You've heard it before, that using the skills they acquire through Scouting boys have saved lives. It's true: every month Boy's Life magazine details one or more stories of Scouts who have saved the life of another by using the skills they have gained through their involvement in the Scouting program.

The BSA recognizes these efforts through a program of progressive levels that reflect the skill involved, or the risk inherent in performing or attempting to perform an act of heroism. These are referred to as Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Awards.

Here are the various levels of award, from the most meritorious - involving extreme risk to the rescuer, to those which involve little to no risk but still result in the saving of a life or otherwise prevening serious injury.

Lifesaving and Meritorious Action Awards requirements

National awards for lifesaving and meritorious action are made only for outstanding and unusual acts that demonstrate unusual heroism, skill, or bravery and reflect Scouting ideals, based on the following criteria:

Honor Medal with Crossed Palms

The Honor Medal With Crossed Palms may be awarded in exceptional cases to a youth member or adult leader who has demonstrated both unusual heroism and extraordinary skill or resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save life at extreme risk to self.

Honor Medal

The Honor Medal may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader who has demonstrated unusual heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save life at considerable risk to self.

Heroism Award

The Heroism Award may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader who has demonstrated heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save life at minimum risk to self.

Medal of Merit

The Medal of Merit may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader who has performed some outstanding act of service of a rare or exceptional character that reflects an uncommon degree of concern for the well-being of others.

National Certificate of Merit

The National Certificate of Merit may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader who has performed a significant act of service that is deserving of special national recognition. Note: If the action is deserving of merit but does not qualify for a national award, the Scout may be eligible for the Local Council Certificate of Merit, No. 33732.

Heroism is defined as conduct exhibiting courage and daring, skill, and self-sacrifice.

Skill is defined as the ability to use one's knowledge effectively in execution or performance. Special attention is given to skills earned in Scouting.

 

If you have ever wondered what the face of a Scout lifesaver looks like then look no further. Here is the BSA's latest lifesaving Scout, all of 7 years of age.

7-y.o. Scout Saves Life

Upper Darby Boy Scout helps save grandmother

Published: Thursday, May 10, 2012

http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2012/05/10/news/doc4fac86c3cdf95782007117.txt?viewmode=fullstory

By LINDA REILLY
Times Correspondent,llreilly1@gmail.com

UPPER DARBY — Jonathan Thornton, a 15-year-old Boy Scout, put his recently learned first aid training to the test and saved his grandmother’s life.

Thornton, a freshman at Upper Darby High School and member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 32, Drexel Hill Methodist Church, completed a Wilderness First Aid Training class that included CPR, the weekend of April 28.

The following weekend, his grandmother, Diane Daniels, 71, suffered a mini-stroke and collapsed in the living room of their home on Lakeview Avenue in Drexel Hill.

Thornton had decided to enroll in the training class because the troop needed four scouts and two adults, to be certified in first aid, for a planned 14-day camping trip to Philmont Scout Ranch, New Mexico, in June.

“It’s so we can perform first aid in an emergency until paramedics arrive and make sure they don’t die,” Thornton said.

On May 5, Thornton made sure his grandmother didn’t die.

Calmly and acting without hesitation, Thornton responded to his mother’s screams for help and ran downstairs to see his grandmother on the floor.

“I saw her fall,” said Jeannie Daniels, Thornton’s mother. “She just collapsed. Jonathan and his brother, Nathaniel, were upstairs and I kept trying to talk to her. She just wasn’t aware. At one point, it didn’t look like she was breathing.

“I got the phone and called 911. They asked, ‘Do you know CPR?’ I said my son does. Jonathan didn’t panic. He was very calm. My oldest son (Nathaniel, 17) went outside to wait for paramedics and Jonathan talked to the 911 people. I definitely consider him a hero. He just had the classes the weekend before this happened. Scouting has taught my children so many skills and now it saved my mother’s life.

Jonathan, a Boy Scout since first grade, put his first aid training to the test.

“We called 911 and checked her intake,” Thornton said. “We noticed she wasn’t breathing so I started to perform CPR. I did two repetitions and she started breathing again, so I put her on her side in a more comfortable position. Then I just stayed on the phone with 911 until the paramedics arrived.”

His grandmother was transported to the hospital for treatment and testing.

“I learned CPR in the class,” Thornton said. “A weekend before this happened I completed a wilderness first aid class because they needed to have scouts certified in first aid for the Philmont course.

