Playing with fire... Reminder for those who may need it.... Re: [at-l] The Burn and FSN/Cotton/Rules

[The Lehmkuhl Family" <lehmkuhl@gte.net (The Lehmkuhl Family)]

> #### Good post Sloetoe, you are right on the mark with your observations
about safety and needing to practice your skills and think about safety and
what you would do in situations. Thanks. But...

Excuse me Mr. Toe, but  no it hasn't entirely disappeared. I used to do this
regularly as part of my job description....

Outdoor Program Manager for Girl Scouts....

this was just a part of the on going training that I tried to do with girls.
I would agree however, that there is a big push to make the wilderness a
ball field and the risks negligible due to the "risk" involved and insurance
costs...There are still some of us dinosaurs out there working in youth
organizations trying to hold back civilization and keeping girls interested
and correctly trained in the skills used out of doors. Every once and a
while you catch someone and the bug bites them...I have 2 from 6 years of
work.

Boy Scouts also, for the most part (LNT skills are somewhat lacking
sometimes! :) are even better at getting the boys out and experiencing the
wilderness than Girl Scouts are. Safety sometimes is an issue here. (sorry
guys just working from experience here!! :) Plus there are a whole bunch of
Camping professionals that are totally committed to furthering all the
wilderness ideals that we hold to here. IF you are interested in keeping the
youth involved in wilderness activities and not succumbing to the sucking
draw of the barcalounger...then volunteer some time to PASS ON your
expertise and love of the outdoors and your passion for wilderness travel to
the youth of America. Groups/camps are always looking for help in that area
specially as we become fewer in number.  Ask John O about his experience
working with kids...how did it go John?

Well, HELLO, sorry, all that got me going....
(my job was recently eliminated as they did not feel that it was necessary
to have outdoor ed in GSing anymore in my council....am I still upset? ahhh
you betcha mostly cuz of the lack of foresight...:)


vera

> When I was a summer camper type, we had a whole "class" in fire-building
> skills. (That whole idea has probably gone the way of scholastic dodge
> ball and trampolines: outlawed by a society that seeks to placate the
> fearful by banishing the leading edge of risk behaviors.) That class
> *mostly* taught fire-*handling* skills -- how fire behaves, and how to
> stay out of its way. How many of us are comfortable playing with fire? (>