Red Cross Water Safety Guidelines

General Water Safety Tips
Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
Read and obey all rules and posted signs.
Children or inexperienced swimmers should take precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD) when around the water.
Watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities (for example, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep).
Be knowledgeable of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards, such as deep and shallow areas, currents, depth charges, obstructions and where the entry and exit points are located. The more informed you are, the more aware you will be of hazards and safe practices.
Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather.
Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.
Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm.
Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies.

Boating
Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any boating activity. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Alcohol and boating don't mix. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination -- over 50 percent of drownings result from boating incidents involving alcohol. For the same reasons it is dangerous to operate an automobile while under the influence of alcohol, people should not operate a boat while drinking alcohol.
Look for the label: Use Coast Guard-approved life jackets for yourself and your passengers when boating and fishing.
Develop a float plan. Anytime you go out in a boat, give a responsible person details about where you will be and how long you will be gone. This is important because if the boat is delayed because of an emergency, becomes lost, or encounters other problems, you want help to be able to reach you.
Find a boating course in your area (Red Cross, U.S. Power Squadron, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, US Sailing, etc) -- these courses teach about navigation rules, emergency procedures and the effects of wind, water conditions, and weather.
Watch the weather: Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Watch local news programs. Stop boating as soon as you see or hear a storm.

Lakes and Rivers
Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim--this includes adults and children. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Select a supervised area. A trained lifeguard who can help in an emergency is the best safety factor. Even good swimmers can have an unexpected medical emergency in the water. Never swim alone.
Select an area that is clean and well maintained. A clean bathhouse, clean restrooms, and a litter-free environment show the management’s concern for your health and safety.
Select an area that has good water quality and safe natural conditions. Murky water, hidden underwater objects, unexpected drop-offs, and aquatic plant life are hazards. Water pollution can cause health problems for swimmers. Strong tides, big waves, and currents can turn an event that began as fun into a tragedy.
Make sure the water is deep enough before entering headfirst. Too many swimmers are seriously injured every year by entering headfirst into water that is too shallow. A feet first entry is much safer than diving.
Be sure rafts and docks are in good condition. A well-run open-water facility maintains its rafts and docks in good condition, with no loose boards or exposed nails. Never swim under a raft or dock. Always look before jumping off a dock or raft to be sure no one is in the way.
Avoid drainage ditches and arroyos. Drainage ditches and arroyos for water run-off are not good places for swimming or playing in the water. After heavy rains, they can quickly change into raging rivers that can easily take a human life. Even the strongest swimmers are no match for the power of the water. Fast water and debris in the current make ditches and arroyos very dangerous.

Tubing and Rafting
Always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Do not overload the raft.
Do not go rafting after a heavy rain.
When rafting with a tour company, make sure the guides are qualified. Check with the local chamber of commerce for listings of accredited tour guides and companies.
Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Know local weather conditions. Make sure the water and weather conditions are safe. Because water conducts electricity, it is wise to stop swimming, boating, or any activities on the water as soon as you see or hear a storm. Also, heavy rains can make certain areas dangerous.

Water Skiing
Wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Be sure the boat and ski equipment are in good shape.
Always turn the boat motor completely off when you approach a fallen skier.
Watch the water ahead of you at all times.
Have an extra person aboard to watch and assist the skier.
Run parallel to shore and come in slowly when landing. Sit down if coming in too fast.
Use proper hand signals to signal boat operator.
Do not ski at night or in restricted areas.
Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Know local weather conditions. Make sure the water and weather conditions are safe .Because water conducts electricity, it is wise to stop swimming, boating or any activities on the water as soon as you see or hear a storm. Also, heavy rains can make certain areas dangerous.

Don't Know Much About Sun Safety? Well Read Up And Learn How To Play It Safe While Playing In The Sun!

This post is for you Burhman and Conrad!


Information Provided By The Curt and Shonda Schilling Melanoma Foundation®

"What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others lives forever."

Sun Safety
Prevention is the key to reducing the proliferation of skin cancer. Understanding the proper steps to prevention is critical to ensure the best protective measures are taken. Being sun smart is important at all ages and it is especially critical to instill these practices at an early age. Not only will you help ensure the safety of your young ones, but help to spread the understanding and importance of sun safety.

