Troop 223 Scouts Respond to Disaster

Disaster struck the Huntington on the night of Nov. 15. In an and around Pampas Ricas and Ocampo, the Boy Scouts of Troop 223 rendered aid to victims at the scene of a pool-side barbecue accident, a garage explosion, a car accident involving a cyclist and a chainsaw accident that left one young Palisadian an amputee.

First responders from the LAPD, LAFD, California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles County Sheriffs and others arrived with lights and sirens blaring, ready to render additional aid and evaluate the Scouts’ performance.

Fortunately, these victims were only scout actors faking their injuries and donning lifelike, Hollywood-grade makeup done by Bill Wilson. The accidents were staged as part of the Boy Scout’s famed Disaster Night – a simulated training event designed to put the boys’ first aid skills to the test.

Hunter Heisz, an eighth grade student at Brentwood School and the group’s patrol leader, was responsible for making sure he and the other scouts were prepared to respond to any unexpected accident.

“We had to study everything to be prepared. We learn CPR and practice responding to broken bones, severe bleeding, first- through third-degree burns, electrocution, cardiac arrest – pretty much anything you can think of that’s a serious injury,” Heisz said.

A Boy Scout for six years, Heisz said that while Disaster Night is a fun event the troop looks forward too, more importantly it prepares them to respond calmly and efficiently in a real-life situation.

“The important thing to do is relax, even if you might really want to panic,” he said. “A lot of people, even if they’re trained, don’t respond as calmly or efficiently as they need to. If everyone practices and sees what it’s like, we’ll be trained to stay calm and respond quickly when a real accident happens. I’m happy now that if I see something, I can do something to help.”

Heisz’ father, Assistant Scout Master Ken Heisz, knows first hand the importance of being able to respond in a crisis. Years ago, he was the first one on the scene of a multi-vehicle highway accident. It was his own Boy Scout first aid training that allowed him to render aid to critically injured victims before professional help arrived.

“The community is benefitting from these young boys’ training. They’re a real resource in the community for when something goes wrong,” he said. “I was so impressed by what the troop pulled off. It’s a huge amount of work, but it pays off.”

Spearheading the event was Assistant Scout Master Jeff Lemen, who experienced Disaster Night himself as a scout growing up in the Palisades. This year, it was his son Preston, as senior scout, who was working alongside his troop to triage the various accident scenes.

“Not only are these scouts learning to respond to victims, but they are learning how to not become victims themselves,” Lemen said. “They’re also learning how to work together to determine which injury to treat first and what information they need to have when they make the 9-1-1 call: location, injuries, what first aid has been applied already. They’re learning to save lives.”