CANFIELD — Michael Kavali, 9, had learned a few basics regarding first aid, but he appreciated being exposed to more coverage of the topic.
“It could come in real handy with cuts, burns and freezes,” Michael, a member of Canfield-based Cub Scout Pack 115, observed. “It’s important because it helps different kinds of injuries.”
Michael was among the Scouts who learned the potentially life-saving value of first aid and had an opportunity to practice several skills during Saturday’s Snowblox 2022 Cub Scout Freeze-Out at Camp Stambaugh, 3712 Leffingwell Road.
First aid was one of seven stations that made up the all-day, mostly outdoor gathering and funfest. The others were Save the Frozen RobloScout, an escape room, Scout lore, a salami biathlon relay, Scout games and a photo booth.
An estimated 268 Scouts in kindergarten through fifth grade from Mahoning, Trumbull and eastern Portage counties took part on a day that featured temperatures in the low 30s and intermittent snow flurries.
The indoor first-aid activity was divided into five substations — one each on how to treat and sterilize injuries from falling through ice on lakes or other bodies of water, serious cuts, hypothermia, burns, and bee stings and other insect bites. The Scouts worked in groups of four, rotated to all five stations and were given first-aid kits consisting of Band-Aids, gauze, antiseptic wipes, Ace bandages and medical tape.
For Michael, perhaps the biggest challenge about first aid was understanding what to do in the event someone gets trapped on ice, partly because “a friend may not have a lot of energy,” and the rescuer also could fall in, he said.
Leading the section dealing with burns was Greg Carbon, a Boy Scout with Poland-based Troop 2, who discussed with each group how to treat first-, second- and third-degree burns. He stressed the importance of cleaning and sterilizing such wounds to prevent infections, being aware of one’s location and surroundings before summoning help and calling 911 when necessary. It’s also essential to know how to use the tape to properly wrap the gauze on the wound, Carbon added.
Conducting the overall first-aid activity was Craig Williams of Troop 2, who emphasized the importance of seeking professional help or a fellow Boy Scout if trying to assist someone with a wound that requires more than basic first aid.
Andrew Mentzer, 5, and Jazzy Stone, 8, both of Pack 9022 of Poland, needed a different kind of aid, as each received assistance trying on a pair of large snowshoes to participate in the salami biathlon event.
Jazzy said she enjoys outdoor activities like fishing and hiking, so the prelude to tossing a salami slice was a first for her, she said.
Also trying his hand — or, perhaps more accurately, his feet — at the challenge was Jazzy’s brother, Leland Stone, 10, of Pack 9022. Leland, who entered Scouting this year, said one of his ambitions is to be on a track team.
“I like to talk to friends and play with my friends,” he said about one of his favorite aspects of being a Cub Scout.
The key was to walk wearing the enlarged shoes while carrying a large wooden stick with a flat metal area to hold a slice of salami, then tossing the food item at a light-green laundry basket that acted as the target. The skill highlighted agility, teamwork and coordination, Steph Kelly of Pack 115 noted.
“It’s a challenge for them to practice agility with snowshoe walking,” Kelly said, adding that the event also gives the Scouts a fun, rather nontraditional perspective on the value of physical activity.
The Freeze-Out also featured about 20 youth leaders who assisted at the seven stations.
The Snowblox theme was inspired mainly by Roblox, with an added winter theme, Nick Patterson, program coordinator, noted.
Roblox is an online game platform, especially popular among those ages 7 to 15, that allows players to program and play games created by other users, said Patterson, who also is Cubmaster with Pack 114 in Boardman.
