[philmont] canister disposal/ White Gas "Risk"

Banning liquid stoves would seem to be a "risk management/ avoidance" concern for the BSA.
 
Yes, an unsupervised scout with matches and white gas can be an accident waiting to happen in many cases. We keep our stoves and white gas locked in a troop trailer compartment with the key in the possession of the main adult leader throughout the camping event. No incidents in the 10+ years we have done this. If white gas is needed, it is used appropriately with supervision. How do you learn without doing? We like to have the boys try to use white gas during winter campouts so they then can learn how to light the stoves in less than ideal conditions. Bottom Line: White gas safety is not a youth problem, it's an adult leadership issue.
 
You can (and should) expose the scouts to many experiences that are potentially dangerous, you need to make sure they learn the safe way is the only way. They want the thrill (and, honestly, so do the adult leaders). Anybody canoe or whitewater raft without a PFD and no leaders knowledgeable in Safety Afloat? Rock Climbing without someone on the bottom on belay?
 
By teaching safety, you may even get to the point where you can avoid the three most dangerous words an older scout says to a younger scout: "Now Watch This..." ;=)

Mike Wegenka
 
CC T48 Onalaska, WI
 
----- Original Message ----
From: "bill55@comcast.net" <bill55@comcast.net>
To: philmont List Member <philmont@troop47.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 4, 2007 7:24:54 AM
Subject: [philmont] canister disposal

Picking up on a small bit of what Jim had to say, I have encountered Scout camps that will not allow liquid fuel stoves....
 
...It is widespread and, I think, in need of re-examiniation.

 
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Received on Wed Apr 4 13:46:12 2007