First Aid Heroes

Four nights building practical first aid skills — DRSABCD, bandaging, scenario stations, kit assembly, and a final relay challenge. Cubs gain confidence to help in an emergency.

Challenge Area
Community
Award Type
General Skills
Nights
4
Total Duration
5 hr 35 min
Equipment Summary
flag, flag pole, DRSABCD poster (large), whiteboard, markers, teddy bears or soft toys (one per pair), roller bandages (one per pair), triangular bandages (one per pair), teddy bears or soft toys, toy phones (optional) and 42 more

About this trail

This 4-night trail is designed around the Community Challenge Area, making it straightforward to program community-focused nights that contribute to Milestone credit. Each night follows the Scouts Australia Plan > Do > Review cycle and is structured as indoor nights.

Across its 4 nights, this trail maps to OAS requirements in Bushcraft, Bushwalking. The requirements are specific — not just "do some bushcraft" but individual Stage requirements like fire-lighting methods or shelter construction techniques. Tussock pre-loads these requirements into each night's event plan so leaders can sign them off during the activity rather than transcribing them later.

The SPICES developmental domains covered by this trail are: Intellectual, Physical, Social, Character. Programming across multiple domains in a single trail helps Groups demonstrate balanced youth development in their term plans and annual reports.

You can run the four nights in order for a coherent multi-week program, or pick individual nights to fill gaps in your existing term plan. In Tussock, importing a night from this trail pre-fills the Scout Night wizard: Challenge Area, SPICES domains, OAS requirements, and suggested segments are all set. Customise from there to suit your Section.

Import into Tussock

Import this trail into Tussock to run each night with attendance tracking and automatic OAS requirement awarding built in — no manual requirement lookup needed.

OAS Requirements Covered

The following Outdoor Adventure Skills requirements are mapped across this trail's four nights. Import this trail into Tussock to award these requirements automatically when Scouts attend each night.

Bushcraft

Bushwalking

The Four Nights

Each night below is a standalone Scout Night session of approximately 1 hr 24 min and follows the Plan > Do > Review cycle. Run them in order for the full First Aid Heroes trail, or adapt individual nights for your program.

Night 1: DRSABCD & Bandaging Basics

Introduction to DRSABCD. Practise the acronym through games. Bandaging basics on teddy bears.

Indoor Challenge Area: Community Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s3.do-1, bushcraft.s2.plan-2

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Introduce the First Aid Heroes trail: "By the end of this trail, you will know how to help someone who is hurt."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. DRSABCD Introduction Instruction

    Teach the DRSABCD acronym step by step: Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation. Use a large poster. Cubs repeat each letter and its meaning as a chant.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • DRSABCD poster (large)
    • whiteboard
    • markers

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-1

  3. DRSABCD Action Game Game

    Leader calls out a letter (D, R, S, A, B, C, D) and Cubs perform the matching action: D = look around for danger and point; R = tap shoulders and ask "Are you OK?"; S = pretend to call 000; A = tilt head (on teddy); B = look-listen-feel (on teddy); C = hands-on-chest position; D = point to an imaginary AED.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (1 item)
    • teddy bears or soft toys (one per pair)

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-1

  4. Bandaging Practice: Teddy Bears practice

    Demonstrate roller bandage technique on a teddy: wrap arm, wrap leg, wrap head. Cubs practise in pairs on their teddies, then on each other's arms (over clothing).

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (3 items)
    • roller bandages (one per pair)
    • triangular bandages (one per pair)
    • teddy bears or soft toys

    OAS: bushcraft.s2.plan-2

  5. Emergency Number Quiz Game

    Quick fire quiz: "What number do you call in an emergency in Australia?" (000 or 112). "What do you say when they answer?" (Police, Fire, or Ambulance). Practise a mock 000 call.

