A Girl Scouts day out went awry when a sudden, unexpected downpour flooded their troop, requiring a daring rescue for the little ladies.
It was supposed to be a fun, informative camp retreat for the Girl Scouts in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Over 100 scouts and volunteers attended the cabin retreat, hoping to learn about wildlife, survival, and sing some songs around a fire.
However, the day took a turn for the worse when a sudden bout of rain forced them to return to the cabin. Taking shelter, the Girl Scouts were alarmed to see that the rain was not letting up, and quickly turned into a flood.
Within the space of five hours, two and a half inches of rain fell on the sheltering kids. But things became drastic when the flood burst the banks of a nearby river. The Girl Scouts had to request a rescue.
Girl Scouts Get Unexpected Group Activity
In a team-building exercise for the ages, the Girl Scouts worked together to navigate the flood. Rescue teams quickly responded to their calls for help and organised a rope recovery to get them all to safety.
Over 100 Girl Scouts and their adults were ushered along a rope, fording the rushing water. Girl Scout Lila Hall recalled the exciting moment to CBS News. “They gave us all life jackets and helmets and told us to hold on to the person in front of us. We had a rope and just kind of held on and just walked across.”
The ages of the girls ranged from kindergarten to seniors. They had to pull together to stay calm and keep spirits up. Another of the Girl Scouts took the initiative and sang her way through the flood waters. “We had to stay calm because the younger girls were freaking out. So I sang some songs, I tried to cheer them up.”
Thanks to the teamwork of the scouts and the rescue teams, none of the girls were hurt during the rescue. They were all brought to safety and into the waiting arms of their parents. Damp but undamaged, they’ll never forget that trip.