Child Sun Safety

Childhood sunburns can increase your child’s risk of developing skin cancer as an adult. Even a suntan is harmful to children. Tanning is an outward sign to internal skin damage. Research shows that much of the damage to skin is done in the first 18 years of life. Protecting skin and eyes during the first 18 years can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78%. Melanoma is a cancer of younger people and can start as early as adolescence.
Youth and Skin Cancer
50% of lifetime exposure to UV light occurs during childhood and adolescence
It can take less than 10 minutes for a child’s skin to burn
Severe childhood sunburns are at an increased risk for skin cancer
Being sun safe is the first step to reduce the chances of getting skin cancer later in life
A person born today is twice as likely to develop malignant melanoma compared to someone born only a decade ago and 12 times more likely as someone born 50 years ago.
*Information taken from the National Coalition for Skin Cancer Prevention http://www.sunsafety.org/
Teach Children Sun Safe Habits
Children learn healthy habits best at a young age. Therefore, it is important to begin protecting your children from the beginning and teaching them the importance of sun safety. With sun damage accumulating over a person’s lifespan, beginning sun safety habits at a young age should be a priority.
Maximize protection between the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wear sun protective clothing including long sleeved shirts and pants made of tightly woven fabric.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat that protects head, face, ears and neck. If a baseball cap is worn, make sure to use sunscreen on ears and neck. Wear UV-protective sunglasses with 99%-100% UV absorption.
Seek SHADE.
During peak sun hours (10-4pm) seek shade. Shadow rule- if your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest and you should seek shade. Encourage children to play in shaded areas, especially during peak sun hours.

Use a sunscreen of SPF 15+ and apply a generous amount (about a palmful) and apply 30 minutes before going outside.

Reapply Sunscreen every 90 minutes or after swimming, towel drying or perspiring, even if the label says the product is waterproof. Don’t forget the lips and ears- both areas can burn just as easily!
Strongly discourage the use of tanning beds.
* Information taken from the Massachusetts Melanoma Foundation http://www.massmelanoma.org/ and American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/
Teach Your Children the Meaning of SHADE
Sunglasses. Always wear sunglasses with UV ray protection
Hats. Always wear a wide brim hat made from a close weave fabric
Always wear protective clothing, long sleeved shirts and pants
During the peak sun hours of 10 - 4 reduce exposure to the sun -stay in the shade
Every 90 minutes reapply sun block with at least a SPF of 15

Adult Sun Safety

Skin Cancer and Melanoma Facts
Cancer of the skin is the most common form of all cancer accounting for more than 50% of all cancers.
More than 1 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year.
During 2005, the American Cancer Society estimates that about 59,600 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States.
About 79 percent of the new skin cancer cases will be basal cell carcinoma, 15 percent will be squamous cell carcinoma, and 5 percent will be invasive melanoma. The other 1 percent will represent rare types of skin cancer, such as Merkel cell carcinoma, adnexal carcinoma(s), dermatofibroma fibrosarcoma protuberans, etc.
Both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma have a better than 95 percent cure rate if detected and treated early.
There will be about 105,750 new cases of melanoma in 2005 – 46,170 in situ (noninvasive) and 59,580 invasive (33,580 men and 26,000 women).* This is a 10 percent increase in new cases of melanoma from 2004. In 2005, at current rates 1 in 34 Americans have a lifetime risk of developing melanoma and 1 in 62 Americans have a lifetime risk of developing invasive melanoma.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 10,590 deaths from skin cancer in 2005- 7,770 from melanoma and 2,820 from other skin cancers.

One American dies of melanoma almost every hour (every 68 minutes). In 2005, 7,770 deaths will be attributed to melanoma – 4,910 men and 2,860 women.* Older Caucasian males have the highest mortality rates from melanoma.
The incidence of melanoma more than tripled among Caucasians between 1980 and 2003.
More than 73 percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.
Melanoma is more common than any non-skin cancer among women between 25 and 29 years old.

Invasive melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in men and the sixth most common cancer in women.

1 in 5 Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime.

Five or more sunburns double your risk of developing skin cancer.