    Intellectual Social
    Equipment (2 items)
    • toy phones (optional)
    • quiz cards
  6. First Aid Kit Show & Tell Instruction

    Open a real first aid kit. Name each item and what it is for. Cubs handle the items (not sharps). Explain they will build their own kits in Night 3.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (1 item)
    • first aid kit (fully stocked)

    OAS: bushwalking.s1.plan-7

  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    DRSABCD chant one more time as a pack. Reminder: bring a small container (pencil case or zip-lock bag) next week. Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 2: Scenario Stations

Rotating stations: burns treatment, cuts and bleeding, sprains (RICER). Relay format. Cubs practise first aid responses for common injuries.

Indoor Challenge Area: Community Duration: 1 hr 20 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s3.plan-4, bushcraft.s3.plan-5, bushwalking.s2.plan-3

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Quick DRSABCD recap — cubs call out each step. Tonight: "Real scenarios, real skills."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Station 1: Burns practice

    Learn: cool running water for 20 minutes, cover with clean non-stick dressing, do NOT use ice or butter. Cubs practise on a "burned" teddy arm: run under tap, apply dressing.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (4 items)
    • running water (sink or bucket with cup)
    • non-stick dressings
    • teddy bears
    • burn scenario cards

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.plan-4

  3. Station 2: Cuts & Bleeding practice

    Learn: apply pressure with a clean cloth, elevate, keep still, call for help if heavy bleeding. Cubs practise: press a gauze pad firmly on the "wound" (red marker on teddy), wrap with bandage.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (4 items)
    • gauze pads
    • roller bandages
    • red washable marker
    • teddy bears

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.plan-5

  4. Station 3: Sprains (RICER) practice

    Learn RICER: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate, Referral. Cubs practise: wrap a bandage around a "sprained" ankle (teddy or each other over shoes), apply a pretend ice pack, elevate the limb on a pillow.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (3 items)
    • elastic bandages
    • pretend ice packs (frozen sponge in zip-lock)
    • pillow or cushion

    OAS: bushwalking.s2.plan-3

  5. Scenario Relay Game

    Relay race: at each end, a scenario card waits (e.g. "A Cub burns their hand on a billy"). The Cub runs to the card, reads it aloud, tells the leader the correct first aid steps, then runs back to tag the next. Fastest correct patrol wins.

    Physical Intellectual Social
    Equipment (2 items)
    • scenario cards (12+)
    • cones
  6. What Did We Learn? Reflection

    Quick quiz: leader describes an injury, Cubs hold up a card (BURNS / CUTS / SPRAIN) to identify the type, then shout the first step of treatment.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (1 item)
    • injury type cards (one set per Cub)
  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Reminder: bring a small container and $2-3 for first aid kit items next week (or provide centrally). Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 20 min

Night 3: Build Your First Aid Kit

Cubs build their own mini first aid kits. Identify each item and its purpose. Mock emergency scenario to test their skills.

Indoor Challenge Area: Community Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Intellectual Physical Social

OAS requirements this night: bushwalking.s1.plan-7, bushcraft.s3.do-2

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Recap: burns, cuts, sprains — Cubs shout the first treatment step for each.

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Kit Contents Discussion Instruction

    Show the contents of a good personal first aid kit on a table. Name each item, ask Cubs what it is for. Group items by purpose: cleaning, covering, supporting, other.

    Intellectual
    Equipment (2 items)
    • first aid kit contents spread on table
    • labels for each item

    OAS: bushwalking.s1.plan-7

  3. Build Your Kit practice

    Each Cub assembles their own mini first aid kit in a zip-lock bag: 2 adhesive bandages, 1 gauze pad, 1 small roller bandage, 1 antiseptic wipe, 1 triangular bandage (small), 1 pair of gloves. Label each item.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (8 items)
    • zip-lock bags (one per Cub)
    • adhesive bandages
    • gauze pads
    • small roller bandages
    • antiseptic wipes
    • small triangular bandages
    • disposable gloves
    • permanent markers for labelling

    OAS: bushwalking.s1.plan-7

  4. Fire Safety Equipment Hunt practice

    Cubs identify fire safety equipment in the hall: fire extinguisher, fire blanket, exit signs, muster point, first aid kit location. Mark them on a simple floor plan.

