Emergency Preparedness
Congratulations to new OA Brotherhood members!
Order of the Arrow – Lowaneu Allanque Chapter congratulates the following ten Scouts and Adults that earned the OA Brotherhood status at the 2018 Spring Camporee:
David Bradley, Troop 804
Michael (Alex) Bricker, Troop 358
Griffin Burke, Troop 358
Billy Busse, Troop 358
Bobby (Robert) Corridan, Troop 804
Jared Dennemann, Troop 804
David Gusman, Troop 358
Jack Keller, Troop 358
Ivan Miller, Troop 514
Peter Shrote, Troop 804
Well-Wishes for a Great Spring Camporee 2018!
Best of luck to all attending and volunteering at the North Star District Spring Camporee this weekend. We know you will do Willie proud with your skills in Emergency Preparedness. Can’t wait to hear the tales of survival!
District Spring Camporee: We need YOU!
From District Commissioner Stephen Heath, District Program Chair Mark Pishon and District Camporee Chairman Rick Aker:
CALLING ALL NORTH STAR TROOPS:
Show your Scout pride, carry your troop flag as you attend this year’s Spring Camporee!
The North Star District Spring Camporee will be held April 20 – 22, 2018 at the Indiana School for the Blind, 7725 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN.
Join us for the peer camaraderie and recognition with your fellow District Scouts and Scouters. We’re calling on every unit to come and be counted among the best scouts and scouters in Crossroads of America council.
This year’s theme is WILLIE’S SOUND THE SIRENS – ARE YOU PREPARED?
Scouts will be working on Emergency Preparedness and the importance of planning for the unexpected, as well as many key survival skills.
The North Star District also invites all North Star Webelos for the day on Saturday April 21, 2018. Come join us, Webelos!
Pre-registration for all Scouts, Webelos and Adults is required at this link: 2018 North Star Spring Camporee.
Looking forward to an amazing adventure at the District Spring Camporee, don’t miss it!
District SPRING CAMPOREE Leader’s Guide and prep meeting 3/25!
To all North Star Units – please see the 2018 Spring Camporee Leaders Guide v2 (<== linked here!) for our Spring Camporee this year. Rick Aker (North Star District Camporee Chair) is planning on having another Camporee meeting this Sunday, March 25; email and/or blog post to follow with more information.
If you have any questions, Rick’s contact information is in the leader guide.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at our Spring Camporee!!
District Spring Camporee: April 20 – 22, 2018
Our location has been confirmed!
The Spring Camporee [April 20-22, 2018] will be held at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 7725 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46240.
Unit leaders will receive the Spring Camporee Leaders Guide by COM Wednesday, March 14, 2018 via email.
The theme of the Spring Camporee is Willey’s Sirens and the focus will be on Emergency Preparedness. Scouts will be able to earn the merit badge or pin for Emergency Preparedness.
Looking forward to a fantastic Spring Camporee!
Emergency Mobilization
Thanks to Frank Otte, Scoutmaster of Troop 174 (CORRECTED 4:06 pm) for bringing this to my attention.
Here is a terrific opporutunity for scouts who need to work on their Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge.
Come join us; learn and have fun! The Marion County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is teaming up with Eskenazi Health, IU Health – Methodist, Riley and University, the VA Medical Center, IUPUI, Indianapolis EMS (IEMS), Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD), MESH and other agencies for a full scale Hazardous Materials Exercise.
We are requesting volunteers from each of the hospitals and service groups to volunteer to participate. Not only are we seeking adults, but also children, ideally ages 8-18.
This is a great experience for Scout and faith- based groups that are looking for an activity geared toward badge work; Emergency Preparedness or community volunteer hours. We do ask that we have an adult per 5 or 6 children as a chaperone.
Please let us know if you have younger children that would like to participate. There are opportunities for the children (and adults if you want to) to wear their swimsuit and get “showered”/de-conned by the Indianpolis
Fire Department and/or at the hospitals.
Unit Emergency Preparedness
Do you know about Emergency Preparedness BSA? This is not just a merit badge or belt loop. It is for Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Scouters, Units, and Districts.
Now what can you imagine we can do in your unit or as a district?
Why is Attending this Emergency Preparedness Camporee so Important?
Camporee is important because Emergency Preparedness is important.
I am often interested in receiving ideas for articles that are interesting and timely. This article is due to a suggestion from Troop 343’s John Ruggles. The link he sent demonstrates that the general public is most prepared for emergencies if they have practiced emergency preparedness skills.
In 2009, FEMA conducted the Citizens Corp[s] National Survey of “Personal Preparedness in America ( http://www.citizencorps.gov/down… ).
The Citizens Corp[s] Preparedness survey highlighted several aspects of “preparedness”:
- Having disaster supplies
- Having a household plan
- Familiarity with community systems
- Volunteer experience with a community safety organization
- Knowledge of immediate response
- Participation in drills
- Preparedness training
It seems obvious when you say it, but research shows that people who receive preparedness training are more likely to be prepared.
And involvement in related projects demonstrably increases actual preparedness, more than just about any other factor:
Individuals who had been involved in a community safety program (74%) or a disaster response team (71%) were significantly more likely to have disaster supplies in their home as compared to those who had not volunteered (52% and 50%, respectively).
I also found the comment from Daniel Smith particularly useful. He reminded me of the 2012 Baylor University study of the impact of scouting on the scouts. Daniel sums up the study rather succinctly this way,
In short, the study discovered a trend between those involved in the Scouting program and their future successes in life. Some of the noted trends include “higher levels of planning and preparation skills,” a higher chance to “be in a leadership position at their place of employment or local community,” and they “report [to have] closer relationships with family and friends.” So, one can infer that Scouting alumni are better prepared than the average citizen for many aspects of life.
The BSA has done a nice job of reducing some of these findings into marketing brochures that you may have seen in the past.
Please make sure to consider some of this material as you prepare Scoutmaster Minutes, skits, and games for Camporee and in the immediate follow up. Reinforce a great message.
Thanks again to John Ruggles for the lead on a good story.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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