Somewhere after evening flags, but before dinner, the Wilderness Survival class started their hike up the hill. No, not to fetch a pail of water, but rather for their overnight part of the class.
Years ago, I worked summer camp staff at a camp here in the Southwest. I staffed that camp four different summers, and the last two times I was the Scoutcraft area director. That also meant I had a staff two-way radio, which was handy because camp has a way of making things, well interesting, at the least convenient moment.
We were about 75% of the way to where the overnight portion of the badge was held, just past the fork in the road to the second loop near the top of the camp loop. That's where we found a Scout in the bushes acting very odd. Not just tired or cranky. Wobbly, confused, almost as if "high", and odd enough that everyone nearby knew something was not right.
One of his unit leaders happened to be with us for the overnight. He said their unit had been painting earlier in the day as part of a service project, so at first we wondered if it might be paint fumes. It was a reasonable guess. Camp gives you clues, but sometimes it hands you the wrong raccoon.
I called down to base camp on the radio, but no one was available to come up and get him. That made things tricky, because we still had the Wilderness Survival overnight to run, maintain proper supervision for the Scouts doing the merit badge, not to mention the silly youth staff who were helping too. Eventually, his leader and another Scout walked him down to the camp medic.
The medic took a look at him, and after like 30 minuets decided he needed to go see a Doctor. The Scout was taken to the emergency room, where it turned out he had not eaten or drank anything for around 18 hours. He ended up on an IV for around 12 hours before he was able to return to camp the next morning after breakfast. I should have asked if hospital or camp sloop was worse.
This happened years ago, but it could have happened at camp this week too. Maybe not from 105-degree Southwest heat. Maybe it is 85 degrees in a place where the Scouts are used to cooler weather. Maybe it is the first time a Scout has spent a full week outside without air conditioning, video games, cold drinks in the fridge, or mom and dad nudging them every hour with, “Here, have something to drink,” or “Come sit your butt down, it is dinner time.”
Camp changes the rules. Scouts walk more, sweat more, sleep differently, eat differently, and sometimes do not like the food enough to eat much of it.
That is where the idea of a “water buddy” comes in. Like a buddy check, but with water bottles. Maybe everyone simply holds up their bottle when asked. Maybe buddies check that each other has water before hikes, classes, waterfront, or campfire. Maybe when a leader calls “water buddy,” Scouts raise their hands with their buddy and their bottles too.
How it works does not matter all that much. The point is not the system. The point is noticing and reminding, without it becoming annoying.
Who has water? Who lost their bottle? Wait where is Johnny? Who has not taken a drink since breakfast? Who skipped lunch because the mystery casserole looked too mysterious? Who is acting a little off, a little quiet, or a little wobbly?
A water buddy check is not a lecture. It is not meant to turn camp into school with sunscreen. It is just a small, goofy habit that helps Scouts look out for each other before a small problem becomes a critical trip to the ER.
So this summer, maybe toss “water buddy” into the camp rhythm once in a while. Let the bottles go up. Let the Scouts laugh at it. That is fine.
Silly things are often easier to remember, and could be just the thing that ensures everyone's welfare remains solid.