“Not in my lifetime did I think I would use what I learned that quickly.”

His grandmother has no recollection of her grandson coming to her aid.

“Nothing like this every happened to me before,” Diane Daniels said. “I remember walking into the living room. I put my soda on the table. I was going to sit down and read. That’s all I remember. I hope it never happens again. I found out later that night what Jonathan did. I think he’s a hero. He’s my hero.”

Frenchtown, Missoula Boy Scouts to receive lifesaving award

Posted: Feb 2, 2012 7:35 AM by Dennis Bragg (KPAX/KAJ Media Center)
Updated: Feb 2, 2012 9:04 PM

http://www.kaj18.com/news/frenchtown-missoula-boy-scouts-to-receive-lifesaving-award/#!prettyPhoto[gallery]/1/

 

FRENCHTOWN- Five Boy Scouts who's calm thinking helped save the lives of three hunters overcome with carbon monoxide poisoning in a remote corner of Southwest Montana are being honored for their life-saving efforts.

Brett Butler, Carl Saunders, and Randy Cook were overcome by the fumes while they were hunting with their sons in the Medicine Lodge country in November 2010. A heater in the men's tent malfunctioned, filling the shelter with toxic fumes overnight.

The five Scouts were credited with not only helping the unconscious men, but driving out of the remote area to get help.

Saunders and Cook were in especially poor condition and had to be flown to Salt Lake City for treatment. But they recovered in about a week as the community rallied around the families to help with their expenses.

The Montana Council of the Boy Scouts of America are honoring the boys for their valor, presenting them with the BSA Lifesaver Award during a ceremony in Frenchtown this weekend.

Three of the Scouts are from Frenchtown, and two from Missoula, representing Frenchtown Troop 1908 and Varsity Teams 6908 and 6980.

Montana Council CEO Gordon Rubard says the Lifesaver Award is "very rare" and is given only after a very extensive review of the circumstances of an incident. In this case he says scouts did a "remarkable thing" and their calm thinking and use of their Scout training was "impressive."

The presentation will happen during half-time of the Frenchtown High School basketball game Saturday.

 

 

 

 

8-year-old boy from Summit County given Boy Scouts honor medal for saving drowning girl

Posted: 02/17/2012

• By: Mike Waterhouse, newsnet5.com

WASHINGTON - An 8-year-old boy from Summit County was awarded an honor medal for saving a 5-year-old girl from drowning last summer.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), an Eagle Scout since 1967, presented Daniel Logan Green of Silver Lake with the Boy Scouts of America honor medal.

Green, a wolf cub scout, was the only scout in his den to pass the standard Boy Scouts of America swimming test while at Camp Butler in Boston Township last year.

One week after passing his test, the Boy Scouts said Green was swimming with friends near a floating dock when he noticed a girl crying in the deep water area near him. He realized something was wrong and swam to help her. She was unable to talk, gasping and swallowing water.

Green told the girl to grab onto his back and swam with her back to the floating dock. He told her to hold onto the dock while he alerted a lifeguard. The girl was rescued and unharmed.

"Daniel epitomizes what it means to be a Boy Scout: selfless, quick-thinking, and responsible. He is proof that the skills taught in the Boy Scouts program can be used every day, and in some cases to save a life," Brown said.

In addition to the honor medal, Green was given a commendation by the Silver Lake Village Council, the Summit County Council and the Ohio State Senate passed a resolution in his honor and gave him a standing ovation.

Green ....joined his church’s scout pack as a tiger cub in 2010.

Westlake Boy Scout honored for heroic efforts

Motichek recognized after saving brother's life

http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/news/x1353876043/Westlake-Boy-Scout-honored-for-heroic-efforts

By SUSAN LAFARGUE KYLE

Southwest Daily News

 

Westlake, La. —

It was on Saturday, July 3, 2010, that Skyliar Motichek saved his younger brother’s life. On Monday, February 13, the Boy Scout was honored for his heroism.

It was at a swimming party that a relative saw Parker Modisette, Skyliar’s pre-school brother, lying on the bottom of the pool in deep water. Their aunt, Donna Modisette, managed to pull Parker from the bottom but was too weak to keep him above water. Her cries of help weren’t immediately heard above the usual noise of a party.

