Merit Badge Overview

Being prepared for an emergency can be the difference between life and death in some scenarios. As Scouts, we should always be prepared for any situation that could come your way(After all, the Scout Motto is Be Prepared). The emergency preparedness merit badge, which I will refer to as e-prep from now on, is your ticket to being prepared for any emergency situation that might come your way. By taking this merit badge you’ll learn about the different ways to respond to and mitigate an emergency, make specific plans for what you and your family would do in an emergency, and so much more.

Timeline and Difficulty

There are not any overly time consuming requirements in the e-prep merit badge. This badge is often offered at week long summer camps where it can be completed in just a week, generally with minimal prerequisite requirements. If you are doing this badge on your own, it might take you a little longer but for the motivated Scout, this badge shouldn’t take longer than a few weeks.

In terms of difficulty, e-prep is not overly difficult. The most time consuming requirement is probably 2b as it requires you to make a chart of at least 10 different emergency situations and explain how the 5 aspects of emergency preparedness can be applied to them(you’ll learn about these later in the post). All things considered I would give e-prep a 4/10 on my difficulty scale.

Tips for Success

Tip #1

Do all the “show” requirements at one time. This merit badge has many different requirements that have you demonstrate your abilities in performing certain lifesaving techniques. Almost all of these will require a partner or even three people so it makes the most sense to do them all at once rater than as you work through the badge.

Tip #2

Take this merit badge shortly after earning the first aid merit badge. First aid and emergency preparedness are very interconnected. So much so in fact that the first requirement of e-prep is to have earned the first aid merit badge. E-prep will be a lot easier if you still have the skills of first aid fresh in your mind.

Tip #3

Get your family involved. A few of the requirements for e-prep require you to make plans with your family. Getting your family interested in and excited about emergency preparedness with help you to more easily complete these requirements as well as make more complete and effective emergency plans.

Complete Guide

***This guide is only intended as a starting point for your research. Directly copying the information offered here is plagiarism. Doing your own research will allow you to get the most out of this badge and maintain the 12 points of the scout law. A scout is trustworthy!***

Requirement 1

Earn the First Aid Merit Badge.

As discussed above, first aid and e-prep are very interconnected. In order to be prepared for an emergency you need to be able to respond to and administer first aid in said emergency. You’ll need to how to perform CPR, the basic first aid, triage, as well as how to move an injured person, all of which you will learn in the first aid merit badge.

Requirement 2

2a. Discuss with your counselor the aspects of emergency preparedness

• Prevention
• Protection
• Mitigation
• Response
• Recovery

Include in your discussion the kinds of questions that are important to ask yourself as you consider each of these.

2b. Using a chart, graph, spreadsheet, or another method approved by your counselor, demonstrate your understanding of each aspect of emergency preparedness listed in requirement 2a (prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery) for 10 emergency situations from the list below. You must use the first five situations listed below in boldface, plus any other five of your choice. Discuss your findings with your counselor.

2c. Meet with and teach your family how to get or build a kit, make a plan, and be informed for the situations on the chart you created for requirement 2b. Complete a family plan. Then meet with your counselor and report on your family meeting, discuss their responses, and share your family plan.

Part A

The five aspects of emergency preparedness were developed by FEMA as a part of their National Preparedness Goal. Here’s how they define each aspect.

Prevention

Prevent, avoid or stop an imminent, threatened or actual act of terrorism.

Protection

Protect our citizens, residents, visitors, and assets against the greatest threats and hazards in a manner that allows our interests, aspirations and way of life to thrive.

Mitigation

Reduce the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters.

Response

Respond quickly to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs in the aftermath of a catastrophic incident.

Recovery

Recover through a focus on the timely restoration, strengthening and revitalization of infrastructure, housing and a sustainable economy, as well as the health, social, cultural, historic and environmental fabric of communities affected by a catastrophic incident.

FEMA – Mission Areas and Core Capabilities

Think about how you as a Scout can help achieve each of these goals in any emergency situation you might be involved in.

Part B

Now it’s time to apply each of those 5 concepts. Be sure to to pick additional situations that you think are most likely to impact you. By thinking about what you would do in an emergency situation before it happens, you’re already starting to prepare yourself!

