Current Event #9

Article: http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/09/new-jersey-boy-scouts-rescue-nbc-journalist-ann-curry/

New Jersey Boy Scouts Rescue NBC Journalist Ann Curry

NBC journalist Ann Curry was hiking in Harriman State Park in New York with her husband and children, when she broke her leg at a trail intersection. She was found by a scouts of Boy Scout Troop 368, who were practice hiking for their summer trip to Philmont, New Mexico. The scouts splinted her ankle and made a stretcher to carry her down the mountain to safety. The doctors said the injury was severe and might take 10 months to fully recover. A few days later, she sent the troop a personal thank-you card, “I feel enormously lucky you came along at just the right moment, and were so willing to help a stranger in need. You are a credit to the Boy Scouts and to your families, and I want you to know I am deeply grateful for your kindness and skill.” (Curry, Thank-you card).

The connection with what we are learning in school is with my Health 112 class. The lessons this week included a unit on wilderness first aid. We have learned many of the same techniques in class as these Scouts used on Ms. Curry.

My position on this article is that it was nice to see something in the National news crediting Boy Scouts for doing their duty. My reaction to this story is that as a Boy Scout, I am proud of what these Scouts did and how they reacted to this situation. The Boy Scout motto is ‘Be Prepared’ and these fellows definitely were. Their situation does not affect me directly, except to remind me that the things I have learned in First Aid training as a Scout and in Health Class at Gaston Early College High School might have to be used at any time. You don’t get much warning of an emergency.

To answer the question about the author’s point of view: the author of the article points out that the Scouts really had no idea that Ms. Curry was a famous person and they performed their duty to help her as they would any other person.:

“We were hiking along, and we came to a trail intersection, and a lady was sitting on the ground with her one leg out. We didn’t think anything of it, but one of the guys asked if everything is OK. She said, ‘No, not really. I think I broke my ankle.’ She told us to keep going, but the guys refused.” (Jurgens)

“No matter who that was, we would’ve done the same exact thing,” the scout leader beamed. “The guys didn’t know this was a special person at first and treated her with the most dignified respect. It was all on the guys.” (Jurgens)

Greer, Scott. "New Jersey Boy Scouts Rescue NBC Journalist Ann Curry." The Daily Caller. N.p., 9 May 2014. Web. 11 May 2014. <http://dailycaller.com/2014/05/09/new-jersey-boy-scouts-rescue-nbc-journalist-ann-curry/>.

Shankbone, David. Ann Curry. 2012. Wikipedia. Web. 11 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ann_Curry_2012_Shankbone.JPG>.