But Skyliar heard the the screams. He swam to Donna, who was doing her best holding an unconscious Parker. Swimming up to the pair, Skyliar grabbed his brother firmly and pulled him to safety out of the water. The unconscious child began coughing and spitting out water. He regained consciousness and is fine today.

“I will never lose the image of Skyliar descending on us like an angel from heaven and grabbing Parker,” said Donna.

Scoutmaster Kenneth Eastman, leader of Westlake Boy Scout Troop 88, along with Skyliar’s friends and family, held an ceremony on Feb. 13 honoring Skyliar at Westlake United Methodist Church, sponsors of the Westlake troop. A crowd was there to give a standing ovation for the young man while his father pinned the Lifesaving Heroism Award on his son’s uniform. The medal and certificate was awarded to Skyliar by the National Council of Boy Scouts of America and was presented to him by Scoutmaster Eastman.

One of Skyliar’s teachers spoke on the remarkable young man.

“Skyliar is such a humble guy. I would have never known that he had performed such a heroic act if I had not gotten the email inviting me to this ceremony. He is a very special young man and I am extremely proud to be his algebra teacher,” said Julie Faulk, Barbe High School teacher.

Skyliar did not know anything about the ceremony, so all the acclaim caught him by surprise, just as was hoped by those who wanted to honor him.

“I’m very surprised. I thank everyone who had something to do with this,” said Skyliar after the ceremony.

Boy Scouts help save their father while he's having a heart attack

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's a good thing for Gary Williams that his sons are in the Boy Scouts.

On December 7th at 5:30 a.m., Williams' sons Ben, 13, and Caleb, 15, awoke to the sound of their mother's cries for help.

"She was just screaming," said Caleb Williams.

They ran into the living room to find their father on the floor. He'd lost consciousness in the middle of a morning workout.

"She was saying he had a heart attack," said Ben Williams. "His eyes were closed, he was gasping for air."

Ben called 911, then joined his brother.

Suddenly the skills they learned while earning life saving merit badges as Boy Scouts were put to the ultimate test.

"I started with compressing first, and Ben was doing the breathing," said Caleb. "And then we kind of switched off."

"We remembered everything. In that moment, I think your memory is pretty clear," he said.

Firefighters and paramedics soon arrived.

"This was what they call a widow maker," said Capt. Diana Matty of the West Palm Beach Fire Department. "Without the help of his sons, he quite possibly would have died."

Firefighters strapped on a chest compression machine and used ice and saline to cool Gary's body down to lessen stress on his heart. Gary's heart stopped beating twice on the way to the hospital.

And twice, while in the hospital, his wife, Sheila, says she was advised to take him off life support

"We just took it upon prayer, and just standing our ground," said Gary's wife, Sheila Williams.

Thirty-five days after collapsing, on January 10th, Gary Williams woke up and heard the story of why he was in a hospital, and not dead.

"Thanks to the boys for coming through and doing what they knew they had to do," said Gary Williams.

Gary now wears an automatic defibrillator.

He rehabs regularly.

The family of seven remains whole, thanks to firefighters and to Caleb and Ben, who could also be in line for badges of modesty.

"It really wasn't us who brought him back. It was God who brought him back," said Caleb Williams.

On Sunday, they will have dinner with the firefighters at Station #2.

Caught between a rock and a hard place

 

Aromas scout Shayne Ely honored for heroism

By JOHN SAMMON

 

 

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_19420089

WATSONVILLE -- The motto of the Boy Scouts is "be prepared." In that light, Life Scout Shayne Ely, 16 of Aromas showed that he lives up to the credo.

Ely came to the rescue fellow scout Angelo Long, 14, of Watsonville, after a rogue wave hit Long near Sunset/Manresa State Beach during a camping outing in September 2010.

The action won Ely a rare, nationally recognized scouting award for heroism.

"Since 1923, only 5,800 such awards have been presented among a total 114 million Boy Scouts, and there have only been a couple in the Monterey Bay area," said Chris Garcia, scoutmaster of Troop 558 in Watsonville.

Twice a year, the troop members and their families gather at the Buddhist Temple on Bridge Street in Watsonville to celebrate achievements such as earning merit badges or advancing in rank.

At a Court of Honor held Nov. 19 at the temple, about 50 family members gathered to see scouts honored including the presentation to Ely with the Boy Scout Heroism Award for Lifesaving.

Garcia, 41 of Watsonville, oversees the troop numbering from 12 to 15 boys when not managing three Surf City coffee shops in the area.

