The problem I have with both heat and cold injury training is that it doesn’t equip you with the knowledge and ability to support under 18s. You’re just left to your own devices to figure out what to do. We need bespoke mandatory training to cover our scope of responsibility.if you’re are going to be equipped with training it needs to be fit for purpose and not a panic measure because nobody thought this may be a problem. I’m sure in a court of law this training will not be classed as appropriate to support our cadets.
And the problem has already been highlighted in the report regarding RIAT 2022. The Air Safety Centre stated that any reliance on the present data would be unlikely to stand up to scrutiny in a Coroners Court in the event of a fatal injury.
The data regarding heat injuries has only ever been validated with adults as experimentation or trials on under 18s would be unethical as they cannot be give, in general, informed consent.
The way we all talk about The Coroner makes him sound like Judge Dredd or something, passing instant harsh judgment upon our wrongs: I don’t fancy 20 years in the Iso-cubes or down a mine in one of the moons of our Solar System if I lose a cadet.
This tragedy was first and foremost a failure of group leadership and management: the Scout Leaders’ Risk Assessment for the activity seems to be along the lines of “I thought you were looking after him,” reading more into the BBC News reports.
But then what made Ben think it was a good idea to descend a steep cliff in the first place? The leaders were negligent in their Duty of Care, but I think the Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, might want to take a hit for setting a bad example to young people in his TV programmes. I watched one of them when I was round a mate’s house (his son is an Explorer Scout), in which Bear is surviving his way through the cliffs and canyons of the American south west, for some reason known only to him and God (and maybe not even the latter deity), and it was pretty much a lesson in ‘How not to traverse Difficult Terrain.’
Indeed, Bear ropes down some chossy old cliff face in the middle of nowhere - no helmet, harness or even a Classic Abseil technique - just hand over hand on his hemp rope like he’s in a 1970s boys’ comic. He could have just walked down the safer ground either side of the rock face. I’d love to see the RA for that activity…
Makes one glad we’ve got Carol Vorderman as our chief instead: she’d have worked out a safe route with mathematical precision. But then she is a woman, and they’re usually more sensible than 16 year old boys of all ages, which of course describes most men.
i do find this with his stuff and why i stop watching - i am all for “entertainment value” but when faced with 2 options, the more challenging one is the default, regardless of risk, or practicality - typically done because it can rather than because it should, and then afterwards is a piece to camera, often out of breadth, how difficult that was and close to real danger he got…
A Coroners adjudication regarding the cause of death and the reasons for it can mean either you walk out of court as a free person or face criminals charges and having to defend your acts or omissions in a criminal trial.
Having given evidence at Coroners inquest, it is something I hope I never have to repeat.