Complete All Core Sections, Two Basic Sections and Two Specialist Areas

Complete All core sections, Two basic sections and Two Specialist areas.

Core area (complete all):

First aid / Complete the Scout Stage 3 first aid badge
Team work / Complete 4 team challenges to a high standard
Fundraising / Take part in a fundraising event to support your local mountain rescue Team
Communication / Complete the Communication challenge

Basic Areas (complete 2):

Navigation / Complete the navigation challenge
Observation/Search / Complete the observation challenge
Equipment / Complete the equipment challenge
Challenge / Take part in a large scale event lasting at least 6 hours and involving navigation,
observation and physical fitness

Specialist Areas (complete 2):

Search Dogs / Complete the Dog Challenge
Water / Complete the Scout Pulling, Nautical Skills, Dingy Sailor, Paddlesport, Power Coxswain or Water Sports badge
Crag / Complete the Scout Climber badge
Cave / Complete the Scout Caver badge
Hill / Complete the Scout Hiker or Hill Walker Badge
Advanced 1st Aid / Complete the Scout Stage 5 first aid badge

All information regarding criteria for the Scout badges can be found online at:

Team Work Challenges

Team work is very important within Mountain Rescue. Scouts must complete 3 of these challenges to a high standard. Alternative challenges may be substituted at the leaders’ discretion. It is the leaders’ responsibility to assess the risks associated with each activity since these can change significantly between groups and venues.

Chair race:
Each patrol has a set number of chairs – start off with one per person. Without standing on the floor the Scouts must travel from one end of the hall to the other. As the Scouts get better, reduce the number of chairs, give them additional objects to carry etc.

Dragon game:
One patrol makes a line with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front. The remaining Scouts form a circle around them and have to hit the person on the end of the line (the tail) with a soft ball. When the dragons tail is hit that Scout joins the outer circle and the next patrol member becomes the tail.

Spider web challenge:
Create a spiders web between 2 poles about 5’ apart. The web should range in height from about 2’ to 6’ off the ground and the holes should be around 18” diameter with bigger ones at the top. The each member of the patrol must go through a different hole in the net. If the net is touched (by anyone or anything) the attempt is void and everyone must step back from the net before a further attempt is made. To make the challenge harder, Scouts can be restricted from travelling round the net – so everyone starts on one side and finishes on the other.

Target challenge:
Create a screen at least 6’ high and 8’ wide. A scout standing on one side must throw a set of bean bags over the screen into a bucket which he can’t see. The other Scouts need to give him directions to improve his aim.

Rope Circuit:

Get the whole troop in a circle facing inwards. Tie a stout rope around the outside of the YP and get them to hole the rope at waist level taking up all the slack by stepping backwards. Pick someone (normally the lightest) and ask them to walk around the rope circle. The leader should shadow the ‘walker’ in case of any slips.

In the air:

Each patrol must stand on a house brick, no part of them is allowed to touch the floor. The patrol should aim to remain off the floor for 10 seconds. An easier variant is using a piece of newspaper which is folded in half each time the challenge is completed.

Peg Challenge:
Place a large peg in the centre of some short’ish grass. Set a metal pegs deep into the ground at a range of distances and angles from the main large peg making sure you write down the distances and bearings – make sure the pegs are well pushed down. Tell the Scouts the directions and bearings and challenge them to find all the pegs. It can be helpful to put some different coloured tape on each peg so you can tell immediately which peg the Scouts have found.

Fundraising ideas

A rescue Teams running costs are typically about £40 000 per year. Teams receive no statutory funding and the fundraising is all carried out by volunteers from the Team.

The following are example ideas for a Fundraiser – but (almost) anything goes!

• Give each Scout a smarty tube and challenge them to return it full of coins.

• Arrange a bake sale or tuck shop

• Get each Scout to build a TWSMRT Landrover collection tin and take it home to fill it

• Complete a sponsored walk

Navigation Challenges

Knowing where you are is important incase you need assistance or are called to assist someone else.

• Recognise common colours and symbols on anOSmap and an understanding of scale.

• Be able to interpret contour lines in terms of shape and steepness.

