Prince William Sea Scouts Awarded Honor Medal for Heroism
Two Scouts have been recognized for their heroic actions following an auto accident on the Beltway
BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Capital Area Council is proud to announce two local Scouts representing Sea Scout Ship 100 and Boy Scout Troop 1882 have been awarded the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Honor Medal for acts of heroism in saving a life. Aidan Wiecki and Zachary Skiles, who are dual-enrolled in both the Sea Scout and Boy Scout programs of the BSA were recently honored at Battlefield High School in a joint ceremony.
The award was given in recognition of their actions on June 14, responding to a serious auto accident. The Scouts were traveling on the outer beltway through Alexandria, Va. to sail the unit's sailboat to a new marina, when at 4:30 a.m., a driver in front of them collided with a concrete median divider at high speeds, causing the front of the car to disintegrate and engulf in flames. The Scouts and their adult leaders followed the first aid training they received through the Boy Scouts to make the best decisions regarding whether to remove a semi-conscious passenger from the car and how to treat the victims. They were able to safely assist and get the passenger to safety and also helped clear debris and converted a pickup truck bed into a safe place for the victims to rest while waiting for emergency medical responders. When bystanders began to gather and take pictures, they assisted with shielding the victims and reinforcing directions for non-essential people to clear the area. Both the driver and passenger were hospitalized and survived despite their injuries.
The Honor Medal may be awarded to a youth member or adult leader who has demonstrated unusual heroism and skill in saving or attempting to save a life at considerable risk to self. Since the BSA Honor Medal was initiated in 1923, less than .002% of all Boy Scouts have been awarded this recognition.
Sea Scouts is a specialized co-ed segment of the Boy Scouts of America, organized to address members' boating skills and promote knowledge of our maritime heritage while focusing on sailing and cruising either sailboats or power vessels.
Ship 100 is chartered by the Knights of Columbus at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Troop 1882 is chartered by the American Legion Post 1799 and meets at Haymarket Baptist Church.
About Boy Scouts of America & National Capital Area Council
Boy Scouts of America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, which helps young people be Prepared. For Life. ™ The Scouting organization is composed of 2.6 million youth members between the ages of seven and 21 and more than a million volunteers in local councils throughout the United States and its territories. For more, please visit www.Scouting.org.
National Capital Area Council was organized in 1911 and today stands as one of the oldest and largest councils in America. The Council territory includes the District of Columbia; Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George's, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties in Maryland; and in Virginia the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George, Stafford and Culpeper, the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg; as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information, please visit www.NCACBSA.org.
CONTACT:
Aaron Chusid: 301-529-4091 / [email protected]
Alisha Stewart: 301-214-9159 / [email protected]
SOURCE National Capital Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
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