"This is a really old troop," Garcia said. "It's been in existence for 87 years, remarkable when you consider the Boy Scouts of America was formed 102 years ago."

Though none of the boys are of the Buddhist faith, the temple serves as a meeting place and host providing whatever is needed.

Garcia has served as scoutmaster for more than two years after replacing Roger Ely, Shayne's father.

"The goal is to be a role model and to help turn the boys into young men, but the troop is boy-run and led," Garcia said. "They learn to be leaders."

Individual boys serve as patrol leaders and help younger boys to achieve skills including proper values, outdoor survival techniques, comradeship and teamwork, Garcia said.

Long, a good swimmer and surfer, suffered spinal injuries in the September 2010 incident, but Ely pulled him onto a boogie board and using it as a tool, floated him to shore, keeping him stable, preventing further neck damage.

A freshman at Aptos High School, Long said the wave left him paralyzed and helpless in the water. He suffered three cracked vertebrae.

"It was hard to breathe and it hurt to move my arms," he said. "It was horrible."

Long was rushed to Watsonville Community Hospital and then to Stanford University Hospital.

"I had a long recovery," Long said.

Ely's actions prompted a flurry of paperwork. Two adults who were on the beach at the time were questioned, as were emergency responders.

"The paperwork had to be first submitted to the local Boy Scout Council in Salinas, and then moved up to the National Council in Texas," Garcia noted.

The evidence was reviewed by a board at the national headquarters which agreed Ely's actions were heroic. He was awarded both a certificate and a medal for valor.

Ely, a sophomore at Anzar High School in San Juan Batista, said he didn't feel like a hero for doing what he did.

"I just thought this kid is hurt and I've got to get him to shore," he said.

Long's mother Julie, however, was quick to praise Ely's efforts.

"He saved my son's life," she said.

ROCHESTER —

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. These are not just 12 nice words to a Boy Scout – this is “the law.” Every Boy Scout strives to live up to this law within their daily lives. These 12 points of the law that local Boy Scout Ben Ferreira, from Rochester Troop 31, certainly lives up to in his daily life. Earlier this year, there was a snowmobile rider that was very thankful that Ferreira lived up to one point of the Scouting credo that winter day – Be brave.

Fifteen-years-old Ferreira, who holds Life Scout rank in Rochester Troop 31, was just beginning a snowmobile vacation with his father Dan Ferreira, who’s an assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 31. When the younger Ferreira arrived in Redstone, N.H., late in February of 2011, they had to stop at a nearby gas station in order to receive the necessary registration permits for their snowmobiles, and to fill up their vehicles with gasoline.

While Dan Ferreira was taking care of the registration inside the shop, Ben noticed someone pull up to the gas pumps on a snowmobile and proceed to fill the snowmobile and a two-gallon gas can with gasoline. Ben remembered watching as he filled up the gas can first. He then placed the full can on the back of the snowmobile and secured it with some elastic bungee cord. It was when he started to fill up the snowmobile itself that really held Ben’s interest. Ben noticed that he wasn’t very careful as he filled up the snowmobile as he overflowed the tank and spilled gas all over the engine and it was dripping onto the ground around the snowmobile in a large puddle.

Ben was watching as the man paid for the gas and proceeded to start the snowmobile. When the man started the snowmobile, a spark ignited the spilled gasoline, which was still dripping off of the engine onto the ground. The gasoline violently engulfed the snowmobile in a huge fireball making a loud whoosh sound. Ben immediately jumped out of his father’s truck and ran into the store. Inside the store, he saw the sales clerk struggling to pull the pin on the rather large fire extinguisher. Ben grabbed the extinguisher from her hands, pulled the pin and ran back toward the burning snowmobile.

Once at the snowmobile he saw that the rider had jumped off and was attempting to put out the roaring flames with his jacket. He was also attempting to pull the snowmobile, which is now fully engulfed in flames, away from the gas pumps. Ben pushed the man over to the side out of harm’s way of the flames. Then, using the knowledge and hands on fire safety training that Ben received in Boy Scouts, he knew exactly how to extinguish the fire quickly and safely using the fire extinguisher. During the ordeal, Dan also came running out of the shop, grabbed a second fire extinguisher from his truck and helped put out the remaining flames on the snowmobile.

