Survival skills badge - realism vs safety

[Landy_Dom]

I've run 2 survival skills camps now, and have been struck by what a constant compromise they entail. Some of the badge content is excellent - building natural shelter, cooking without utensils etc., but on the other hand, the nearest I have ever come to a real life survival situation has been mountain / moorland where there is no shelter material, very little fire material and the only thing to keep you alive is what you carry with you (high energy food, survival bag, water etc).

It strikes me that some parts of the survival skills badge are particularly over-tough (not being able to use an orange survival bag for example) and some are over-easy (allowed to use sleeping bags, food provided, etc). Now I appreciate that different troops will approach this badge from different angles, but the fact remains that to go by the book, they are allowed a sleeping bag (something you are extremely unlikely to have with you in a real survival scenario) but are not allowed a bivi bag (something they SHOULD have with them if they are out and about in the wilds on a hike or whatever).

On the last 2 camps, I have compromised on the utensils rule for a few reasons - (1) They should have one with them in a typical daysac kit list (2) one camp was in cold weather and from a safety point of view I wanted a hot drink inside them before bed (3) I thought the providing of food was too easy and wanted some of the menu to include foraged food. I allowed a tin can to cook ONLY foraged food (nettle tea, blackberry / elderberry ribena / squirrel stew etc). All provided food had to be cooked without utensils. I felt comfortable with the compromise I made because I offset the foraging difficulty against the lack of utensils difficulty, keeping the difficulty / realism level relatively constant.

My question to you all is - how many have done the survival skills badge? How many have made adjustments or compromises to the badge requirements? How many have made it harder (no sleeping bags / reliance on foraged food)? What do you think of the requirements, and how to balance realism with safety?

Sorry for rambling on, but this is something that I find important and interesting, and I'd like to hear other people's perspectives on the subject. I'm considering doing a "plus" badge for those who have already done the standard badge. On this one I might structure it differently, allowing things like a small tin can and a survival bag but perhaps not sleeping bags and only a limited ammount of food. I'd also like to do more foraging, and purification of locally sourced water (where a small boiling vessel is pretty essential).

So..... thoughts anyone?

 

[PeterH]

Survival Skills Activity Badge

Complete the requirements below:

1 Demonstrate knowledge of the following:

a

How to prevent and treat the effects of extreme heat (sunstroke and dehydration) and cold (hypothermia).

b The first aid treatment for external bleeding and shock, the correct method of applying mouth-to-mouth breathing and the dangers involved in moving injured people.

c How to construct different kinds of shelter.

d How to build several different types of fire and the burning qualities of different woods.

e The correct use of international distress signals, using whistle, torch, mirror or markers.

f Some basic actions to take while waiting rescue that will both keep you (and your group) safe and will assist your rescuers in locating you.

g Some edible plants and/ or fruit to be found locally.

h Methods of filtering and purifying water.​

2 With a group of at least three Scouts, take part in a survival exercise lasting about 24 hours, during which the group should:

a construct a shelter of natural or salvaged materials and sleep in it

b cook all meals over an open fire

c cook without utensils or aluminium foil (although a knife may be used)

d demonstrate methods of finding direction by day or night without a compass​

Notes
Requirement 1 must be completed before requirement 2 is undertaken. The leadership team should select suitable country for this so that supervision is possible. Wild mountainous country is not intended. The nights away scheme must be followed. Alternative activities may be undertaken as agreed with the leadership team. If you need help designing alternatives to these requirements for those with special needs please contact the Special Needs Office at Gilwell Park.

So it does not actually say not being able to use an orange survival bag which I am sure you knew but other might not have. If in your judgement your Scouts could reasonably have salvaged the "orange bag" from what was available to them when they entered the hypothetical situation then in my opinion it is fair game.

To me the descriptors at this level are not prescriptive but guidance on the areas that you should be covering and the level of challenge for an avergae group. You know your scouts and they change over time. Personally I would do what you suggest, realistic and acheivable for those that want to do the basic badge and use the "Plus" opportunity to challnge and mark the acheivement of people who wish to take it to the next stage.

Although there is a danger of making things too simple a badge that is unacheivable because of challenge, risk or leader discomfort with running it is not helping you and neither would it if the Survival Skills was twice as difficult to get compared to something else.

At least that is my opinion

 

[brancho]

You need to taylor the challenge you set to the ability of the Scouts doing the badge as with all badges.

I am with PeteH on this and I do not know where some of your crieria come from. Remember this is not an armed forces survival training course but a challenge for your Scouts.