Skills Training, 12th May

Heyyy fellow guides! On 12th May, we had skills training, which was essentially Orientation Journey (OJ). OJ is an activity meant to train the guides' skills and test their knowledge on the Guides notes, test their stamina, as well as to train the Year 3s' leadership skills.

Station 1:

For this station, most patrol members will have at least one disability. Assigned Patrol Leader and Patrol Second can only give instructions. Patrol Leader and Patrol Second will be given proposal to build a structure and they are both expected to lead while communicating with one another.  PLPS will be given 1 ½ to brainstorm while the other patrol members will be informed of their disabilities. After which, patrol will be given 18mins to complete the structure. As patrol members are disabled they would have to cover up each other's flaw this would promote teamwork.

Picture of structure:

At any random time, station master will ask PLPS to get three people out to lay out patrol logistics. One of the three people will be given a proposed layout. This provides more opportunities for patrol members rather than just the PLPS to lead and hone communication skills. PLPS will also have to consider who to layout logistics for inspection in order to maximise efficiency. Laying out of logistics will occur twice.

Picture of Layout:

Disabilities:

• Blindfolded
• Cannot tie and cannot talk (Can help to lead the blindfolded)
• Two people hands tied together
• Can only use one hand

Reflections from a Year 3...

For Station 1, we were tasked to build a seesaw with gadget poles, and we we were given a proposal detailing the structure and logistics. However, the twist was that only the PL and PS could refer to the proposal, and had to guide the others in building the structure. In addition, everyone in the patrol was handicapped, and the PL and PS could not touch the structure. I felt really nervous as it was the last 集合 with the Y4s and as the PL, I wanted to give my all in completing this station. It was especially difficult initially as I had wasted time by asking every individual about their specific disabilities. I had also asked a few people to tie a tripod at a really low position, failing to consider how this mistake would affect the structure later, as the seesaw swing did not really fit nicely into the tripod. I had also neglected the other people and did not realise that they could work on the seesaw swing concurrently. Thankfully, the PS reminded me of that and we quickly got to work. Also, I did not manage my time properly, which resulted in us asking for a time extension. Even then, we could not finish the seesaw. However, I felt that our patrol morale was relatively high as everyone cheered together and we 报时-ed constantly. In the middle of our activity, the station master called the PS out. It turned out that 3 people had to step out and complete an inspection layout, with reference to an inspection proposal that had been given out. We were thus shorthanded and I felt that I could have better managed the situation by assigning the non-working people to other tasks instead of stressing out. In the end, we did not manage to finish the seesaw but I felt gratified that everyone had tried their best for this station, which resulted in a relatively stable structure.

Station 2:

Introduction:

You have just encountered a building which will fully collapse in 15 minutes. Trapped inside the building are casualties whom you need to evacuate. The casualties can be found on level 5 and level 6 of this block. At the 6th minute, level 6 will collapse and any casualties who are still on level 6 will perish and level 6 along with marked out areas of level 5 will be off bounds. At the 11th minute, level 5 will collapse and any casualties who are still on level 5 will perish. Due to the varying severity of the casualties,some casualties will perish faster than others if not treated. At the 2nd minute, little Anne, who requires CPR without mouth to mouth, will perish. At the 4th minute, Casualty 4 will perish. At the 7th minute, Casualty 2 will perish. At the 12th minute, Casualty 1 will perish. At the 15th minute, Casualty 3 will perish. The injuries of the casualties can be found with the casualty. You will be required to transport the casualties down to level 4 to await the arrival of the ambulance using the correct transportation methods. Due to the nature of the injuries, all casualties’ treatment will only be complete once she has ‘boarded the ambulance’, which will arrive at level 4 every 3 minutes. Time is of the essence and we wish you the best of luck. If you have any questions, please raise them now, if not your time starts once I break you off. PX PX ALERT---BREAK OFF.

