Five Boy Scout Leaders Die in Va. Accident

[ConfuZed]

By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press

BOWLING GREEN, Va. Five Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree, the Boy Scouts of America said.

Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said an electrical accident occurred between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Monday in a campground.

Shields did not have any other information about the incident, including names of the victims or their hometowns...<More>

http://www.winktv.com/x466.xml?URL=http://localhost/APWIREFEED/d8binmno0.xml

[Cocoa]

1. Michael Savage will blame the ACLU

will demand an investigation into sabotage.

Remember that boy scout that got lost? Savage said the ACLU wanted that boy to die.

[sakabatou]

10. Savage... what a cheap man...

[grannylib]

2. Oh that's a major sad piece of news...really sorry to hear that

[OKNancy]

3. Oh dear

I bet those boys are really upset. I've know a lot of fine
(Democratic)boys-to-men who learned a lot in the Scouts.

[Swamp Rat]

33. Like me!

:D

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

34. And me

Eagle scout.

[Kickin_Donkey]

35. And me. I was an Eagle scout, too..

And I was even a liberal at that time.

[WeRQ4U]

43. Eagle Scout here too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. How sad

My dad was a high school coach and during his first year coaching, he lost half of his team when they were in a car together that stalled out in high water. First, the driver got out and fell. Then the pasengers, one by one. There was an electrical line down under that big puddle they drove into.

[donco6]

7. Oh, please stop! The first story was awful enough!

:cry:

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Well I have a healthy respect

for the dangers of electricity after hearing that story a million times as a kid.

Sorry if I upset you.

[donco6]

9. I sure would. Jeez. eom

[sleipnir]

5. Horrible. I fondly remember the '93 Jamboree, which I attended.

This is just tragic news.

[donco6]

6. No Scout fan, but that's just terrible. eom

[karlrschneider]

11. I just got home, heard something on the car radio about lightning hitting

a group of people...could it be this story? I didn't catch the first part of the blurg on NPR...sad in any case.

[Lex]

12. I think that's different story.

Lightning hit the water at a beach in Florida and sent a bunch of people to the hospital, some with serious injuries.

[karlrschneider]

16. You're right, I managed to catch up on the news...thanks

KS

[phylny]

13. We know four people down there

My daughter's boyfriend, his dad, and two brothers are there. No cell phone service in the area, so we're waiting to see names :(

[Catchawave]

14. How tragic :(

Couldn't find anymore details yet, but MSNBC says Bush is scheduled to speak there on Weds.....http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8705262/

[Lex]

15. Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse . . . . nt

[Squatch]

17. Very sad. Scout leaders have to be parents of scouts...

so there is a good chance that the sons of these five were witnesses.

[Squatch]

18. BSA says four people died, two injured.

Four BSA leaders died in an electrical accident at Fort A.P. Hill between 4:30 and 5 p.m. today while setting up camp. Two other individuals were also injured in the accident. One is a Boy Scout leader and one is a contract worker. Both are in stable condition.
Our prayers and sympathies are with the families of each of the victims. It is a tragic loss that is shared by everyone in the BSA. Counselors and chaplains are at the jamboree and available to any Scout or leader.
A thorough investigation into this accident is underway.
***
We apologize for the delay in getting our Web site online to provide coverage of the Jamboree, and hope to have additional information online as soon as possible on Tuesday.

http://www.bsajamboree.org/

[Blue_In_AK]

19. We heard tonight on our local news

that at least some of these victims are from Western Alaska. How sad.

[RamboLiberal]

20. Tragic - Apparently a tent pole was in contact with power line

WPost:

<snip>

One person with knowledge of the jamboree operations, who spoke on condition of anonymity because an investigation is underway, confirmed that a pole intended as a support for a tent came into contact with an overhead power line.

A slender pole protruded through the apex of a pyramidal tent at the accident site and appeared to be touching the power line. The tent was one of two at the Alaskans' site that appeared to be intended for large gatherings rather than for housing.

One of the two light-colored tents had apparently been fully erected. The other was cordoned off with yellow tape. The scouts who might have stayed in that area had been moved.

Haines said the four men "were leaders in the scouting community, longtime Alaskans. They were very instrumental in the council." For one, it was his first jamboree.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501758.html

[rsmith6621]

21. Ya Think The MSM Will Hijack This

Story and use it to put the ROVEOLA story on the back burner....

My sorrow is with the familys of the leaders tonight......I once was a Boy Scout myself.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RamboLiberal]

25. warrens - IMHO that comment is out of line

That's the kind of crap the Freepers love to grab and run with.