	Prevention	Protection	Mitigation	Response	Recovery
1.Home kitchen fire	Keep flammable items away from the stove.	Know where the nearest fire extinguisher is. Be away of how to put out different kinds of fires.	Make sure you house had functioning smoke detectors that are checked on a regular schedule. Have a fire evacuation plan in with your family.	Attempt to extinguish a fire with a fire extinguisher or by placing a lid over it. If fire becomes out of control, evacuate and call 911	Ensure everyone has made it out of the building. Treat any burns and contact appropriate authorities and insurance.
2. Home basement/storage room/garage fire	Keep any flammable items safely stored. Don’t play with lighters of matches.	Have an evacuation plan and know the location of a fire extinguisher in your house.	Keep valuables in a fire proof safe. Evacuate quickly.	Evacuate quickly. Always feel door handles before opening. If handle is hot, go another way.	Ensure everyone has made it out of the building. Treat any burns and contact appropriate authorities and insurance.
3.Explosion in the home	Never keep potentially explosive things such as propane in the home	Place any potentially hazardous materials far away from bedrooms	Have an evacuation plan in place.	Evacuate immediately. The ensuing fire from the explosion could cause more explosions. If necessary contact neighbors to evacuate.	Contact the proper authorities.
4. Automobile Accident	Obey all traffic laws. Be alert and aware while driving.	Keep a first aid kit in your car. Have a plan for what to do in the event of a crash.	Travel at a safe speed. Always wear your seat belt.	Assess the situation. Treat injuries in order of severity. If possible, safely remove vehicles and debris from roadway.	Call 911. Contact insurance and collect other parties information.
5. Food-borne Disease	Cook all food to the FDA recommended temperatures.	Know the difference between food poisoning and potentially more harmful illnesses.	If your food doesn’t taste right, stop eating it right away.	Drink lots of water. Only take medicine if approved by a doctor.	If your symptoms do not improve after 2 days, see a doctor.
6. Your turn!

You can probably notice some patterns in emergency responses. Use these patterns to create your own plan for 5 more emergency situations. A great resource you can use is the government site ready.gov. They have lots of great resources for what to do in a variety of emergency scenarios.

Part C

Now it’s time to meet with your family. An emergency plan is only useful if everyone knows about it so it’s important to share and create plans with those around you. On top of having a plan, there are some things you can prepare for an emergency ahead of time. One common item is an emergency or “bug out” pack. This is a bag that keep packed at all times so that you can simply grab it and leave in the event of an emergency. According to ready.gov, a disaster supply kit should contain the following basic supplies:

• Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation)
• Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food)
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries
• Whistle (to signal for help)
• Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place)
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
• Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
• Manual can opener (for food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup batter

You can also buy premade kits from sites like Amazon. However, I recommend making your own kit as then you will know exactly what is in it.

This fillable form from ready.gov will help you create a family emergency preparedness plan.

Requirement 3

3. Show how you could save a person from the following dangerous situations without putting yourself in danger:

a. Touching a live household electric wire.

b. A structure filled with carbon monoxide

c. Clothes on fire.

d. Drowning using nonswimming rescues (including accidents on ice).

Part A

Household electric wires can a lethal amount of electricity. This is why it is always important to use proper safety procedures when working with wiring. An electric shock can also lead to muscles tensing up leading you grabbing hold of the wire, worsening the shock.

The safest was to save someone touching a live wire is to shut off electricity to the that wire. You can do this by going to your home’s circuit breaker and flipping the main power breaker. If you do not know where your home’s circuit breaking is, go ask your parents now!

If you are unable to turn of the power to wire, there are other ways to save the person. However you must abide by one important rule. Never touch the person being shocked! The human body conducts electricity and by touching the victim you yourself could get shocked and become a victim yourself. Instead, use a long and non conductive piece of material such as wood or plastic to attempt to move the wire away from the victim. Take extreme caution as getting shocked yourself will only worsen the situation.

Part B

Carbon monoxide(CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is a byproduct of some common household appliances, including furnaces and water heaters. While inhaling CO in small quantities has no consequences, breathing in concentrated CO can be life threatening. This video breaks down everything you need to know about carbon monoxide poisoning.

