes it can be difficult to completely clean cuts & scrapes, but a cotton swab can really help when wetted down by an antiseptic (i.e. alcohol) or even just water. Secondly, cotton swabs are great for applying bacitracin or Neosporin.Keep ‘em Clean! Wrap cotton swabs in plastic wrap to protect them from being dirty by the other items in your first aid kit.

Bacitracin

Neosporin is an alternative, but be sure to check that the person isn't allergic to either before applying to the affected area.

As mentioned before, alcohol swabs are for cleaning out wounds. Bacitracin will continue to wounds after the alcohol has dried up. This will be the most expensive part of the kit and so we recommend that you purchase 1 tube for the entire pack. We recommend that you apply this with cotton swabs.

Gloves

One box of gloves will be more than enough for your first aid kits. Hold on to the extras for other activities like first aid practices.

Gloves are great to have when performing first aid. While it’s nice to have them, they are certainly not required to protect yourself and a wounded Cub Scout from spreading disease or pathogens. By simply being cautious in how you handle the different swabs & bandages and everything will be just fine.

Remember that if you come prepared, there will be less worry and stress, especially if all of your Cubs have the tools to handle those small abrasions or, as we like to call them, stories. Now you are #BePrepared.

Principles and Guidelines for Scouting through 2019

Principles and Guidelines for Boy Scout and Cub Scout Units until December 31, 2019

On December 31, 2019, the Church will officially stop sponsoring Scouting units. Until that time, leaders should, under the direction of the bishopric, continue to use the Boy Scout and Cub Scout programs to help support the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood and Primary (see Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 8.1.3, 11.1). The following principles and guidelines can help.

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Principles (see also http://aptraining.lds.org)

• Purposes of activities: Activities should “fulfill gospel-centered purposes” ( Handbook 2, 13.1). They should help boys and young men build relationships, give service, have fun, learn practical skills, build confidence, and prepare for their divine roles. They are more likely to learn these lessons from experiences rather than classroom settings.
• Balance: Activities should provide a balance of opportunities to develop spiritually, socially, physically, and intellectually (see Luke 2:52; Handbook 2, 8.13.1; 13.2.6).
• Planning: Activities for young men should be planned in advance and executed by Aaronic Priesthood quorum and troop leaders, with support from adult advisers (see Handbook 2, 8.13). Activities for boys should be planned and executed by Primary and Cub leaders.

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Guidelines

• Continue to register young men and boys ages 8–13 and adult leaders with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
• Consult with parents of boys and young men to determine how to best support their goals in Scouting.
• Use Scouting resources—such as merit badges, boards of review, and courts of honor—to accomplish the purposes of Church activities as described above

Ask the Expert: What is (and What isn’t) a Camping Night for the Camping Merit Badge?

Source: https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/06/24/ask-expert-isnt-camping-night-camping-mb/


When it comes to finding a place to spend the night, Boy Scouts have seemingly limitless options: tent, hammock, cabin, retired battleship, museum, church gymnasium, baseball stadium, sleeping bag under the stars.

All of these locations offer a great experience for Scouts, but only some count as camping — at least when it comes to the Camping merit badge.

Camping merit badge requirement 9a says:

Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting activities or events.* One long-term camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied toward this requirement. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched. If the camp provides a tent that has already been pitched, you need not pitch your own tent.

*All campouts since becoming a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may count toward this requirement.

So just what is (and what isn’t) a camping night? Let’s ask the expert. 

The question

I have recently become advancement chairperson of a small troop. I am getting pressured to record an overnighter that took place in the meeting place (in a church youth room) and also an indoor aquarium museum sleepover towards the boy’s camping nights.

I don’t believe this fits the requirement for camping: “Under the stars or in a tent you have pitched …”

It’s been a hard sell. Could you please clarify what is and is not considered “camping”?

Thanks,
Christina

The expert’s response

This comes from Michael LoVecchio of the BSA’s Member Experience Innovation Team.

“The intent of the requirement is to camp overnight in a tent or under the stars,” LoVecchio says. “This means sleeping overnight in building/structure does not meet the intent of the requirement.”

More explanation

Still unclear? Here’s more:

“Camp a total of 20 nights …”

This means 20 overnights, so a weekend trip from Friday through Sunday is two nights. Complete 10 such trips, and you’ve got the 20 you need.

All campouts since becoming a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout may count toward this requirement. In other words, a Scout doesn’t need a blue card for the Camping MB before he may begin counting these nights. Any nights as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout are eligible.

“… at designated Scouting activities or events.”

This means the experiences are held under the auspices of some level of the BSA, and that “Scouting” happens on them.

For example, an individual family or a couple of Scouts and their parents heading off into the woods doesn’t count.

“One long-term camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied toward this requirement.”

• A long-term camping experience is at least five consecutive nights. The long-term camping experience must also be a “designated Scouting activity or event.” This could be at a council summer camp or on a troop’s own 50 miler, a Jamboree, high-adventure base, etc.
• Only one of these experiences is allowed, and up to six nights may count toward the requirement. Example: A trip that lasts Sunday through Saturday counts as six nights.
• If a Scout goes on a 10-night trek or a 20-night trek or a 100-night trek (!), only six of those nights will count.
• If a Scout goes to summer camp twice for a total of 12 nights, only one of the summer camps will count — for up to six nights.
• The remainder of the camping nights must be accumulated through short-term camping — normally weekend troop campouts.
• Example 1: A Scout goes to summer camp for six nights. He can count all of those nights and now needs 14 more nights. These 14 nights must come from short-term camping experiences — probably seven two-night weekend campouts.
• Example 2: A Scout goes on a 10-night Philmont trek. He can count six of those nights and now needs 14 more nights.These 14 nights must come from short-term camping experiences — probably seven two-night weekend campouts.
• Example 3: A Scout can’t make it to summer camp or a high-adventure base. Over the course of three years he attends 10 two-night troop campouts, sleeping in a tent each time. After the 20th night he has completed the requirement.

“Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched.”

• All 20 nights must be spent under the sky or in a tent, so nights in cabins don’t count.
• If camping is done at a camp that provides tents that are already set up, then all is good. If tents are not already pitched, the Scout must pitch his tent. If he is sleeping in a two-man tent, then it would be reasonable the he and his buddy set the tent up together. Sleeping in a tent that Dad or the Scoutmaster, etc., pitched doesn’t count.

A final thought

Some parents have Scouts in troops that don’t do very much camping. They can get in the long-term outing, but it takes a long time for their troop to get out on enough campouts to make up the other 14 nights.

As a workaround they suggest they will send their son to summer camp, but then take him home after four nights so the experience will not count as a long-term camp. This doesn’t fulfill the requirement.


Short-term campouts provide variety in both preparation and experience, and the Scouts are more likely to have to set up their own tent and take more responsibility for outdoor living skills. A long-term summer camp is still a long-term camp even if the Scout is there for only a portion of the time. It’s an entirely different adventure and usually doesn’t call for the same level of self-reliance required for a short term camp.

Boy Scouts of America Organization Is Not Changing Their Name

According to Scouting Wire, the Boy Scouts of America organization is not changing their name. Just the sub program "Boy Scouts" ages 11-17 is changing to "Scouts BSA".  Individual troops will still be all Boys, or now or all Girls.

LDS Church Leaving Boy Scouts of America

May 8th, 2018:  Today the LDS Church announced the official split with Boy Scouts of America will occur next year, December 2019.  Scouts will continue to run as usual until then.