Boy Scouts fall ill from heat

Easyrider · 07-28-2005

There are several local Boy Scouts attending this year's Jamboree in Virginia, so I thought this post would be informative:
Hundreds of Boy Scouts fall ill from heat

Bush visit postponed

<SCRIPT language=JavaScript type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>Thursday, July 28, 2005; Posted: 11:16 a.m. EDT (15:16 GMT) 

(CNN) -- A Boy Scout National Jamboree marred by the deaths of four people weathered another blow Wednesday in Virginia when about 300 Scouts and adults suffered symptoms resulting from the 100-degree afternoon heat, a spokesman for the organization said.

Thousands of Scouts had gathered in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, for the opening ceremonies, which were canceled because of "heat-related health concerns" and the threat of severe thunderstorms.

The heavy rain, accompanied by lightning, also forced President Bush to postpone his planned speech to the Jamboree.

The speech was initially rescheduled for Thursday evening, but then postponed again, according to the Associated Press.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday morning that the Scouts had asked the president to reschedule his appearance for Sunday, said the AP.

The Jamboree has drawn more than 42,000 Scouts and their leaders to the Army installation about 75 miles south of Washington.

"We are deeply concerned for every person affected by the heat, and we sincerely hope they are back on their feet and back to enjoying the Jamboree soon," Scout spokesman Gregg Shields said.

"The overriding concern is always safety," he said. Shields said Jamboree participants were given bottles of water and sprayed with water because of the heat and humidity.

Scout leaders plan to meet Thursday morning to determine how to handle that day's events, according to Shields. Updates will be posted at www.bsajamboree.com.

Most of those affected by the heat were treated on site, many at the Army base's Wilcox Camp, Shields said.

More than 30 people were taken to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg and Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, spokesmen at those hospitals said.

No one had been admitted as of late Wednesday.

Dr. Tom Ryan at Mary Washington said patients taken there were treated for minor symptoms such as cramped muscles, excessive sweating, rapid heart beat, dizziness, nausea and general weakness. None of them suffered from the more serious illness of heat exhaustion, he said.

Some people still were being treated late Wednesday, Mary Washington spokeswoman Kathleen Allenbaugh said.

Authorities in surrounding communities told CNN that numerous ambulances, including military helicopters, were dispatched to the Jamboree, which is held every four years.

On Monday, three Scout leaders from Alaska and one from Ohio were electrocuted when a tent pole they were installing struck an overhead power line.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said he expected Bush to talk about the accident during his remarks.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/07/28/sco...ree/index.html