In summary, the primary symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are weakness, nausea, dizziness, headache and confusion. If you suspect someone has CO poisoning, the best way to treat them is to get them to an open well ventilated area or outside. Minimize your time spent in the area suspected of being contaminated with CO and if necessary, wait for the proper authorities with breathing apparatuses to enter the area. You should also contact emergency services as CO poisoning can be life threatening.

The best way to stay safe from CO is by having working CO detectors in every bedroom in your house. Many smoke detectors also function as CO detectors. Ask your parents about what kind of CO detectors you have and how often they are tested.

Part C

Stop drop and roll. We’ve all heard this growing up as kids but does it actually work. Well, yes it does. Stop drop and roll is the universally accepted method of putting out a clothes fire. This short video shows first hand how stopping, dropping and rolling actually works. DISCLAIMER – DO NOT ATTEMPT ACTIONS TAKEN IN VIDEO. FIRE IS NEVER A TOY. PARTICPANTS IN VIDEO COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT

Part D

Drowning victims can be dangerous to both themselves as well as those who try to save them. People drowning are often not thinking rationally and their only priority is to keep their own head above water. As such, if attempting a swimming rescue, you yourself could become at risk of drowning as well. That is why it always recommend to use a non swimming rescue technique whenever possible.

The two main types of non-swimming rescue types are reaching and throwing. There is equipment made specifically for both of these rescues, but in a pinch, almost anything can be used for a drowning rescue. You might have seen life guards carry long poles used to reach to people struggling in the water and help them. This is an example of a reaching rescue. In a pinch, anything from a stick in the woods to your leg can be used to reach to a drowning victim and save them. Life rings are an example of equipment for a throwing rescue. Anything with a strong buoyant force can work as something to be thrown to a drowning victim. Just make sure you don’t hit the drowning victim when throwing something to them.

Falling through ice can be another serious drowning hazard. This short video goes over both how to self rescue and how to rescue someone else after they’ve fallen through ice.

In summary, the most important thing is to spread your body weight out on the ice and avoid falling through the ice yourself.

As with all emergency situations, the best way to rescue someone is to avoid being in the situation in the first place. Always wear a life preserver when going out on water and follow proper safety procedures when traveling on ice.

Requirement 4

Show three ways of attracting and communicating with rescue planes/aircraft.

If you are ever lost in an unknown area, the most likely way search and rescue will be able to identify you is from the air. Aircraft are able to cover the most area in the precious time that search and rescuers have to find you. In order to help yourself be found, there are several ways to make it easier for planes to see you.

1. Build a fire
   • Smoke from fires can travel high into the air and help aircraft know that there is a person in that area. If possible, build 3 fires in a line or triangle. Use green leaves to create lots of smoke from your fire.
2. Spell out SOS with sticks or rocks
   • Writing out SOS on the ground will signal to anyone in the air that you are in need of help
3. Signal a plane with a flare or mirror
   • If there is a plane in your area, you’ll still need to attract their attention. This can be done with a signal flare or a simple fire. To use a signal mirror, angle it in between the sun and where the plane is. The goal is for a bright glint of light from the mirror to catch a pilots eye and alert them that there is a human in the are.

Requirement 5

With another person, show a good way to transport an injured person out of a remote and/or rugged area, conserving the energy of rescuers while ensuring the well-being and protection of the injured person.

Being able to safely transport someone is an important skill for anyone travelling in remote areas. Anything from an ankle sprain to animal bite can lead to someone being immobile and in need of transport. There are two main ways to transport an injured person: Using a stretcher or carrying.

Stretcher

A stretch is a stretch of canvas placed between two sticks used to carry an injured person. You can easily make a stretcher in the woods from a few basic materials. All you’ll need is two long, straight and sturdy sticks and a piece of cloth about 3 times as wide as you intend the stretcher to be. You could use anything from a blanket to a sleeping bag in a pinch. To make the stretch, place the two sticks about 1/3 of the way into the piece of cloth on each side and then fold the cloth over the sticks into the middle. The friction between the cloth will hold it onto the stick and create a stretcher you can use to carry someone. See the video below for a visual guide.

