A Scout’s motto is “Be Prepared” and that was definitely put to the test after last Thursday’s bus crash in Norland. A group of 100 Scouts from the United Kingdom had just left the Haliburton Scout Reserve where they had spent almost a week exploring the reserve’s 5,000 acres of lakes and forests. Their two buses were heading south on Hwy. 35 in Norland when police said it appears that a northbound tractor trailer came into their lane. One of the buses and the tractor trailer collided head on.

Observers at the scene remarked on how calm the atmosphere was. Instead of panic, everyone knew what to do and did it quickly and efficiency. There was no panic.

That calmness is a source of pride for Scouts Canada.

“In Scouts we are taught to be prepared and emergency preparedness is part of our training – remaining calm and cool,” says Barry Hardaker, executive director, field services based at Scouts Canada national office in Ottawa. “We teach them what to do in the event of an emergency and [after the accident] they did it.

“We have a good group of Scouts and excellent leadership. They did all the right things.”

Sixteen people were taken to hospitals in Minden and Lindsay. Three of the staff from the Haliburton Scout Reserve – Kevin Bell, Dave Osborne, and Dr. Richard Thomas – went to the Minden hospital to see if they can help.

“It was Scouts helping Scouts,” Hardaker says.

Hardaker said the British High Commission in Ottawa also kicked into gear, sending representatives to see if the Scout group needed any assistance.

He is not sure of the extent of the Scouts’ injuries but says they are relatively minor. Only one of the Scouts, a young girl, was kept overnight at hospital for observation. By Friday morning, only the bus driver – who worked with a Canadian firm – was still in hospital.

“From our perspective it’s always terrible when there’s an accident,” Hardaker says, but everyone is relieved that there were no major injuries. The British group was a bit shaken up but by Friday they had embarked on their scheduled tour of Toronto. Their visit included a Blue Jays game and a boating expedition with the Toronto Police’s marine unit.

“They’re in good spirits,” Hardaker says.

The British Scouts arrived in Ontario on July 28 and went to the Haliburton Scout Reserve on August 2, no doubt asking “Are we there yet?” several times along the way down the gravel road that leads to the base camp.

“They absolutely loved Haliburton and thought it is the best kept secret in the world,” Hardaker says. “This was wilderness camping to them and they had a great time and met all sorts of new friends.”

The reserve, which was established in 1947, accommodates between 300 and 500 campers per week.

Source: The Lindsay Post