After the flames were put out, Dan, who’s also an EMT for Rochester Fire Department, made sure that the snowmobile rider and Ben weren’t seriously injured by performing a quick First Aid assessment of the two. Even though the snowmobile was severely damaged in the blaze, thankfully no one was seriously injured during the fire. This surely would not have been the case if Ben didn’t act as quickly as he did. If it weren’t for Ben’s quick reactions and bravery, the flames would have spread to the gasoline can that was sitting on the back of the snowmobile. If the flames spread to the gas can it surely would have exploded. This would have resulted in the snowmobile rider, and Ben, being seriously hurt or even killed.

The snowmobile rider was extremely grateful that Ben lives by the Scout Law, and is brave.

When Ben’s Scoutmaster, Michael Blanchard, of Rochester, heard this amazing story, he knew exactly what to do to honor his Scout. The Boy Scouts of America have very special recognition awards and medals for youth Scouts and adult Scouters that save the life of someone else. These awards are extremely difficult to receive, and the application process is quite lengthy. There is a seven-page application that Blanchard had to fill out, he also had to gather signed statements from those involved, prepare a signed statement himself, write a full summary of the event and be interviewed.

Blanchard felt that everything that he went through for Ben was worth every moment. He was sure it would help the National Boy Scout Council pass a motion to grant Ben the award that he felt Ben deserved. Along with everything that had to be done, it still took over five months for the National Council to decide whether or not to grant Ben an award for his actions.

Near the end of October, Blanchard received a phone call from National Boy Scout Council stating that they have decided to award Ben Ferreira the National Heroism award for his outstanding bravery and use of skills that he learned while a Boy Scout.

The National Boy Scout Heroism Award consists of a Certificate of Merit, a BSA uniform knot, which is similar to a military ribbon worn on the uniform, and the Heroism medal itself. The Heroism Award may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader whom has demonstrated heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save a life.

Since 1923, when the Heroism Award was first introduced, there have been only 3,230 recipients of it. In 2010, there were 149 of these awards granted. In comparison, there have been slightly less than 2.1 million Scouts achieving the Eagle Scout rank since 1910, the year Boy Scouts of America was formed. This certainly makes the Heroism Award a very rare award to be handed out.

Troop 31’s Scoutmaster Blanchard says it’s a “privilege to have the honor” of presenting Ben with the Heroism award during Troop 31’s annual Thanksgiving dinner and campfire program with over 150 people present for the festivities. Along with the Heroism Award, Scoutmaster Blanchard will also present Ben with a letter of Accommodation from Massachusetts State Sen. Scott Brown.

If you know of a boy between the ages of 11 and 18 year that is interested in joining Boy Scouts, and you are in the Rochester-area, feel free to stop by for one of Troop 31’s meetings. Troop 31 meets every Monday evening, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Rochester Grange hall. Stop by, introduce yourself, and before you know it, they too will “Be Prepared.”

December 5, 2011

Scout recognized for saving great-grandmother's life

http://weatherforddemocrat.com/top-news/x1760888200/Scout-recognized-for-saving-great-grandmothers-life

 

PEASTER — It was a gutsy move for 10-year-old Lane Hardin to tell his grandmother that she was performing CPR incorrectly on his great-grandmother, who was having a stroke.

But the Peaster student’s calm thinking, courage and thorough knowledge of the live-saving method helped save the woman’s life when he stepped in to assist his grandmother as they waited for an ambulance to arrive.

When Lane learned CPR in the third grade through Cub Scouts, he didn’t think he’d have to use it.

He definitely couldn’t expect to earn a prestigious and rare life-saving award by the age of 11.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to [use CPR],” Lane said.

Lane, whose grandfather is an Eagle Scout, said he started Cub Scouts about six years ago after a man visited his school and talked about joining the program.

Cub Scouts are typically taught the basics of CPR, while older Boy Scouts go over the full routine and practice it, according to Kelly Green, Lane’s den master at the time. Lane and fellow Cub Scouts got an unusually thorough CPR lesson from Nick Seli, a Fort Worth firefighter, he added.

One day in January 2010, Lane was in the kitchen of his grandparents’ home in Weatherford looking at his new snake skin boots with his grandfather when the two heard Lane’s grandmother, Risa Hardin, calling from the living room.

Ruby Howell, Lane’s great-grandmother who had helped care for Lane since he was an infant, had been sick for some time and had recently had a major stroke. When Hardin went to check on Howell as she sat sleeping in a recliner, Hardin noticed she was foaming at the mouth and had stopped breathing. Hardin realized Howell was having another stroke.

