Water Rescue:  

               One evening after dinner our Scouts went to " Free Activities" == which included boating on Lake Waubeeka.   

           As Scouts Steve K. & Chris R. were canoeing at the north end of the lake near the swamp they heard a cry for help. They saw the camp Nature Director Norman X. in trouble.    ( He had gone snorkeling too soon after dinner & had

been overcome by cramps & unable to swim).  They did a " canoe rescue" & brought Norm back to shore & safety.

        They were recommended for a BSA Life Saving  Recognition .... but since Norman was so embarrassed by his personal carelessness he lied & denied that this rescue ever took place......... so Steve & Chris had to settle for their personal  gratification that they successfully applied learned Scout Skills.

Applied First Aid:

       Scout Brad R. & his teenage buddies were playing sand-lot football at a Yonkers school playground.    One boy claimed he was just "out of breath" ....

but Brad immediately recognized the classic signs of a heart attack .  His friends thought this " was ridiculous " given their ages.... but Brad insisted on

driving his friend Eddie to the nearby Lawrence Hospital emergency room.

          The physician complimented Brad on his action saying, " Eddie was not too far from suffering a fatality from his heart attack === you saved his life! "

Stupidity could have been fatal:

        Scout Brad R. was attending Cornell while a close highschool friend , David, was attending Ithaca College.   Brad & his friend were invited to a downtown Ithaca Bar to celebrate Dave's admission to an I.C. fraternity.

        When Brad arrived , Dave had already consumed several shots of alcohol -- on an empty stomach.   Brad recommended some food consumption but the

celebrating crowd "blew him off".   A short time later Dave collapsed from 

alcohol poisoning ... Brad & his friend took him to the bathroom & using Brad's 

BSA First Aid knowledge he made Dave throw up while his friend called for an 

ambulance.  

            The physician at the County Hospital thanked Brad & his friend for their

prompt action saying , " if you had not acted & gotten him here immediately 

Dave would have been dead within a very short period of time ! " 

Applied Life Saving Merit Badge:

        Chris R. was in California training in fighter tactics as an F-18 Navy pilot .  He & friends were at a local beach one afternoon when Chris heard a

cry for help from a distressed swimmer.  

       The on duty  Life Guard was making no movement to go to the rescue so Chris ( a former Roosevelt High School "All County Swim Champion" in Yonkers ) swam to the rescue in the rough surf using his Life Saving skills

learned on the waterfront at Camp Waubeeka.  

         The nearly drowned swimmer spoke no English but Chris understood the very sincere words of appreciation extended to him. 

Applied First Aid:

        Our Scoutmaster, Howard, was in the front car of a train in Grand Central Station waiting for the evening train ride home.  The train pulled out of the station but almost immediately came to a halt ...then backed up.  

        The conductor & engineer opened the door & ran forward on the platform.

        Howard followed them & saw the tragedy === a drunken man had been sleeping below the train with his leg across one of the rails.  When the train pulled away it had run over his leg; backing up it had torn off part of his scalp.

         Howard jumped down to the train bed...took off the man's belt & applied a provisional tourniquet ...then applied a pressure bandage to his head.

        ( Very shortly the EMT's arrived &  removed the man to the hospital )

November Troop 4 Hike & First Aid

      The Troop wasn't long into the weekend hike in Harriman Park as the younger Scouts  quickly ascended the steep hill. ( As usual the aging Scoutmaster was following in the rear== normal procedure in Troop 4 )

      When the adults arrived at the peak,  the older Scouts ( Owen , James & Scott) had come upon a young couple with the female suffering from exhaustion & lying on the ground unable to move.  The boyfriend was in shock & had no idea what to do ( The couple had no equipment whatsoever..not even a map.)

       The Scouts assessed the situation:  took out a "space blanket"  & a sleeping bag to wrap around the girl, gave her some water to drink & then raised her feet.     

       The adults called the Harriman Park Police & gave them  the map location 

where the couple could be found & escorted to safety.

        That night after dinner all present had a valuable  review session of  how well the Troop 4 Scouts had reacted & without waiting for the adults to arrive.

Our First BSA Commendation

      In August 1970  Boys Life Magazine, BSA featured the story about Troop 4 SPL John Kane for his heroism that occurred  on July 18, 1968 as follows:

      John was waiting for a bus on Central Avenue, Yonkers. Nearby a bulldozer was widening the 3 lane road into the current 6+ lanes. John  heard a hissing sound & saw a giant jet stream shooting into the air.  Then he smelled gas. John rushed to a nearby roadside restaurant & told the owner to turn off the stoves

       Then John ran back to the street & detoured traffic , telling the drivers to extinguish cigarettes.   Police & Firemen soon arrived & took over.

       John's  Scoutmaster Howard R. submitted John for The Award of Merit.  

The BSA agreed  & it  was presented  at the next Bronxville Court of Honor.

A Thankyou Letter from a couple who were aided by Troop 4 Scout Peter S.

[ Below is a partial quote from a letter which expresses the event very well ]

Dear Dr. Rakov,

    I am writing a letter of sincere thanks to one of your Scouts, Peter S.

    Pete came to our rescue lst Sunday ( July of 2015 ). We unfortunately locked our keys & phone in the trunk of our car at a rest stop on the Thruway.   We were at a loss until I saw Peter , in uniform , passing by.  I told him of our predictament & he immediately proceeded to help us. He phoned our dealer in NYC , got our car VIN # . We then received an unlock signal that opened our car.  This was all new to this couple of seniors!

     Most impressive about Peter was his kind & caring manner !     Thanks to you for his Scout training & to his parents who raised such an excellent son.                 Thanks , with our love,  Mrs & Dr. C.

A Thank you Letter from a couple who were aided by Troop 4 Scout Peter S. 

[ Below is a partial quote from a letter which expresses the event very well ] Dear Dr. Rakov, I am writing a letter of sincere thanks to one of your Scouts, Peter S. Pete came to our rescue lst Sunday ( July of 2015 ). We unfortunately locked our keys & phone in the trunk of our car at a rest stop on the Thruway. We were at a loss until I saw Peter , in uniform , passing by. I told him of our predictament & he immediately proceeded to help us. He phoned our dealer in NYC , got our car VIN # . We then received an unlock signal that opened our car. This was all new to this couple of seniors! Most impressive about Peter was his kind & caring manner ! Thanks to you for his Scout training & to his parents who raised such an excellent son. Thanks , with our love, Mrs & Dr. C.