Boy Scout Troops on Derailed Amtrak Help and Comfort Others After Crash
"Be prepared" ... and these Boys Scouts were prepared to help in the midst of a disaster.
Two Boy Scout troops on an Amtrak train that derailed Monday in Missouri jumped into action to help others after the crash. According to WBAY, the train was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it struck a dump truck at an uncontrolled crossing. The boys immediately began to help and comfort others. They broke windows, helped people off the train and attempted to save the life of the dump truck driver.
The scouts, from troops 73 and 12 in Appleton, WI, were the first to render aid, said Scott Armstrong, the director of national media relations with the Boy Scouts of America. He told WBAY there were 16 scouts and 8 adults on the train. They were returning from a week of backpacking at a wilderness camp in New Mexico. One scout comforted the driver of the dump truck until he passed away.
“These scouts are highly trained,” said Armstrong. “They would have received advanced first aid training prior to going, including their adult leaders would have had people with wilderness first aid certification, which is a pretty advanced course. Luckily they had that training, because I’m sure they put it to use today.”
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One boy’s mom, Nicole Tierney, told WBAY that “It was a phone call that no parent should ever have to receive. It was probably way up there on the scariest moments of my life.” Another scout’s mom said she couldn’t stop crying until she heard from her son. “Until I heard from my son an hour later, that he was okay, I couldn’t stop shaking or crying.”
Tierney is bursting with pride. “Very proud of how some of our boys helped with some of the injured passengers and how they were willing to put themselves aside. That’s just what Boy Scouts do.”
Wisconsin State Rep. Lee Snodgrass told WBAY, “My thoughts and prayers go out to the passengers on the Amtrak. What a demonstration of heroism and bravery these Appleton Boy Scouts embodied as they stepped up to help others in what was surely a terrifying and traumatic experience. Truly living the Boy Scout Oath and Law.”
Nancy Flory, Ph.D., is a senior editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.
