Be Prepared! I know it wasn't planned, but that was a great experience for the scouts. I am glad everybody came through it safely.
A severe thunderstorm that swept through Lincoln County early Thursday downed trees and damaged several tents at the Knox Boy Scout Reservation but caused only a few minor injuries.
"It's one of those deals where we train and train with our camp's staff and the kids, and you hope you never have to put it into action," said Scout Executive Jeff Schwab of the Georgia-Carolina Council of Boy Scouts.
As most of the 215 Scouts and adult counselors at the camp were sleeping, the storm skirted Thurmond Lake's Bussey Point Wilderness Area and slammed into the Scout camp, where a well-rehearsed emergency plan was activated at 1:25 a.m.
"We have NOAA weather radios in place, and on, 24 hours per day while camp is in session, and as soon as the National Weather Service sent the first alarm of severe weather they put spotters in place," he said. "Everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do."
During the storm, Scouts were rushed to shelters in some of the camp's permanent buildings.
Several minor injuries were reported, including some bumps and bruises and a minor head injury suffered when a child ran into a tent pole, Mr. Schwab said.
The campers were cleaning up today, and the reservation was returning to normal by midday.
"Obviously, they are adapting and improvising, but they are Scouts," he said. "They've got everything laid out in a big field, and they are back in the program areas already."
A troop from Savannah, Ga., opted to return home early because it did not have extra equipment. Other Scout groups will remain through the session.
"We're very proud of the camp director and the entire staff," he said. "They knew exactly what to do and they got everyone out."
Columbia County authorities sent assistance to the camp early today after being called for mutual aid by Lincoln County officials who also went to the camp.
"The fire department helped cut up trees and they had several tents damaged," said Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker. "They (Scouts) are hanging their stuff out to dry."
The damage was not as severe as it had appeared before daylight, she said.
Elsewhere, reports of downed trees and damaged power lines were received on the South Carolina side of the lake, mainly in the Modoc and Parksville areas, said Chief Ranger Allan Dean of the Army Corps of Engineers.
"There are mainly just trees down in a few areas," he said, adding that corps officials would visit the areas later today to get a more accurate assessment of damage.
Storms also surged through Columbia County early today, but no reports of serious damage had been received this morning.
Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222 or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Be Prepared! I know it wasn't planned, but that was a great experience for the scouts. I am glad everybody came through it safely.
I am not surprised at these Scout's preparedness at all. Boy Scouts have a way of coming together during times of adversity and crisis. I remember attending a Boy Scout Camporee in the late 1960's off Dibble Rd in Aiken. There were several troops there from the GA/Car Council attending. One morning when the Scouts were away from their camping area a fire got started from an errant campfire and set several tents on fire. I remember the Scouts and their leaders forming a "bucket brigade" of sorts and fighting the fire once it was noticed. Other Scouts were setting up "firebreaks" to take away fuel and slow the pread of the fire which was threatening to get into Hitchcock Woods. Finally Aiken Public Safety arrived with firetrucks and they were surprised at the type of organization the Scouts maintained. Several troops lost tents and supplies and several Boy Scouts lost personal items, but it was not as bad as it could have gotten without the swift action of us Boy Scouts.
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