Why Fire Safety Training Is Important!

Three Boy Scouts are recovering from burns suffered during a "ring of fire" demonstration that went awry at the Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation.

Deputy Chief Michael Mohel of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said the incident occurred about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, when an 18-year-old Scout, who is also a senior staff member at the reservation, used rubbing alcohol from a bottle to create a flammable circle on a makeshift table, Mohel said.

The staff member, whom Scouting officials would not identify, thought that the fire burned out. When he started to add fuel to the ring, an ember ignited a flame which traveled back up the alcohol stream into the bottle, Mohel said.

When that happened, the staff member reacted by tossing the bottle, which spread the flammable fuel onto three Scouts who were watching the demonstration, Mohel said.

The three Scouts — who are also staff members at the reservation — suffered burns to their abdominal areas, and two — ages 14 and 17 — were flown to a burn center at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, authorities said. Another 17-year-old Scout was treated and released from Southern Ocean County Hospital in Stafford.

In a written statement, Craig H. Shelley, Scout executive of the Boy Scouts' Jersey Shore Council, said that "an accident occurred involving several staff members" that resulted in "serious injuries to two staff members and minor injuries to a third. The Jersey Shore Council, Boy Scouts of America is cooperating fully with authorities."

Shelley said Monday that he was unfamiliar with the ring of fire demonstration. Shelley said the council was not releasing the name of the 18-year-old staff member but said that the three Scouts were "medically doing better."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," Shelley said in the statement. "The safety of the children and young adults in our care is our greatest responsibility.

"While even one such incident as occurred on Sunday night is too many, we are extremely proud of our record of safety working with kids in a variety of environments."

Mohel said that he was unaware of how many Boy Scouts were present when the demonstration took place.

The Citta Scout Reservation provides summer activities for nearly 1,000 boys, and year-round activities for nearly 6,000, according to the Jersey Shore Council, the Scouting organization for 15,000 youth and adult volunteers in Ocean and Atlantic counties, parts of Burlington County, and Ocean City in Cape May County.

Mohel said that Ocean Township Police Detective William Sneddon and Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Investigator Thomas Haskell are investigating the incident.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080708/NEWS/807080411