Activity Outline:

At the beginning of the activity, the Year 4s (some Year 2s if insufficient Y4s) will be pulled out to be casualties. Half of the casualties will be on the 5th level and the other half will be on the 6th level.The patrol will be told how much time they have to treat the casualties. Every casualty will have an ‘life line’ which when exceeded and left untreated, will translate to instant demise of casualty. At the 2nd minute, Little Anne will ‘expire’. At the 4th minute, Casualty 4 will ‘expire’.At the 7th minute, Casualty 2 ‘expires’.At the 12th minute, Casualty 3 ‘expires’ and at the 15th minute, Casualty 1 ‘expires’ which marks the end of the time given to them for the evacuation and rescue mission.They will also be told that at a certain time, the levels above will be ‘collapsed’ (off bounds) and all casualties on the levels will be considered perished. When level 6 ‘collapses’,level 6 and certain parts of level 5 ( marked out with rafia string)  will be inaccessible. When level 5 collapses, the entire level 5 will be off bounds. Since all the casualties will need to be sent to the hospital, the casualties will need to be transported down to the 4th level to await the arrival of the ‘ambulance’. The ‘ambulance’ will come every 3 minutes (ie 3rd,6th,9th,12th,15th minutes).Treatment is only complete when the casualty has ‘boarded the ambulance’.

Conclusion:

Scenario 1 (no casualties die)

Congratulations ,you have managed to escape the building before it collapsed and rescued all your patrol mates. We hope you have brushed up on your first aid and emergency response skills. All the best for the rest of your journey.

Scenario 2 (casualties die)

You have made it out of the building successfully. Unfortunately, you were unable to treat all your casualties and they have perished in this tragedy. We hope this has made you realise the responsibilities you play and the consequences that come with it. Hopefully, it has widened your knowledge on first aid and emergency response, however there is room for improvement to your responses. All the best for the rest of your journey!

Reflections from a Year 3...

Station two was the last station my patrol went to. We were tasked to rescue people trapped in a collapsed building on 2 separate floors. By certain timings, the floors will collapse and all survivors on that floor would perish. Similarly, patients would not make it if they were not attended to in a certain amount of time using the correct methods or if the ambulance which came periodically arrived later than the given timing the patient perished according to the card placed next to them to indicate the timings and how they were injured. We were also tasked to perform CPR on 'Little An', a prop to test if we knew how to perform CPR. Personally, although this station was the last one and everyone was tired, I was glad that our patrol managed to 'save' all but one. I particularly enjoyed this station the most as it truly taught us how it would be like in real-life situations, that time, together with teamwork and planning was of the essence. That even a millisecond could make or break a person.As this was the last OJ, it was kind of sentimental to many and I personally cherish all the activities planned for all of us as every detail of this OJ was well thought out.

Station 3:

The patrol will be required to run along the corridor with their logistics while the station masters will ask the patrol questions. In the event that the patrol is unable to answer, or is too focused on the current task, forfeits will be given. A standard set of PT will be given to all patrols and the forfeits will only add on to the amount of PT they have to do.

The activity consists of the listed events, which will be alternated until all questions are answered

• 2min 站马 against the wall
• 2 min maximum to run around the block
• (Do all the above while carrying logistics)
• Alternate the order

Questions:

1. Name 2 actions that should be taken if someone is hyperventilating.

• When speaking to casualty, be firm but kind and reassuring.
• Simultaneously, massage her hands and gradually get her to unclench them (if clenching fists).

2. Name the order of materials in a filter bottle (column) from the first to last put into the bottle 🌸

• Charcoal
• Fine Sand
• Course Sand
• Pebbles

3. Name 2 factors which explain the importance of water 🌸

• Unclean water causes dysentery and other diseases
• Insufficient water causes heat stroke
• No water results in death

4. Name 3 uses of an elevation sling

• Collarbone fracture
• Shoulder dislocation
• Finger injury
• Arm and rib fracture

5. Name all actions that should be taken if someone has a sprain

• Rest the injured part
• Ice the injury to reduce swelling
• Compress with thick layer or soft padding
• Elevate and support the injured part to reduce flow of blood to injury, minimizing bruising to the area

