At least the guides had water, but I do concede that there was a fair dose of stupidity present in all parties here. Lumping it all on the guides is unfair, though.
Man dies of thirst during survival test
by What-A-Coincidence 21 Replies latest social current
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purplesofa
John Doe........He signed up for a survival test...........not a death test.
The guides IMO took reponsiblity for this mans well being.
He had no reason to think he was getting into something that was going to KILL him.
I would have no reason to think if I paid a doctor to give me breast implants and when I woke up I had two lumps on top of my head, now would I?
Sound stupid...........:??? no more stupid than how cruel and perfect you think you are
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John Doe
Let me ask you this. Do you assign any responsibility whatsoever to the individual in question?
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MsMcDucket
Keywords - Survival Test
It was obvious to the guides that he wasn't passing the test. They were to make sure he survived. They didn't. The guides are at fault.
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purplesofa
Well, JohnDoe, I guess the man could have asked before he went on the survival test.
i guess the man could have asked before he signed up.............. Just when will you give me emergency water? will I have to talk to trees, grow pale, slurr my speech, and hallucinate?
purps
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John Doe
"I would have no reason to think if I paid a doctor to give me breast implants and when I woke up I had two lumps on top of my head, now would I?" But you would have every reason to know that you would be running a very real risk of dieing if you took a survival test, right? The point of breast implants is not to push your physical limitations. The same can't be said for the course in question.
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betterdaze
This was a preventable tragedy. OF COURSE they should have assisted a dying man!
But that's not their business. He knew that and fully accepted the risks. He PAID them for it with his life.
Stupid. Too sad, and too STUPID for him and for the inhumane business owners who offer these "survival courses."
~Sue -
purplesofa
"They had emergency water right there. I would have given him a drink."
I did not know when you took a $3,000. survival test you either pass or fail.
My heart goes out to his family and loves ones. It was a tragedy. Denying someone life saving water is murder.
purps
edited to add:
from the Boss site posted above
BOSS is not offering you a risk-free wilderness experience. The wilderness is beyond our control. Nature is beyond our control. We hope that you will understand this and embrace the opportunity we are offering you: a chance to live in the moment and experience the wilderness to the fullest. (We are, of course, safety-conscious but you should understand the realities of being in remote wilderness.)
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Mary
OK, I just looked up some information on their website (the Boulder Outdoor Survival School) and here's a few 'descriptions' they give themselves:
BOSS is not a military survival program. We teach how indigenous cultures around the world have survived in harmony with the land for thousands of years. If you want a "Boot Camp" or "Rambo" experience, please consider something else. If you want to learn a softer path through the wilderness –– a path that teaches how to create a positive impact on the land around you –– please consider joining us at BOSS
No, it's not the military. The military---while difficult, gives you frigging water for crissakes.
BOSS is not offering you a risk-free wilderness experience. The wilderness is beyond our control. Nature is beyond our control. We hope that you will understand this and embrace the opportunity we are offering you: a chance to live in the moment and experience the wilderness to the fullest. (We are, of course, safety-conscious but you should understand the realities of being in remote wilderness.)
Safety-conscious? Doesn't sound like it. If some poor bastard can drop dead due to extreme dehydration when the guides themselves had water and didn't tell him, then I'd say they sound more like a bunch of irresponsible assholes than 'safety-conscious.
At BOSS, we recognize that the quality of your experience with us depends on the quality of your instructors. One of the reasons BOSS classes are small (about 12 students per section) is to ensure that quality is maintained and that each person is given our full attention.
Not quite enough attention apparently.
BOSS is run by approximately 35 hardy souls who handle field operations (instructors, apprentices, backup/support, logistics, etc.) and customer service (course registration, brochure requests, general inquiries, etc.). Lean and strong, the BOSS team knows each other well and enjoys spending time on the trail together. BOSS instructors bring to their courses a diverse background of personal experiences with traditional cultures. Malaysia, Borneo and Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Africa, Israel, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Europe, and the Arctic are just a few of the places BOSS staff have lived and learned from the native peoples, not to mention the knowledge gained from North America's heritage of native tribes and nations.
All field staff members are required to be students at BOSS first and must then successfully complete the BOSS Apprenticeship program to learn more about the school's philosophy in practice. Instructors are selected for their sound judgement; strong leadership, interpersonal and communicative skills; and their broad knowledge of traditional living crafts and arts. Wilderness medical training is required as well, and all instructors are offered a series of refresher-courses each year to help keep all relevant skills in top form. It is our commitment to excellent staff.
So the general idea is: They've got high quality, experienced staff that you can put your trust in. And guess what? They screwed up royally. It's one thing to teach someone about survival in the wilderness-----hell, I'd like to do that. And there's nothing wrong with 'pushing' someone to get them to reach a goal. But for a (supposedly) trained guide to not be able to identify when someone in his care is severely dehydrated, dillusional and on the verge of dying, is inexcusable. It's not like he was attacked by a bear or bitten by a poisonous snake-----this is just basic, common sense that wasn't applied and this is one case where I hope the company has their asses sued.
Unbelievable.