    Intellectual Physical
    Equipment (2 items)
    • simple hall floor plan (one per patrol)
    • pencils

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-2

  5. Mock Emergency Scenario practice

    Set up a scenario: "A Cub has tripped and sprained their ankle during a game." One patrol responds while others observe. Follow DRSABCD. Use their new kits. Rotate so each patrol responds to a different scenario.

    Intellectual Social Physical
    Equipment (3 items)
    • scenario cards
    • first aid kits (just assembled)
    • props (pillow, pretend ice pack)

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-1

  6. Kit Checklist Game Game

    Energiser: leader calls out an injury. Cubs race to pull the correct item from their kit and hold it up. Fastest correct response wins a point for their patrol.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (1 item)
    • first aid kits
  7. Closing Ceremony Ceremony

    Cubs take their kits home. Challenge: show a family member what each item is for. Next week: final challenge! Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

Night 4: First Aid Relay Race

Timed first aid scenarios in relay format. Patrol competition. Review all skills learned. Celebrate with First Aid Hero certificates.

Indoor Challenge Area: Community Duration: 1 hr 25 min
Physical Intellectual Social Character

OAS requirements this night: bushcraft.s3.do-1, bushcraft.s3.plan-4, bushcraft.s3.plan-5, bushwalking.s2.plan-3

  1. Opening Ceremony Ceremony

    Grand Howl. Flag break. Final night! "Tonight you prove you are First Aid Heroes."

    Character
    Equipment (2 items)
    • flag
    • flag pole
  2. Warm-Up: DRSABCD Speed Round Game

    All Cubs stand. Leader calls a random letter from DRSABCD. Cubs perform the action. Last Cub to react sits down. Last standing wins.

    Physical Intellectual

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-1

  3. Relay Station 1: The Burn practice

    Timed station: Cub runs to the station, reads the scenario ("A Cub has burned their hand on a campfire pot"), performs the correct treatment (cool water, dressing), and runs back. Leader assesses correctness.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • water basin
    • dressings
    • scenario card
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.plan-4

  4. Relay Station 2: The Cut practice

    Timed station: Cub applies pressure to a "wound" (red-marked teddy arm), wraps with a bandage, and elevates the limb.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • gauze pads
    • roller bandage
    • teddy bear
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.plan-5

  5. Relay Station 3: The Sprain practice

    Timed station: Cub wraps a "sprained" ankle (on a patrol member over shoes), applies pretend ice, elevates on a pillow. Recites RICER.

    Physical Intellectual
    Equipment (4 items)
    • elastic bandage
    • pretend ice pack
    • pillow
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushwalking.s2.plan-3

  6. Final Challenge: Full Scenario practice

    Each patrol faces a multi-step scenario: "You are on a bushwalk. A Cub falls, scrapes their knee (cut), and also burns their hand picking up a hot billy." Patrol works together through DRSABCD, treats both injuries, and calls for help. Timed and scored on correctness.

    Intellectual Physical Social
    Equipment (4 items)
    • full first aid supplies
    • scenario card
    • scoring sheet
    • stopwatch

    OAS: bushcraft.s3.do-1, bushcraft.s3.plan-4, bushcraft.s3.plan-5

  7. Trail Celebration & Closing Ceremony

    Announce patrol scores. Award First Aid Hero recognition. Every Cub is congratulated. Reflect: "What is the most important thing you learned?" Grand Howl. Dismiss.

    Character Social Emotional
    Equipment (1 item)
    • trail completion certificates (optional)

Total night duration: 1 hr 25 min

See also

OAS Framework Reference

Full breakdown of all 9 OAS streams and their stage requirements.

Browse OAS framework →

More General Skills Trails

Find other trails with a similar Community focus.

All Night Ideas →