Troop 64
Mobilization
Page

Saturday March 10th, 1973

In the summer of 1955, two ferocious hurricanes devistated the town by washing out a main thoroughfare through town. Troop 64 Scouts aided the town in the crisis. From that time on the troop was always looking to lend a helping hand throughout the community.

Near the end of 1972, under the administration of Scoutmaster Ronald Henchcliffe, Project:"Mobilization" was instituted. Scouts began intense training in search-and-rescue procedures and protocols.

Each Scout was required to build their own "Mobilization Kit" or "Rescue Pack". This was a knapsack equipped with two days rescue supplies. Scouts were to keep this pack stocked and ready for immediate deployment in the event a mobilization is initiated.

By December 5th, 1972 Scout Richard Luba presented a list of items to be contrived in each mobilization pack. The list embodied the following:

  1. Rain poncho with hood.
  2. Clothing for two days.
  3. Food for two days (freeze dried & powdered).
  4. Sleeping bag
  5. First Aid Kit
  6. Work gloves, Hardhat (optional)
  7. Compass, map, paper & pencil.
  8. Cook kit, canteen & matches in water proof container.
  9. 50 feet of rope
  10. Knife, hatchet & flashlight with extra batteries.
  11. Rescue blanket.
  12. Toothbrush, comb, soap & towel.
  13. Adhesive Tape.

By January 1973 telephone communications chain of command was established. This was the pre-911 era. If the police felt the troop assistance was needed, the mobilizaton plan would commence into active service. This would be done by a single phone call to the Scoutmaster of Troop 64. He would then call the mobilization team into action by phoning the Assistant Scoutmaster who subsequently contacts all ASM's of the troop. The second phone call is made to the SPL who then contacts each patrol leader who will conjointly see that each Scout in the patrol is contacted. This plan was in operation by January 25th, 1973.

The Mobilization Project was first tested on March 10th, 1973. Nine AM, a cool, clear Saturday morning. Scoutmaster Ron Henchcliffe is contacted by Trumbull Police of a lost child in the woods of the old Tungsten mining site. A ubiquitous barrage of phone calls bombard the local telephone lines. Within half an hour, the Scouts and police are assembled at the old Housatonic Railroad bed at Whiney Avenue. The unit advances north toward Old Mine Park with the police. Rescuers found an injured patient who was treated and transported to an awaiting ambulance.

A debriefing was conducted. The entire rescue operation took under thirty-five minutes. The Trumbull Times covered the event and reported it on March 22nd, 1973. Project Mobilization was a huge success. This initial troop conception was later expanded into a townwide EMS doctrine. The Trumbull Lions Club, in addition to sponsoring Troop 64, they funded the development of Trumbull EMS. The phone system has been replaced by pagers, the knapsacks have been transformed into trauma kits. The Scouts have now been replace by fully trained EMT's throughout the town. Several Troop 64 Eagle Scouts (Paul Fenick, Charlie Waldo, Pete Canevari and Wayne Sakal) became members of Trumbull EMS.


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© 2002 by Troop 64---Updated 1/26/2002---Ver 1.0
URL:http://home.att.net/~sakal/pages/mob64.htm