6. Name the steps to finding a location with a compass when given the bearings

• Place the compass flat on one’s palm, ensure that there are no iron, steel r magnetic objects around/ near the compass
• Align the Orienting arrow/ Compass housing (red arrow in the rotating dial), Directional arrow (at the top of the compass) and the N of the Magnetic needle in 1 straight line
• Turn the Rotating dial (with Degrees) to the bearing required, where the bearing no. aligns with the directional arrow
• Align the N of the Magnetic needle with the Orienting arrow by turning one’s body with the compass
• Walk in that direction with pacings

7. How should we look after our compasses?

• Keep your compasses away from objects that deplete effectiveness
• Avoid dropping or bumping the compass on hard surfaces.
• Store a magnetic compass away from computers and other electrical devices that can generate magnetic fields. Exposure to magnetic fields can damage a compass.
• Keep a magnetic compass away from heaters and do not store in a hot place such as a car. Heat can damage the inner workings of a magnetic compass, resulting in poor performance.

Reflections from a Year 3...

Station 3 was a physical training station, aimed at training our mental and physical stamina. We were required to run around the corridors for 15 mins. Every round we would get a question, and the next round would be for us to think about the question. Answering the questions wrongly resulted in forfeits in the form of pt such as burpees, jumping jacks and planking. I feel like this station was able to pull the patrol closer together as we would take turns to carry the heavier logistics. we had to also 等人 so as to ensure that no one would be left behind, thus improving our bonds and pulling us closer together as a patrol.

Station 4:

Storyline:

Your patrol have come across a crisis. When half of your patrol have crossed a bridge, the bridge collapse and the other half of your patrol is stuck on the other side. With the belief of leaving no man behind, you are determined to build a bridge together to reunite the patrol.

Instructions:

Welcome to Station 4! In order to complete this station, you are required to build a structure that can transport you from one end of this pillar to the other. Since there is a ditch that will lead you to your death, you will not be able to step beyond the boundaries but you can pass the logistics across. Though this may seem simple, there are some conditions that you will need to fulfill:

• Structure has to be in a form of a bridge  

• The bridge cannot touch the ground  
• One person will have to cross the bridge together with 配备 after the bridge has been built
• Structure has to have a railing for the person to hold on

We encourage you to use your imagination and more importantly, make use of your surroundings to build this structure. You have 2 mins to brainstorm your ideas, after which 18 mins will be given to build your bridge.

Suggested solution:

Reflections from a Year 3...

At Station 4, we were tasked to build a bridge in order to get from one pillar to the other. However, there were certain requirements that the bridge had to meet. Not only did the bridge have to have railings, no part of the bridge could touch the ground. This was rather hard to envision as we were unsure how to make sure the bridge would ‘float’ above the ground. Finally, we decided to build the bridge by making use of our surroundings and balanced the bridge by tying one end to the pillar and connecting them in the middle with another 木. However, we had no idea on how to connect the railings and in the end, we were out of time. From this experience,we realised that we must think about the consequences of our actions beforehand so as to ensure that we would not be faced with such problems in the future. We would also need to work faster so that we can complete our structure on time.

Station 5:

Description of Activity:

At the start of the station, one of the station masters will hide somewhere that is easy to find. The patrol is required to carry out a series of tasks, which will be obtaining drinkable water (making filter column), setting up signals, making a shelter(dome tent), building a catapult and prioritising the order in which they will be done. However, the logistics needed for the tasks will be hidden very well and only the hidden stationmaster knows their exact location. The hidden station master also knows some information that can help the patrol in making better choices, but she will choose to tell the Y1s or Y2s more frequently so that they can communicate it to their PLs/rest of the patrol. There will be a few post-it notes stuck on the walls with Guides Code on them. They will describe “characteristics” of that particular location to guide the patrol in choosing a suitable place to set up shelter.