* Information taken from the American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/ and American Academy of Dermatology www.aad.org

Why Skin Cancer Rates Are Rising
Increased leisure time devoted to outdoor activities.
Decrease in coverage of clothing worn.
Nation population migration to sunnier states.
Decreasing amounts of stratospheric ozone that partially protects the earth’s surface from receiving cancer-producing UV radiation.
Tanning is falsely viewed as healthy.
General aging of the population.
* Information taken from the Skin Cancer Prevention Program

Protection is Vital

Proper sun protection is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves from skin cancer. Up to 90% of all skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.While skin cancers are almost always curable when detected and treated early, the surest line of defense is to prevent them in the first place. Here are some sun-safety habits that should be part of everyone’s daily healthcare:
Limit Time in Sun
Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, especially during the sun’s peak hours (10am to 4pm).
Keep track of time spent in sunlight and do not stay in an unshaded spot for a long stretch of time.
Seek the Shade
Always seek the shade.
Be aware that sunlight bounces off reflective surfaces and can reach you even under an umbrella or tree.
Cover Up
Cover up with clothing. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Tightly woven fabrics and dark colors, such as deep blue and black or bright colors such as orange and red offer the best protection. Change than to then if you can see light through fabrics, then the material is not protecting against harmful UV rays. Water also reduces fabrics ability to protect against UVrays.
Wear a broad-brimmed hat, which protects head, face, ears and neck. A 3-4 inch brim that extends around the hat is best. If opting for a baseball cap or visor, be sure to use sunscreen as the lower face, neck and ears are left exposed.
Wear UV-blocking sunglasses that wraparound or have large frames. Eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes are common sites for skin cancer and sun-induced aging. The use of sunglasses also helps reduce the risk of cataracts later in life.
Use Sunscreen
Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

Use sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.

Apply generously to all exposed skin. The average adult should use approximately one ounce of sunscreen per application. Not using the proper amount will reduce the product’s SPF and protection received.
Be sure to cover often-missed spots- lips, ears, around eyes, neck, scalp, hands and feet.
Choose products that suit your skin and activity level. Sunscreens come in lotion, gel, spray, cream and stick forms. Also products are available in water resistant, sweat proof, sport proof, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic or in sensitive skin formulas.
Avoid Tans
Avoid tanning parlors and artificial tanning devices. The UV radiation emitted by indoor tanning lamps is many times more damaging than natural sunlight.
Tanning is the skins response to the sun’s damaging rays.
Examine Your Skin
Examine your skin from head to toe every month.
Have a professional skin examination annually.
* Some information taken from the Skin Cancer Foundation www.skincancer.org

Sunless Tanning For those people who wish to have a “healthy-looking” tan, there are alternatives. For instance, we recommend sunless tanning products to our patients because it allows them to achieve an instant, natural-looking tan without streaking or orange color. This product is all-natural and has a pleasant odor and in no way contributes to increasing the risk of developing skin cancers.

Know the Intensity of UV RaysUV Radiation is more intense under certain time frames or conditions.
Such as:
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
When there is a lack of thick cloud cover
From mid-spring through mid-fall
At higher altitudes
Reflective surfaces, such as water and glass can direct additional UV rays toward people

Suggested Guidelines for Outdoor Work or Recreation
1. For outdoor labor occurring on sunny days, especially between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., staff is encouraged to:
Work in shaded areas where practical
Wear full-body coverage clothing, including: full-brimmed hats, long-sleeve shirts and full-length pants made of tightly woven fabric that is lightweight.
Wear full-spectrum sunglasses- that protect from UVA and UVB rays.
Apply SPF of 15+ at least 30 minutes before going outside.
Use lip balm that has a SPF of at least 15.
2. Sun Protection training and materials should be provided to staff encouraging them to practice sun safety while either on the job or engaging in any outdoor pastimes.3. These guidelines should be communicated and reinforced to employees through verbal reminders, posters, signs, pamphlets, notice, payroll stuffers, newsletter, and meetings.
*Guidelines taken from Sun Safety Kit provided by Skin Cancer Prevention Program


All information provided by The SHADE Foundation 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
The SHADE Foundation is a non-profit organization.
10510 N. 92nd Street, Suite 100
Scottsdale AZ 85258
http://www.shadefoundation.org/

A Day At Arlington... Freedom Is NEVER Free!

