The First Aid Merit Badge is not only Eagle-required but is also one of the most important badges a Scout earns.  By earning this badge, a Scout demonstrates he has the basic skills to care for himself, his fellow Scouts and strangers in an emergency.  To complete the requirements, a Scout needs to learn a lot and be able to demonstrate many skills.  During a 4-hour Merit Badge clinic it is not possible to teach and examine all these skills from scratch.  The purpose of this class is to provide Scouts with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge to the Merit Badge Counselors.  Therefore, it is essential that each Scout come to the clinic prepared.  Prior to the Merit Badge Clinic, each Scout must do all of the following:

1.                   Neatly fill out (in ink) a Merit Badge Application (Blue Card), including name, address, phone number, etc, and get it signed by his Scoutmaster.  Bring the completed Blue Card to the Merit Badge Clinic class.

2.                   Read and study the First Aid Merit Badge Pamphlet.  Yes, all of it – cover to cover -- thoroughly.

3.                   I recommend that you print the Merit Badge Workbook for the First Aid Merit Badge from the Merit Badge Clinic site on www.meritbadge.info.  (It is also available at http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/First-Aid.pdf or http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Merit_Badge_Worksheets)  Fill it out, answering all the questions.  Bring the completed Workbook to the Merit Badge Clinic class.  Note that in addition to the First Aid Merit Badge Pamphlet, there is a wealth of information to assist in completing the Workbook available at http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/First_Aid.  However, filling this out is not completing the requirements.  It is only a learning tool.  Each Scout is expected to know all of this material upon arrival at the Merit Badge Clinic.

4.                   Complete the first aid requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class (i.e., have these signed off at his Troop) (First Aid Merit Badge requirement #1).  Each Scout must bring written evidence of completion (signed Boy Scout Handbook, note from Scoutmaster, etc.).

a.                   Tenderfoot:  requirements 12a and 12b.

b.                  Second Class:  requirements 7a, 7b, and 7c.

c.                   First Class:  requirements 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d.

5.                   Prepare and bring to the Merit Badge Clinic class a home first aid kit (First Aid Merit Badge requirement #2d).  Suggested contents can be found in the First Aid Merit Badge Pamphlet.  Note that this must be a home/troop/group kit, not your personal kit.  Be prepared to explain what is in it and why.

6.                   Prepare to teach another Scout any one of the following skills:  bandage for a sprained ankle;  bandage for a head injury;  splint for a fractured wrist;  splint for a fractured forearm;  splint for a fractured lower leg;  or splint for a fractured upper leg.  At the clinic, each Scout will be required to teach the chosen skill.

This will be a fast-paced, intensive four hours.  Fully prepared Scouts should be able to complete all the requirements for the First Aid Merit Badge.  Unprepared Scouts not only will be unable to keep up but will also negatively impact the other Scouts in the class.  If a Scout cannot come fully prepared, he should not sign up for this Merit Badge class.  Scouts who show up without the prerequisites completed or who are obviously unprepared or who are uncooperative in class will be asked to leave.