“I remember we quickly got her laid out on the floor and, while I began CPR, someone called 911,” Hardin wrote in her testimony to the Boy Scouts’ National Court of Honor.

Lane said she was panicking and counting out the compressions too quickly.

“He said, ‘Mimi, you don’t need to do it that fast,’” Hardin said.

Lane also corrected her hand placement on the woman’s chest.

“My Mimi attempted CPR but she wasn’t doing it right so I said, ‘Mimi, let me do it. Look, you just breath into her mouth twice after I push thirty times,’” Lane wrote in his testimony.

Hardin said Lane appeared calm.

“I was panicking in my head,” Lane said.

The two continued CPR together until Howell began breathing on her own again and emergency personnel arrived.

Howell, who called Lane her “Little Boy Blue,” survived that day and lived another four months, enough time for the family to say goodbye, Hardin said.

“They were really close,” Lane’s mother, Natalie Cockfield, said of the relationship between her son and his great-grandmother. “He loved her and she always said he was the reason she lived as long as she did.”

“I’m just really proud of him,” Cockfield said.

“They called me and told that’s what he did,” Lane’s father, Stefan Hardin, said. “I said that’s good. I’m glad he was there to help. He always was worried about her [when he was away].”

It wasn’t an accident that Lane was able to step up and help save his great-grandmother’s life if you ask those around him.

Lane’s grandparents describe him as quiet but smart, conscientious and committed to excellence.

“He just doesn’t quit,” Risa Hardin said. “I’m glad he didn’t quit that night – that was pretty rough.”

Lane always shows up in uniform, prepared and willing to serve, Green said.

Green said he believes Lane is the one kid in 99 that would have stepped up in a such a messy, difficult situation.

“He’s always ready to deliver more than asked for,” Green said. “The things a lot of kids say by rote, he’s living it.”

Despite his youth, his father and leaders say they expect Lane will soon make Eagle Scout because of his dedication.

It isn’t just Boy Scouts that Lane has had success with, either.

Stefan Hardin said his son has been raising a herd of dairy goats for about four years and shows them across the U.S. He recently made $19,000 at a show in Houston.

“He’s probably got one of the top herds in the country for being his age,” Hardin said.

Lane’s actions in January 2010 didn’t surprise either of his parents, who said Hardin works hard and is mature for his age.

For about a year, his leaders filled out the paperwork and pursued the process necessary to obtain the Medal of Merit, one of the highest honors awarded by the Boy Scouts, and given out just seven times across the nation this year, according to Brazos Valley District Executive Sean Apostalo. They found out about the award about two weeks ago.

Thursday night, nearly two years after the incident, Green presented Lane, a bit shy of the attention, the Medal of Merit in front of area Boy Scouts and leaders.

“He was real excited to get that award,” Lane’s mother said.

Lane will also be honored at the council banquet in March, Apostalo said.

It is the second time in two years someone from the local Brazos Valley district has been awarded the Medal of Merit, according to Apostalo.

New Providence Boy Scout honored for saving father's life

Published: Saturday, December 24, 2011, 7:52 AM

http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2011/12/new_providence_boy_scout_honor.html

NEW PROVIDENCE — A member of Boy Scout Troop1 recently received the Honor Medal for saving a life — his father’s.

The Scout, Brian Urness, 15, of Boy Scout Troop 1 in New Providence, rescued his father, Mark Urness, after he nearly drowned while vacationing with the family in Michigan in August. Brian pulled his father up from the bottom of Lake Michigan – some 10- feet down – and swam him back to shore.

“I’ve never been in a situation like this,” said Brian, who swam for years with the Summit Seals and is now a member of the Crestview swim team. “I just reacted. I didn’t have time to think. I thought, ‘OK, Boy Scouts — just how they taught me,’ and mentally stayed strong.”

Just days earlier before embarking on vacation, Brian had completed his training in water life-saving techniques as a requirement of the Boy Scout Merit Badge program.

“It’s a wonderful story of a series of circumstances where a young man knew exactly what to do and he did it,” said Hal Daume, 70, of Berkeley Heights, a merit badge counselor who provided the water rescue training to Brian. “This is what it’s all about: Go back to the Boy Scout motto – he was prepared.”

The Honor Medal is awarded when someone has demonstrated unusual heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save a life at considerable risk to self.