• Show how to orientate amap using both terrain and a compass.

• Calculate your local current magnetic variation, and show an understanding of true, grid and magnetic north.

• Be able to estimate walking timings and understand the effect of gradient on walking speed.

• Show knowledge ofthe Countryside Code.

• Be able to take bearings and convert grid bearings to magnetic and vice versa (add-for-mag, rid-for-grid).

Complete one ofthe following:

• In pairs complete an orienteering course
• In pairs orsmall groups,find atleast 2 geocaches.
• Using only amap navigate a pre‐planned route.

Prepare a route description for a short route. Swap cards withanother group then draw theirroute on amap to see how clearitisto follow

Communication challenge

Know the phonetic alphabet – transmit and receive a short message verbally and efficiently without using a look up table. For example:

• QWERTY
• PHEONETIC
• TWSMRT
• NESRA
• LINESEARCH
• MELDON HILL

SMS challenge

The Scouts must consolidate the following information. The Scouts need to pull together the critical information into a single SMS message of less than 128 characters. Check that the critical information has been conveyed.

“Hello headquarters.

I’ll start at the beginning, at the moment the situation here is bad.

To start with the local Accident and Emergency unit have no electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram because of power problems.

There is no way to show ventricular fibrillation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

We need some research about this disease. Do not relax.

Tonight or tomorrow three doctors will arrive over the mountains in four wheel drive vehicles. This is too few too late. Send more doctors immediately.

Talk again at 1200 Greenwich Mean Time tomorrow.

Thanks.”

Verbal comms challenges

The leader must read out the following information. The leader should not stop reading or repeat anything, and should read fluently and clearly. The Scouts working in small groups can make notes to help them remember details but will then need to answer as many of the following questions as possible. Scouts should not try and write notes verbatim. Scouts may ask questions once the passage is finished.

Report of missing Cadet Group:
The police received a call at quarter to 11 this morning from Henry Grant. He reported that his cadet group had been completing an overnight challenge in Hamsterley forest. The group consisted of 3 males and 3 females all aged 17. They had left The Grove car park at 6pm last night to build a bivi site somewhere in the forest. A text message was received from the group at 23.30 saying everyone was safely in their bivis, that it was mild but raining slightly and they were about to go to sleep. Nothing further has been heard from the group since. The Cadet group were due to report back to The Grove car park at 8.00 am this morning but have not been seen or heard from. The Cadet leader had stayed in The Grove car park overnight and after phoning the police started searching the wood for them and hasnot been seen since.

Q1) How many people are presently missing?
Q2) When was the last communication from the 17 year olds?
Q3) In which forest is the Grove Car Park?
Q4) How long is it since the group were supposed to return back to the car park?
Q5) What was the weather like last night at the Bivi site?
Q6) What is the name of the adult looking after the group?
Q7) How long is it since the group were last seen?
Q8) When was the initial call made to the police

Nonverbal comms challenge

Split a patrol in half and stand the scouts about 20m apart. The first half (the controllers) must make the second half (puppets) complete some simple tasks without any verbal communication. Give the puppets some props e.g. a couple of broom sticks which aren’t available to the controllers.

• One puppet to put their hand up, one to put their hand on their head and one to sit on the floor
• One puppet to face away from the controllers, two to stand back to back
• One puppet to sit on the floor, puppets either side to hold the poles to make an X above their head.

Observation/Search Challenges

Complete all the following activities (alternatives of similar nature are allowed)

Close quarter line search on grass
Hide some small objects in some cut grass. Line the Scouts up shoulder to shoulder and progress forward to cover the area. Once the area is swept move the line up the field to search the next section. If objects are missed sweep the area again in a different direction. Make sure the line is kept straight to ensure the entire area is covered.

Corridor search for Misc objects
Identify about 100m of foot path through woodland or similar. Hide a number of items within sight of the path. Each patrol should search the sector focusing on the path and the immediate vicinity. Scouts need not stay on the path.