Carry

Carrying an injured person is more physically and energy intensive than using a stretch but requires less set up. The most basic partner carry is called the seat carry. This short video goes over how to both perform a partner carry as well as create a stretcher

Requirement 6

Do the following:
a. Describe the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS)
b. Identify the local government or community agencies that normally handle and prepare for emergency services similar to those of the NIMS
or ICS. Explain to your counselor
1. How the NIMS/ICS can assist a Boy Scout troop when responding in a disaster
2. How a group of Scouts could volunteer to help in the event of these types of emergencies.
c. Find out who is your community’s emergency management director and learn what this person does to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergency situations in your community. Discuss this information with your counselor, utilizing the information you learned from requirement 2b

Part A

The NIMS is a standardized national approach to managing incidents. It was developed by the Department of Homeland Security in 2004. According to their website, NIMS does the following:

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) guides all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations and the private sector to work together to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from incidents.

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims

The ICS is a product of the National Incident Management System and states it’s purpose as follows:

ICS is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of on-scene
incident management that provides a common hierarchy within which personnel from
multiple organizations can be effective.

ICS Training Document

Both of these programs were made as a plan to help utilize all resources available during an emergency and allow for effective interconnection of different resources.

Part B

Information about local emergency responses can be found from fema.gov/locations. FEMA has lots of resources for you to be able to see emergency preparedness in your local area. In most small communities, emergency preparedness is handled at the county level so try searching for your counties emergency preparedness department.

6b – 1

NIMS and ICS and the national authorities on all things emergency related. The plans and methodology laid out in both are the most universally accepted ways to respond to disasters. As Scouts, we should be knowledgeable on the best way to respond to emergency and utilize these methods when making our own plans for emergencies and responding to emergencies.

6b – 2

Volunteering is a key part of Scouting and volunteers can be a huge help to communities affected by a disaster. FEMA lists the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster as the authority on assigning and deploying volunteers to areas in need. Both FEMA and NVOAD remind people to never self-deploy to disaster areas. Disaster areas can be very complicated and dangerous. Volunteer organizations will be able to provide you with specific tasks that make the biggest difference and the proper safety gear for the area you’ll be entering.

6b -3

Large towns may have a emergency management director for the individual town. Smaller communities will usually rely on their county and state for emergency response. The best way to find who your communities emergency management director is would be to google “city or county name” + emergency management department. From there you should be able to find contact information for your communities authority. Reach out to them by phone or email and explain that you are Scout looking to learn more about emergency preparedness. Almost all emergency managers will be more than happy to tell you about their work.

Requirement 7

Do the following:
a. Take part in an emergency service project, either a real one or a practice drill, with a Scouting unit or a community agency.
b. Prepare a written plan for mobilizing your troop when needed to do emergency service. If there is already a plan, explain it. Tell your part in making it work.

Part A

This requirement is intended as a way for you to practice your skills as an emergency responder. If your troop doesn’t do any emergency project this could be your chance to start something. For example, you could have your troop do a practice drill of what they would do if a tornado warning happened while camping. Other way to fulfill this example would be to reach out to your local fire department or EMS service. These organizations often need volunteers to act as fake causalities during their training drills and serving as one of those could fulfill this requirement. The main idea of this requirement if for you to apply what you’ve learned.

Part B

A mobilization plan is a way to quickly notify and mobilize a group of people in the event of an emergency. By using a set plan, leaders can ensure that everyone is contacted and accounted for. The most common mobilization plan involved a “phone tree”. A phone tree is a system in which information is dispersed down through the layers of command. For example, the Scoutmaster would contact the SPL and assistant scout masters, the SPL would then contact each Patrol leader, who would then contact members of their patrol.

Hopefully your troop already has a mobilization plan, but if not, you can use this guide from Troop 370 as a great starting point for creating your own.

Requirement 8

Do the following:

a.Tell the things a group of Scouts should be prepared to do, the training they need , and the safety precautions they should take for the following emergency services:

1.Crowd and traffic control

2.Messenger service and communication.

3.Collection and distribution services.

4.Group feeding, shelter, and sanitation.

b. Prepare a personal emergency service pack for a mobilization call. Prepare a family kit (suitcase or waterproof box) for use by your family in case an emergency evacuation is needed. Explain the needs and uses of the contents.

