Four Boy Scout Leaders Killed in Electrical Accident at Jamboree Opening in Virginia

COX.Net AP Story ^ | July 25,2005 | MICHAEL FELBERBAUM, Associated Press Writer

[SandRat]

BOWLING GREEN, Va. -- Four adult Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree.

Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said the accident occurred between 4:30 and 5 p.m. while the leaders were setting up camp.

One other leader and a contract worker were injured, and were hospitalized in stable condition, Shields said. No youth Scouts were seriously hurt, he said. He did not say how many might have sustained minor injuries.

Shields did not have additional details about the accident, including the victims' names.

"We have an investigation under way," he said.

More than 40,000 Boy Scouts, leaders and volunteers from around the world are attending the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. The event Monday at the Army's Fort AP Hill, a 76,000-acre Army training base about an hour south of the nation's capital.

The Jamboree runs through Aug. 3 with President Bush scheduled to speak Wednesday evening. Scouts ages 12-18 are to spend 10 days camping in tents and doing activities that include archery, fishing and a GPS-based scavenger hunt.

The Boy Scouts of America have held the event since 1937 with the next gathering set for 2010, the Scouts' 100th anniversary.

___

On the Net:

http://www.scouting.org/jamboree

http://www.aphill.army.mil

[southernnorthcarolina]

A tremendous tragedy, the more so because it occurred at an event designed to be celebratory.

Deaths by electrocution generally don't get much publicity, I suppose because they're usually one at a time (the four deaths in this case being an exception). But I can remember three deaths in the Charlotte area alone in the recent past (and more, I'm sure, that I've forgotten): a construction worker who contacted a live wire; a moviegoer who leaned against an improperly grounded electric sign in front of the theater; and a concert patron who stepped on a live wire at the ironically-named Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

Be careful, folks. We tend to take electricity for granted. But it needs to be respected.

[Corin Stormhands]

I also believe it puts the President in a very awkward position. The media, already unfair to the Boy Scouts, could use it to cast the President as insensitive.

xzins, you've been in the sacramental wine again haven't you?

If the President is planning to go he should continue to do so. If nothing else to honor their memory.

[SandRat]

by the number of boxes of cookies still in my freezer, I'd say I'm repaying my debt to the Girl Scouts with interest!

LOL

You got me!

[xzins]

*****The Jamboree runs through Aug. 3 with President Bush scheduled to speak Wednesday evening. ******

No, I disagree, Corin. (And I'm out of sacramental wine...all I've got is the good stuff! :>)

I think I might be able to live with your idea of sending home only the units affected.

However, there's no doubt that it puts the President in the position of having to acknowledge this, and opens the door to being labeled as insensitive.

[conshack]

Merit badge for electricity

This posting sure shows a lack of class.

[airborne]

No. No other info. It was a short call.

[Corin Stormhands]

Ah I skimmed over the part about the President being there. IIRC he had to cancel in 2001 because of the weather. Severe thunderstorms and he couldn't copter in. But don't quote me, I may be making that up.

I'm not going to argue this with you, but you're simply wrong. From a pure PR aspect cancelling because of this would appear far more insensitive than going and acknowleding the loss.

There was a kid hit by lightning in 2001. He survived. In 1997 a kid died in a humvee accident (he was driving without a license).

This is tragic. But not new. This will overshadow the event. The scouts and leaders there will never forget what happened.

But quitting is the absolute wrong thing to do.

[lsee]

al baby

On occasion, I've posted some joke or photo which seemed funny at the time, but which, upon reflection, seemed crass and not worthy of me. I hope this proves to be one of those times for you.

[don-o]

However, there's no doubt that it puts the President in the position of having to acknowledge this, and opens the door to being labeled as insensitive.

Please, sir. Stop worrying about what "they" are going to do off this.

Let W be W. And let the Jamboree go on. All will be well.

If ever was a time that the Scouts needed a support, now is that. I think the President will make us proud.

[conshack]

However, there's no doubt that it puts the President in the position of having to acknowledge this, and opens the door to being labeled as insensitive.


I don't understand your rationale here. Our friends on the left have tried to destroy the scouts due to the fact that they include God in their teachings. Moving forward with the jamboree and having GW address the scouts should reinforce our commitment to them.

[don-o]

al, you gonna take that down or not?

[muawiyah]

Not only move forward with the Jamboree, but bring in some of the best criminal investigators in the country to check this one out.

This may well not have been an accident, but rather sabotage by the ACLU or NAMBLA.

There is no doubt that both organizations carry grievances against Boy Scouts.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Four Scout leaders killed in electrical accident at Jamboree

By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM, Associated Press Writer

Published: July 25th, 2005
Last Modified: July 25th, 2005 at 05:46 PM

BOWLING GREEN, Va. (AP) - Four adult Boy Scout leaders were killed Monday afternoon in an electrical accident during the opening day of the organization's 2005 Jamboree, the Boy Scouts of America said.

Jamboree spokesman Gregg Shields said an electrical accident occurred between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday while the leaders were setting up camp.

Shields said no youth Scouts were seriously injured. He did not say how many sustained minor injuries.

"We're looking into it right now," Shields said. "We have an investigation under way."

One other leader and a contract worker also were injured but remain in stable condition at a local hospital, Shields said.

The killed and injured Scout leaders were from Anchorage, Alaska, said Bill Haines, Scout executive and chief executive officer of the Western Alaska Council, which oversees about 10,600 Boy Scouts and is the largest of three councils in Alaska.

The rest of the story

[conshack]

Not only move forward with the Jamboree, but bring in some of the best criminal investigators in the country to check this one out.

Not sure an indepth investigation will be necessary. A poster earlier got a call from the site and it appears they put a pole against some stationary electrical wires.
Not that ACLU or MAMBLA wouldn't consider sabotaging an event like this.

[armymarinemom]

Prayers for the families. Kathy, sorry for the town's loss:(

[don-o]

Thanks for the update Kathy.

[muawiyah]

Both those groups can be counted on to eventually murder some Scouters, and just because something seems to be a clear-cut case of an accident, that doesn't mean it's really an accident.

[bnelson44]

They were from Alaska. See:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,163617,00.html