Storyline:

You have infiltrated a small forest in the enemy’s territory. This place has been identified as the best place to plan an ambush and you need to set up signals so that your allies will know exactly where you are. However, your patrol is thirsty and you only have unclean water with you. You will also need to build a shelter to where you can rest to prepare for the difficult battles ahead. There are resources in the area you can use, but they are hard to find. Luckily, there has already been a Guide who has been sent to scout the area and located the resources. She is currently hidden in case enemies come by but will gladly help you. She has also left notes around the area describing characteristics of each location, but they are written in Guides code. You have only 20 minutes before enemies arrive and realise you are here, so you must quickly gather your allies for the ambush! Work fast!

/After 14 minutes/

Stationmaster giving instructions will tell one of the Y1s "Your enemies have been spotted nearby and will be here sooner than you thought! You need to build a catapult in order to fend them off!" If that Y1 does not tell her PL/rest of the patrol after 1 minute, try telling to other Y1s or prompt them to tell other patrol members

Suggested solution:

Like mentioned in the storyline, the most important thing is actually to signal your allies because the enemies are arriving soon. Build three signal fires in an equilateral triangle in an open space. However, the patrol will need an extra 原子炉 for the third fire. They can try to find it themselves but the easiest way is to find the stationmaster first and ask her. They should not try to solve the Guides code first as no one has mentioned that they have any useful information. After setting up the signals, they should filter the water then build shelter.

Filter column order: (order to be put in bottle) Cloth (tied to small opening with rubber band), Pebbles, Charcoal, Coarse sand, Fine sand

Suggested solution for catapult:

Reflections from a Year 3...

For Station 5, we had several components to complete. We were given a situation where we were stranded and had to gather clean water, set up shelters and start a signal fire. Firstly, we had to gather post-its from around the MRL to get clues on what we had to do in guides code. After that, my patrol split into two groups, one group had to build dome tents and filter the water while the other group had to start the signal fire. I was in the group which had to start the signal fire and it proved to be more difficult than I thought that it would be. We had much trouble starting the fire as it was slightly windy and the Year 1s did not have prior knowledge of how to light a fire. In the end, we were unable to sustain any of the fires. What could have been done was that one person teach the Year 1s how to light up a fire first while the others try to start the other two fires. Also, one more area of improvement was also our communication. As we lacked communication between the two patrols, one group had no knowledge of what the other group was doing and vice versa. Should we have had better communication, we would have been able to do better and help each other out when we knew that the other group needed it.

Station 6:

Layout of station:

Storyline:

Welcome. You have took the wrong turn and entered the arena full of zombies. Hence, to survive through this obstacle, you have to build a structure that can elevate all your belongings, and at the same time shelter yourselves from the storm using the resources given. However, the area you are at is prone to flood and flood waters are rising. The area that is dry and suitable for you to build your structure is shrinking. It is demarcated by squared area on the floor. Also, the same structure must protect yourselves from the zombies that will be roaming around the area. The structure must be able to block the zombies from reaching any one of you. The zombies will start to appear 3 minutes into the time given so prioritise your time wisely. Once caught and infected by a zombie, you will have to do a circuit of PT to prevent turning into one. You will be given 18 minutes.

Note: the patrols are only allowed to build 1 structure (the structure must be able to fulfill all the criterias given)

Circuit PT: 3min 站马, 15 dips against the bench, 20 jumping jacks

Suggested solution:

• Build a camp boundary to ward off the zombies (seen as attached)
• Elevate all logistics, as boundaries stimulate the four walls of the house

Suggested solution for Camp Boundary and Shelter:

Reflections from a Year 3...

We felt that this station really test on our creativity as we were not allowed to build typical structures that we would build in that situation. We were completely lost and could not think out of the box. Fortunately, we found logistics like bricks to help us and we build a rectangle structure with groundsheet attached at the top which is a structure similar to kitchen shelter. The station also enabled us to work under the pressure of time. We also had to learn to work with lesser man power, be more efficient and work faster to cover up for the people that got 'taken away by the zombies'. However, our structure was unable to support the 配备 as we did not raft and water was also able to enter from the top. Nevertheless, we have learnt many valuable lessons from this station.

Published by:

Chen Wei

48th Batch Secretary