Prayer To St Peter
As Sung By Edwin McCain

Let them in Peter
For they are very tired.
Give them couches where the angels sleep
And light those fires.
Let them wake whole again
To brand new dawns
Fired by the sun
Not wartime's bloody guns
And may their peace be deep
Remember where the broken bodies lie
God knows how young they were to have to die.
Well, God knows how young they were to have to die.
Give them things they like
Let them make some noise
Give dance hall bands not golden harps
To these our boys
And let them love, Peter
For they've had no time
They should have bird songs and trees
And hills to climb
The taste of summer
And a ripened pear
And girls sweet as meadow wind
And flowing hair
And tell them how they are missed
But say not to fear
It's gonna be all right
With us down here

1st Ten Mile Hike Is CANCELLED

Due to Eagle Lake trip the 1st of our ten mile hikes has been canceled until further notice!

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDER

Upcoming Troop 638 Activities
Jul 31st, Monday – Troop meeting 7PM at PCUMC. Plan Eagle Lake trip.
Aug 5th Saturday – Day trip to Eagle Lake. Meet at the church at 7AM. Bring swiming gear. We will play on the lake at the Mann’s property most of the day and return to the church in mid to late afternoon.
Aug 7th, Monday – Troop meeting 7PM at PCUMC. Troop Elections.
Aug 11-13th, Friday-Sunday – OA ordeal at Hood Scout Reservation
Aug 14th, Monday – Troop meeting, 7PM at PCUMC. This will be a Court of Honor. All families are urged to attend to see awards presented to their scouts.
Aug 19th, Saturday – Western District Scout Show 10AM to 3PM at Pemberton Mall. We will have an Emergency Preparedness booth. Scouts are needed to man the booth.
Aug 21st, Monday – Troop meeting 7PM at PCUMC
Aug 24th, Thursday – Troop committee meeting. Location TBA.
Aug 28th Monday – Troop meeting 7PM at PCUMC. Youth protection training.
Sep 4th, Monday – Holiday, no troop meeting – Later troop meetings are not listed.
Sep 9th, Saturday – Troop yearly planning meeting at Mike Rasch’s House. All scouts should plan to attend and discuss their ideas for troop activities for the upcoming year.
Sep 16th, Saturday – Vicksburg Theater Guild Fundraiser at Outlet Mall. The troop will participate by both helping to set up and run the event (service hours credit) and by manning our own food booth (troop fund raiser).
Sep 21st, Thursday – Troop committee meeting – develop yearly calendar
Sep 30th, Saturday – Junior Leader Training for newly elected troop officers (tentative date).
Oct 7th, Saturday – Pass out fliers for Glenwood Circle Luminaria
Oct 13-15th Friday-Sunday – Akela Cub Campout. The troop will provide support.
Nov 3-5th Friday-Sunday – District Camporee – We will probably set up and man the same booth as for the Aug 19th Scout Show.
Dec 2nd Saturday Yearly 1st Aid and CPR training, Luminaria fliers
Dec 17th Sunday – Glenwood Circle Luminaria

Board Of Review Is Tomorrow!!!!!!

Please be there and be ready to talk to a merit badge advisor about what you have done and what you still need to do so we can get badges ordered for court of honor! Any questions contact Mr Mike, Mr King, or Mr Van Den Akker!

Let's Get To It!!!!!!

First 10 mile hike scheduled for
Saturday; August 5th at 7 am
Be There As We Earn The
Vicksburg Military Park 7 Mile Trek Badge
Learn A Little About The History Of Vicksburg!
If The Soldiers Who Fought Here Can Trudge Up These Hills In Wool Uniforms And Many Pushing The Cannons Up UP UPPPPPP .....WE Can Do This(We Won't Have Any Cannons To Push) No Problem! They Lived Off Rat Meat And Courage! We Will Have Much Better Snacks Than That Promise!
Hope To See You There!!!!!!!!!!!!

SCOUT SHOW TIME

Andrew Jackson Council
Western District Scout Show

Pemberton Mall

Saturday

August 19, 2006

10 am to 3 pm

Other Patches We Will Be Earning On Our Hikes!

We will include the 7 mile trek as part of our first ten mile hike in doing this trek along with the questions we will earn the first badge shown here... I know some of you have already earned this patch but you can earn it again!

The next badge will be the city hike badge... we will do this hike twice in one day due to the fact that it is only 5 miles long the badge is cool though it is the second badge shown here! There are questions about your city and its history that might involve some requirements for Citizenship in the Community......