We may not agree with BSA policies, and tragically there are some child molesters that hide in their midst, just like any organization where children can be accessed.

This was a tragedy and I wish any DU'er who wants to express this kind of humor would take it to the lounge.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

23. accident pic

According to an anonymous eye witness, the cause may have been the tent coming into contact with the electrical wires. shame.

[daleo]

24. They really should have known better

But mistakes do happen. Extremely sad.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. How awful!

I hope this wasn't witnessed by any of the children of the deceased.

There are going to be a lot of boys who will not sleep well tonight.

[anitar1]

27. I just wonder what * is going to say to them when he speaks.

How glorious it is to serve your country. After all , some scouts are 18.

[Psephos]

45. What does this have to do with * or politics? Nothing. n/t

[burrowowl]

28. Were they electricians?

If not, real electricians should have been paid to do the job.

[noamnety]

29. Normally you wouldn't pay an electrician

to put up a tent.

[burrowowl]

31. Well why was

a powered unprotected electrical pole near a tent?
In my young camping days (girl scout) didn't have electricity.

[Enraged_Ape]

40. Um, burrowowl...

they put the tent up near the power lines, not the other way around. I don't think the scout leaders that put the tent up were aware of the danger.

[burrowowl]

52. That is one big tent!

As one should not build a camp fire under tree branches, one should not erect tents under or near power lines should be added to the manual.

[Enraged_Ape]

55. You got that right

I'm thinking that these guys must have been so busy/harried that they didn't consider the danger around them. But it should be pretty much SOP in the Boy Scout Manual that you at least look up before erecting a huge, electrically conductive pole.

[progressivebydesign]

47. There was a contractor also killed in the accident.

I believe he was probably an electrical contractor. Sadly sometimes accidents happen. This is a terrible tragedy.

When I was a kid a schoolmates Dad, and scout leader, was killed while collecting mistletoe for a fundraiser with the Boy Scouts. It was pretty devastating to the community, can you even imagine losing FIVE leaders? (which are usually Dads of the Scouts). Sad..

[MnFats]

30. Look at that photo. It appears the tent went up directly under the wires..

...did NO ONE notice the wires?
...Scouts are trained to pick safe campsites; they're trained in safety, including the danger of electricity.
....how could this tragedy happen?

Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.
maybe they lost track of it.

[noamnety]

32. The tent is so far off center in that photo

I think maybe when it was set up fully, it would have been fine - the center wasn't under the wires, but they were (obviously) not thinking about the process of getting it set up and how the center pole doesn't magically start out straight up.

It's really sad that the kids most affected are from Alaska - sooooooo far from home. The parents can't just drive over in an afternoon and scoop them up and bring them home. That's what I'd want to do.

[Throckmorton]

39. Look up and Live

Those of us that use cranes, bucket trucks, condors, etc. in the course of our daily lives are always looking for power lines. Even then, we still make mistakes and have accidents, I can see how people that don't deal with this stuff daily could make this kind of tragic error.

[Zhade]

36. Fuck the organization for its homophobia, but sad for the families.

I sympathize with those who lost their loved ones.

[Catchawave]

37. Updated article here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8705262/

[shayes51]

38. Just returned from DC and saw MANY scouts.

So sorry for this.

[Divine Ms Q]

41. son is there

My son is taking part in the Jamboree this week. My mom went on the Jambo's website yesterday and saw this story...and completely freaked, especially when they said it was in an area of the Jambo site that is reserved for Scouts from the western states (where we are). Then, she saw it was Alaska, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

After seeing the photo of the accident site, my first reaction was WHAT THE HELL WERE THOSE LEADERS THINKING???? You ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS look up to make sure there are no power lines when setting up a tent. ESPECIALLY one with metal poles!!!!!!

I've been a trained leader in BSA for over ten years (Woodbadge course W5-315-02...go Eagles!), and I can say first hand that safety rules are DRILLED into us at every step and turn. That's why I have such trouble grasping why all of these accidents with missing Scouts have been taking place. For example, there's that kid in Utah who was missing earlier this summer. Had he and his buddy followed basic Scout safety rules, that wouldn't have happened. First, his buddy should never have left him. The Buddy System is in effect at ALL times! Second, the kid should have stayed put. Hug a tree! If you move around, it makes it harder for search teams to find you. This is basic information that all Scouts learn in their first couple of ranks (I believe it's included in either the Tenderfoot or Second Class rank).