On the average about 30 of these awards are given annually across the country.
Boy Scout Troop 1 is a member of the Patriots’ Path Council Boy Scouts of America

Also this past September, Reese Ronceray, 10, of Cub Scout Pack 136 in Long Valley, was just 8-years-old when his quick thinking and fast action saved the life of a younger friend, 5-year old Andrew Gentile during a picnic and swimming outing. About 100 people were attending the event on June 10, 2010, at a private lake, when Ronceray saw Gentile go under water. He jumped in the water, brought him to the surface, and pulled him safely to the shore.

The following article has been reproduced here 100 years to the day after it was first published. Yes, Scouts have been using their skills to save lives for over 100 years and counting.

Brave Scouts Rescue Boy As Death Beckons

Youthful Heroes Save Lad Who Had Broken Through Thin Ice

Use “First Aid” To Restore Him

Norman Smith, Nearly Drowned, Not In Serious Danger Today

A band of Boy Scouts yesterday proved themselves to be constituted of the stuff that heroes are made of.

They risked their lives in a blinding windstorm to save a seven-year-old boy – an amateur skater – from drowning in the deep pond near the old circus grounds at Fifteenth and H streets northeast.

Norman Smith, the youthful son of Clifford T. Smith and Mrs. Smith, of 651 G street northeast, ventured too far on the freezing ice which was rapidly coating the body of water. He struck a weak spot in the icy coating, and a moment later, shot downward and out of sight.

Companions Frightened

Several companions were with him at the time, but they were so frightened they were unable to give him assistance. They set up a call for help, and the Boy Scouts company, of which Harry Bishop, who lives in Florida avenue northeast, between Eleventh and Twelve streets, is a member, rushed to the rescue. Harry is but 14 years old, but he retained his presence of mind.

With his companions who were hiking over the fields at that time, Harry dashed toward the pond. He picked up a long pole shaped like a shepherd’s crook, and, as the youth disappeared under the water for the second time, walked out as far as the ice would permit, and extended it. Harry was able to twist the clothing of the youth around the crook and drag him to the shore. The Smith boy was practically unconscious.

Gives First Aid

The first-aid-to-the-injured lessons which have been given to the Boy Scouts were put into practical use by the scouts. A part of the clothing was removed from the nearly-drowned boy, who was put on the ground, face downward. He was rolled about for a few minutes, and each scout removed a part of his clothing, which was given to the Smith boy. He was carried to the home of Mrs. M. H. Hopwood, 1101 Florida avenue northeast, a friend of the Smiths. It was an hour before the boy finally regained consciousness.

The boy was taken to his home later in the evening. Today it was stated at the home that he is in no serious danger, although his shoulders were somewhat frozen.

The Washington Times, January 7, 1912

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1912-01-07/ed-1/seq-1/

Wed Dec 28 09:51pm EST

Duck lineman summons Eagle Scout skills to save choking diner

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Duck-lineman-summons-Eagle-Scout-skills-to-save-?urn=ncaaf-wp12093

By now, Mark Asper should be used to standing out, even among his fellow offensive linemen at Oregon: He's the biggest player on the team at 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, the oldest player on the team at age 25 and one of the few players who doubles as a husband and father. As of Wednesday night, he may also be the only player who can count himself as a bona fide hero after saving a choking patron during the "Beef Bowl" — an annual prime rib dinner for Rose Bowl teams ahead of the game — at the original Lawry's in Beverly Hills.

According to Asper, he decided to put his Eagle Scout training to use when he noticed people at the next table "stirring in commotion" and saw a man, Paul Diamond, in obvious distress while his son, Tom — an Oregon student — made an unsuccessful attempt at the Heimlich Maneuver. "I patted (Tom Diamond) on the back and said, 'If you don't know what you're doing, I do, because I'm an Eagle Scout," Asper said. "The first heave was a test heave, because the guy seemed a little old, and I didn't want to break his ribs or anything. So test heave, then it seemed like he could handle the full force, so I popped it out."

No broken bones were reported, but the night wasn't entirely casualty-free: In the process of saving his life, Asper broke the elder Diamond's sunglasses. Not that he seemed too upset about it: "I'm going to go home and find [Asper] on Facebook," Diamond told the Eugene Register-Guard. "He's my new best friend." Aw, that sounds like a lot of fun.

In the meantime, Asper's night out is going to make for a slightly better Rose Bowl story than LaMichael James' trip to Space Mountain.