Part A

Scouts can be an invaluable resource during emergency situations. Scouting’s ideals of leadership and service are recognized by those outside of Scouting and because of this you may be called upon to help out during a situation

Crowd and Traffic Control

During an emergency situation electricity often becomes cut off or scarce. This means that traffic lights may not be working and traffic will need to be directed manually. This short video gives a great overview of directing traffic.

In summary, the most important things to consider when directing traffic are to be visible and firm in your commands. As with all things, your safety is the top priority so be sure to stay aware and be in control of the area around you.

Another activity could include controlling traffic in a parking lot. Doing this poses less of a safety threat than controlling traffic in an intersection but can still be dangerous. The main priority should be to keep cars moving slowly and safely. Try to park cars as space efficiently as possible while still allowing room for people to get out.

Messenger Service and Communications

During times of crises communication lines can be cut off. Messages may need to be passed between authorities and you as a Scout can be a great resource for this.

First obtain a map of your area and then identify the best routes between locations that might need to communicate. For example you might need to pass messages from a town hall to the local fire department. Whenever traveling in an emergency area be sure to use the buddy system and tread carefully.

Collection and distribution services

Disaster situations can cause disruptions in the supply chain leading to shortages of food, water and other crucial supplies. Scout troops can be a great resource to help collect supplies for a community.

Make sure you collect the right supplies for the area you want to help. Distribution of supplies is also important. Supplies have to be in a place that is accessible to people and capable of handling a lot of throughput of people.

Group feeding, shelter, and sanitation

Shelters are temporary buildings made to house people displaced by a disaster. Scouts can assist in the running of shelters. The biggest priority in shelters is maintaining sanitation. Shelters often have a large amount of people gathered into a small area and this can be a perfect breeding ground for disease. Regular cleaning of shelters can help to prevent this spread of disease.

Part B

This requirement has you make an emergency preparedness pack for you and your family. This kits, often called “bug out” bags, are made to allow you or your family to quickly leave the area in the event of an emergency. This article goes over the main things that should be brought in a bug out bag but I’ll summarize. A bug out bag should include:

1. 72 hours of food and water
   • Food items should focus on easy to prepare high calorie options like MRE’s or protein bars
   • Don’t forget a manual can opener
2. Food prep equipment
   • This incudes a good pot, lightweight stove, utensils,
3. First aid kits
4. Basic antibiotics
5. Any family member prescriptions
6. Fire starting items
7. Shelter
8. Lighting
   • Flashlights
   • Lanterns
   • Make sure to have lights that run off of multiple modes of power
9. Hygiene items
10. Communication
11. Self-protection
12. Basic tools
13. Extra clothing
14. Blankets/sleeping bag
15. Important documents
16. Financial security
    • This includes paper money and valuable metals
17. Power
    • Ex. battery back, generator

Remember that this list is only a starting point and you should make you and your family’s pack based on your specific needs.

Requirement 9

Do ONE of the following:
a.Using a safety checklist approved by your counselor, inspect your home for potential hazards. Explain the hazards you find and how they can be corrected.
b.Review or develop a plan of escape for your family in case of fire in your home.
c.Develop an accident prevention program for five family activities outside the home (such as taking a picnic or seeing a movie) that includes an analysis of possible hazards, a proposed plan to correct those hazards, and the reasons for the corrections you propose.

For this requirement I would recommend doing either A or B. These two requirements will be the easiest and quickest to complete. If your completing requirement A, you can use this home safety checklist from NY.gov to inspect your house.

For requirement B, you should meet with your family and develop and evacuation plan for each room in your house. Be sure to think about what you would do if a certain area of the house was cut off due to fire. Also make a group meeting point somewhere outside your house your family can rendezvous.

Conclusion

Emergency preparedness was one of my favorite Eagle required badges to earn. Considering preparedness was so important to Lord Baden Powell (the founder of Scouting) that he made the motto “Be Prepared,” emergency preparedness is a key part of being a Scout. Hopefully by earning this you’ll now be able to say that your are ready for any emergency life might throw at you. The next time your country faces and emergency, try to see how the principles your learned in this badge are used in the real world.

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