Robert Robert - Scouting for Boys

Do everything possible to get the Scout taught how to swim. In a town with a swimming bath this should offer no difficulty. In the country, the best chance for Scouts to learn swimming is by arranging summer camp near the sea or a lake or river where it is safe to swim.

Practise the various methods of rescue of a drowning person.

GAMES IN FIRE RESCUE

Prepare a heavy smoke fire in a neighboring room or building, while you are in the club room. Secretly arrange with two or three boys that if an alarm of fire is given they should run about frightened and try to start a panic.

Have the alarm given either by getting someone to rush in and tell you of the fire, or by having some explosive bombs fired. Then let a Patrol or two Patrols tackle the fire under direction of their Patrol Leaders. They should shut windows and doors, and send Scouts into different parts of the building to see if the fire is spreading, and to search for people in need of rescue.

These Scouts should have wet handkerchiefs over their mouths and noses. “Insensible” people (or sack dummies) should be hidden under tables, etc. Scouts rescue them by shouldering them or dragging them out and getting them down to the ground. Use jumping sheet, chute etc.

Other parties lay and connect the hose, or make lines for passing fire buckets.

Another party revive the rescued. Another party form “fence” to help the police and fire brigade by keeping the crowd back.

CAMP FIRE YARN NO. 25

HELPING OTHERS

Rendering First Aid - Shock - Bleeding

Artificial Respiration - Other First Aid

How to Carry a Patient

HINTS TO INSTRUCTOR

In teaching First Aid the usual mistake is that the boys are instructed as for passing an examination rather than for applying intelligent knowledge to an emergency. Thus the Scout who took charge of a baby in convulsions at the railway station and ran to the engine and popped it into a bucket of hot water did the right thing. He had seen mother do it. Therefore, use demonstrations and incidents rather than teach Latin names of bones, etc. It is impossible in the short space at one’s disposal to give all the details of First Aid.

If you should come upon an accident, remember this: You are not a doctor. As a first aider you should send for a doctor at once except for minor injuries. Your job is to keep the patient from getting worse until medical attention can arrive, by preventing shock, stopping bleeding, giving artificial respiration, or doing whatever else is necessary.

In an accident when you are alone with an injured person who is unconscious, lay him on his back with his head a little raised and on one side so that he does not choke, and so that any vomit can run out of his mouth. Loosen the clothing about his neck and chest. Cover him up to keep him warm. See where he is injured, and care for him according to what you are taught in first aid.

If you have found the man lying insensible, you should carefully examine the ground round him for any “signs” and take note of them and of his position in case it should afterwards appear that he had been attacked by others.

If you are out with a Patrol and an accident happens, or you find an injured man, the Patrol Leader should send one Scout for a doctor; he himself will attend to the patient with one Scout to help him. The Second will use the other Scouts in assisting by getting water or blankets, or making a stretcher or keeping the crowd back if one is forming by making a fence with their staves.

As a rule it is best to keep a patient quiet at first. Do not try to move him unless it is necessary, and don’t bother him with questions until he recovers a bit.

Shock

Shock is a dangerous condition that comes with almost all injuries. You should always be on the watch for it, or, better, take for granted that it is there and do what you can to prevent it from becoming serious.

The patient gets faint, his face pale. He may become unconscious. Don’t let that happen. Lay him down immediately, flat on his back, with head to one side. Keep him warm by putting blankets or coats around him.

Bleeding

When a man is bleeding badly from a wound, press the wound or the flesh just above it— that is, between the wound and the heart—press it hard with your thumb to stop the blood running in the artery. Then make a pad with something like a flat rounded pebble and bind it over the wound.

If bleeding violently, tie a handkerchief loosely round the limb above the wound, and twist it with a stick until the blood stops. This is called a tourniquet. It must be eased at least every fifteen minutes or serious permanent injury may result. Keep the wounded

part raised above the rest of the body if possible. Get a doctor as soon as possible.

On a small wound apply iodine and cover with a clean (sterile) dressing. Hold this in place with a bandage.

Bleeding from the ears and insensibility after a fall indicate injury to the skull. The patient should not be moved at all. if possible. It is best to keep him lying on the spot, put cold water or ice to his head and keep him quiet till a doctor comes.

Spitting or throwing up blood means internal injury or bursting of a small blood-vessel inside the patient. If the blood is light red in color and mixed with froth it means injury to the lungs. In either case keep the patient quiet and give ice to suck or cold water to sip. Send for a doctor.

Artificial Respiration

To restore anyone who is apparently drowned, or someone who is not breathing from having been overcome by smoke or fumes, you need to apply artificial respiration. It consists merely in laying the patient on his front, and then squeezing the air out of him and letting it in again.

Every Scout should know how to apply artificial respiration.

1. Immediately after the removal from the water, lay the patient face downwards, with one arm extended and the face turned to the side, resting on the other arm. Kneel alongside or astride of the patient, facing towards his head.

2. Place your hands on the small of the patient’s back, one on each side, with the fingers together on the lowest ribs.

3. Swing forward with the arms straight, and make a firm, steady downward pressure on the ribs of the patient, while you count slowly in thousands—”one thousand—two thousands”— to press the patient against the ground and to force the air from his chest.

4. Then swing your body backwards so as to relieve the pressure, without removing your hands, while you count slowly—“three thousands—four thousands”.

Continue this backward and forward movement, alternately relieving and pressing the patient against the ground in order to drive the air out of his chest and mouth, and allowing it to suck itself in again, until gradually the patient begins to do it for himself.

The proper pace for the movement is about twelve pressures to the minute.

As soon as the patient is breathing, you can leave off the pressure—but watch him, and if he fails you must start again till he can breathe for himself. It may be necessary to have relays of helpers.

Then let him lie in a natural position, and set to work to get him warm by putting hot flannels or bottles of hot water between his thighs and under the arms and against the soles of his feet.