Welcome back! Now that everyone had enjoyed their break for the holidays, it was time to get back to Scouting! The kids started off by prepping for the “First Responder” requirement during their first den meeting of the year. Assistant Den Leader David went through the chapter in the Webelos handbook, and talked about different ways of helping someone in a case of medical emergency. Then the kids got to practice with each other a couple of ways of assisting someone who is choking, including the Heimlich maneuver.
At the second den meeting of the month, the boys were visited by an actual first responder! This gentleman has a long history of scouting, is a retired state auxiliary police officer with the Central Mass Search and Rescue Team (CMSRT), and is presenter of the “Hug a Tree and Survive” program. He’s presented this program to scouts and school children for many years, to educate them on what to do if they find themselves lost or injured in a remote location. The boys found it very interesting, learned a great deal, and even went on a rescue training exercise! This concluded the tasks for the “First Responder” requirement, so they earned their “First Responder” pin.