"what was the cost of that 3 day fiasco?, it almost cost a kid his life for something that was easily avoided)"
Not having access to the full spectrum of cable TV as you do, I need to be filled in more on ths I'm sure... but wasn't it mentioned earlier that the kid simply wandered off? And at that, couldn't find the path that lead him to that very campsite?
As an Eagle Scout, I can appreciate what you say very well. But as you pointed out- Those serious about scouting can get their hands on it. This kid seems very much NOT serious about it, which was the problem in the first place. All the technology in the world can't stop a 12 year old from doing the wrong thing once in a while.
If he had the GPS available, who's to say he would have paid enouh attention at his proposed badge workshop to properly use the GPS? Again, he couldn't even back track to a highway. A map can do that for 5 bucks.
you have a good point on this kid
I already suggested the flare kit(I offshored fished for 30 years) to friends and family but putting a flair into a kids backpack might
be a bit dangerous, I'd sure carry one, a helicopter would see it easily
signal fire next to a stream is another easy way but I believe for the first day or so he didn't want to be found
the more I hear about him the more I think he should never have been hiking with a scout troop
I heard today he heard people in the woods and ignored them because he wanted to hike home
if that's the case his backyard is as far away from home he should camp out because he has serious mental problems
it put his scouts in danger as well as the hundred or so searchers
big difference between wanting to be found and doing what you were trained to do and not caring one way or another