The third badge will be part of our 20 mile hike and it involves a 14 mile hike through the military park! All badges require the answering of questions and will be awarded from the Vicksburg Trails Commission!

Summer Camp Awards

Ryan Van Den Akker --- Of Mice And Men Award
Cedrick Hubbard --- I Will Survive Award
Josh Barrett --- Can You Hear Me Now? Award
Gary Hennington ---- Our Ringer Award
Nathan Prewitt --- The Mountain Man Award
Mike Rausch --- The Row Row Row Your Boat Award
Burhman Gates --- One Who Sleeps With Coons Award
Conrad Reismann --- The Dime Award
C. J. Hubbard --- Jumpin Jack Flash Award
Austin Mann --- Head Waiter Award
Travis Sigh --- Is That Thunder? Award
Josh Hennington --- Gotta Catch Them All Award
Jay Prewitt --- Gone Fishin Award
Josh Prewitt --- Water Logged And Lovin It Award
Cameron Gates --- The Robin Hood Award
Tracye Prewitt ---- The Sharp Shooter Award
"NICK" --- The Babe Magnet Award (all true babes and babe magnets only have ONE name ya know)

We all had such a good time at camp and these awards reflect things that I saw at summer camp! I wanted to give the boys something to remember their time at Mack Morris with! I hope they will enjoy their "AWARDS"....

Scout Night At The Mississippi Braves

Take me out to the ball game take me out to the crowd... buy me some peanuts and cracker jack I don't care if I ever get back... cause it's root root root for the home team if we don't win it's a shame... cause it's one, two, three strikes your out at the ole ball game!

Sunday August 20, 2006
Game Time is 5:05 pm

Discounted ticket prices:

Dugout section $10.00
Outfield section $6.00

Cubs, Scouts, Ventures, Leaders, Parents And Family Members will have the opportunity to attend a Mississippi Braves game at a special discounted price. Please plan to wear your scout uniforms! Those units in attendance will be recognized.

You will be purchasing your vouchers directly from the Boy Scouts... these vouchers will be redeemed for regular tickets at the Trustmark Park Ticket Office during regular box office hours (Monday- Friday 9 am to 5 pm)

We realize some may not be able to pick up tickets in person so the council will be willing to pick up the tickets and mail them to you if you pay for vouchers and request mailed tickets by no later than August 4th.

I think this would be a FUN trip for the boys if you are interested let Mr Nathan know ASAP! So we can order tickets!

Tenative Date Set For 1st of The Five 10 Mile Hikes

August 5, 2006

7:00 AM

Meet at Parking Lot of Vicksburg Military Park

We will be doing the 3.45 mile loop three times... this will take anywhere from 3 to 4 hours
We will be breaking for water, snacks, and the restroom between each lap...

We will then go to the movie in the visitors center and tour the Cairo... this will satisfy a requirement with Citizenship In The Nation...

We will then go to Subway on Pemberton for lunch and then dismiss...

What you will need:
1)Money for lunch
2)Transportation to and from the park and subway
3)I strongly suggest you purchase a Camel Back Blue Wave Personal Hydration Back Pack... These can be purchased from Bass Pro In Pearl for $14.99 for the 1.5 liter model....

Water and snacks will be provided for hike... snacks will include trail mix, orange slices, and bananas....

Remember that Hiking Merit Badge is an EAGLE required merit badge! So I hope to see you on August 5th...

Camp Mack Morris Trip Was A Great Success

SUMMER CAMP 2006...Camp Mack Morris 1946-2006...

17 Leaders and Scouts enjoyed a pleasant week at Camp Mack Morris near Camden Tennessee. The week was filled with activities including a Order of The Arrow Ice Cream and Cookie Party as well as a week ending Fourth Of July Fireworks Cookout. All the scouts participated in activities to fullfill requirements with merit badges as well as rank. The Leaders participated in Scoutmaster Merit Badge, Scoutmaster Rifle Shoot, Scoutmaster Triathalon, Horse Shoe Tournament, Ranger Robbie Conservation Project, and The Death March. Fun was had by all and many thanks go out to our staff... they were wonderful and we feel as if we made friendships to last a lifetime! We even had camp dogs to keep us company while we were there (Chewy, Lucky, and Qtip)....