Or, then there's that kid from Montana who fell into the Yellowstone River just north of Yellowstone Park and is still missing. Those kids were down by the river with NO adult supervision (no-no #1), throwing logs into the river (no-no #2), which was very high and running very fast due to the time of year...snowmelt was at it's peak. If the kids were going into the river, there should have been a Scout there trained as a BSA lifeguard (which includes training that is MUCH more stricter than Red Cross certification), and all Safe Swim regulations would have to have been met (no-no #3).

I guess my point is this: the regulations are in place. The leaders need to teach them, enforce them, and use them themselves. Otherwise, you get shit like this happening.

On a positive note, my son (who is a Life Scout, and beginning his Eagle project this fall), pointed out all the safety violations to me regarding the kid in the Yellowstone River. I thought that was very astute of him...and showed me that his troop's leaders actually DID teach him the safety rules. :)

[MnFats]

49. welcome to DU. sorry so sad an occasion comes so early in..

...your sojourn here.
....it can only get better, no?

[OzarkDem]

54. Scouts are great

Thanks for all the long hours and hard work so many parents put into making it such a great organization. So sorry to hear about this tragedy, but, knowing the BSA, they were doing everything as safely as possible. Its a tragic accident.

[Midlodemocrat]

42. Here's the article from the Richmond, VA paper.

What a sad story.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784064922

[rocktivity]

44. Perhaps the rest of the jamboree should be cancelled.

Oh, wait, didn't you say that Bush is speaking? Never mind.

:crazy:
rocknation

[progressivebydesign]

46. We're a Girl Scout family, and send our sympathies to the Boy Scouts. n/t

[Xithras]

48. No matter your opinions of the BSA, this is incredibly tragic.

My son is a scout and up until very recently I was a scout leader myself. The real tragedy here is that just about all scout leaders are also scout parents...it's primarily a volunteer organization run by the parents of the boys involved with it. That means five boys just lost a parent. Five boys, thousands of miles from home, now have to learn about loss far earlier than they should be asked to.

Up to 50 other kids just lost their leaders, their mentors, and their friends. They lost an adult they could look up to, and for at least a few of them, probably one of the few stabilizing influences in their lives (in my experience as a scout leader, I discovered that there are many kids who join scouting seeking a stable refuge from otherwise chaotic home lives).

This tragedy ended the lives of five good people, completely rewrote the lives of at least five children, and damaged the lives of who knows how many others. These people will all be in my prayers, and if you're so inclined, I'd ask that they be in yours too.

[rainbow4321]

50. Sons of dead Scout leaders head home; Jamboree continues

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_JAMBOREE_DEATHS_VAOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US


BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) -- The sons of two of the four scouting leaders killed in an electrical accident at the Boy Scout Jamboree have gone home to Alaska, officials said Tuesday.

"Our hearts go out to the families of these dedicated Scout leaders who gave so much to their sons, their troops and their communities," Boy Scout spokesman Gregg Shields told reporters, his voice choked with emotion.

The accident happened Monday while the scout leaders were setting up a dining tent, officials said. The victims were identified as Michael J. Shibe, 49, Mike Lacroix, 42, and Ronald H. Bitzer, 58, of Anchorage, Alaska; and Scott Edward Powell, 57, of Perrysville, Ohio.

Shibe had two sons at the Jamboree, while Lacroix had one.

[rocktivity]

51. Update

Scout Jamboree Closes for Day of Grieving

BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - The National Boy Scout Jamboree closed to visitors for a day of grieving and reviewing safety procedures Tuesday following the deaths of four adult scout leaders in an electrical accident. Three sons of the victims returned home to Alaska, officials said.

...The jamboree runs through Aug. 3, with President Bush scheduled to speak Wednesday evening.

:(
rocknation

[pelagius]

53. How to help

From the Anchorage Daily News:

• Cards and letters of condolence may be sent to the families in care of Western Alaska Council, 3117 Patterson St., Anchorage 99504.

• An Alaska credit union has set up an account to help the families of the four Scout leaders killed Monday at the Boy Scout Jamboree. Donations to the Scout Memorial Fund, account No. 80487, can be made at Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union branches, which are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Wasilla. Donations can be designated for any of the individual men, Ron Bitzer, Michael Lacroix, Michael Shibe and Scott Powell, or a general donation may be made to the fund that will be divided among their families.

• Mailed donations for the Boy Scout account can be sent to Denali Alaskan Federal Credit Union at 3400 LaTouche St., Anchorage, AK 99508. The credit union can be reached by phone at 1-907-257-7200 or 1-800-764-1123.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/anchorage/story/6751520p-6639663c.html