Tracking activity with “signs”
Complete a traditional Scout tracking activity

Tracking activity without “signs”
Try and follow one person’s path through some overgrown land or similar. Look out for footprints, crushed grass and vegetation, etc. Scouts need to be very careful not to “destroy” the evidence and may need to distinguish between different sets of prints.

Test your observation skills againstWally
In this instance Wally isn’t wearing his usual garb – but you’ll know when you spot him – he’s clearly not from the original drawing!

Dog Challenge

Understand how dogsfind people and objects.

Learn about search dogs training.

If possible,take partin a demonstration.

Meetsearch dogs at a show, activity day or during a group visit and understand their work.

If possible,take partin a demonstration or teamtraining session as a dog’s body!

Discuss why dogs are used forsearching. Recognise the advantages and limits of using them.

Understand different dog search techniques.

Equipment Challenge

Packing the right equipment is very important – too little and you could have trouble, too much kit and you will move slower, get tired and end up needing more kit...
Pack rucksack for day out walking

Provide an assortment of equipment the Scouts may want to take on a single day’s hike in your local area – include some choices the Scouts may not want to take as well as the essentials. Discuss why some things may be needed in some areas but not other.

Make a stretcher challenge
Provide Scouts with an assortment of bits to make a stretcher.

Get the Scouts to carry a casualty a short distance and around some obstacles – do make sure the stretcher is safe, that the carriers are not over loaded and practice safe lifting techniques.

Also try out some simple direct carries – again take care to avoid potential injuries.

Discuss why the Rescue Team would often advise not moving a casualty and when moving a casualty may be advisable

Crossword - Word search

There are 30 pieces of Team kit hidden in this word search how many can you find? The clues may help.

Usual tool for carrying patients (12)
Full body splint (6)
Non stretch line (10)
4 wheel drive ambulance (9)
Communication tool (5)
Radio mast (7)
Sleeping bag for casualty (6)
Big First aid kit (10)
Bag for carrying kit (8)
Machine for restating hearts (5)
Inflatable boat (4)
Floatation device (11)
Head protection (6)
Bag of cliff rescue kit (7)
4 legged tripod (8)
Light weight Stretcher (5)
Satalite based navigation (3)
Body mounted lamp (9)
Keep the rain out(11)
4 legged friend (3)
Powerful pain killing drug (8)
Explosive medical gas (6)
Clothing to keep water out (7)
Tent type bag used on the hill (12)
Machine for heating air before it’s breathed (12)
Used to show wind direction to helicopter(5)
Immobilised casualties neck (6)
Record of casualties injuries and treatment (7)
Provides 240 volts power off grid
Callsign of the person(s) taking the lead in a callout

P E O O U M H P F U B T B R P D P S P B J Q B D X

C Z V T Y G R L R A Q Z E X A W D E A G K T U E N

G W J P W K E J L I T T L E D R A G O N R E F K R

X W A C G S F A T M L G L Z N B K C V L T V Q V C

S T A T I C R O P E S SS I M I Y A Z D A E K O A

N I W T E M L E H E A D T O R C H M L C N X N M S

K U V N F R J S G E N E R A T O R P M C G T Z N B

R S X O B A P Z S I E N E C A S C A R D R J M O A

K Y K R B U R R A O R M T H T J T A G O D L Q N G

P R N G O O B U O Y A N C Y A I D D L S M U J O C

D D E R A L L O C O L S H S K I B H P A A X O S Z

K F G V M Z A X A K F N E E O A I G I D V C K U W

U W Y O OO I V H U S S R J M E F U P V F Y T F O

U U X M P R G W H O O A U G N C E O Y S S G U M O

I Y O E M X D G I S C G C L K E D F O G C D D S I

D K O I R M M N E S G K W K Z N W U I L P Q F V N

P B E W Q D Q S A O Z G N M L N J L M C T E T W O

M D H D L I S C Y L B I G D J J W L E S M P W N R

Core / Basic (complete 2) / Advanced (complete 2)
Scouts Name / Ist Aid Stage 3 / 4 Team Challenges / Fundraiser / Communication / Navigation / Observation / Equipment / Large Scale Event / Dogs / Water Activity / Climber / Caver / Hill Walker / 1st Aid stage 5