February 11, 2009 2:26 PM
- Text
Boy Scouts' Dramatic Rescue From Flood
(CBS)
The Boy Scout motto "be prepared" took on a new meaning for a group of Boy Scouts who barely survived a flashflood while hiking in a remote part of the Grand Canyon last weekend.
The six Scouts and three adult Scout leaders, from Maplewood, N.J., were in the middle of a two week trip when they woke up to find themselves surrounded by rushing water near Havasu Falls, not far from Grand Canyon National Park.
After two days and eight inches of heavy rain, a manmade earthen dam broke, sending water miles downstream to where the Scouts were holed up.
A Blackhawk helicopter eventually flew them to safety, but not before members of the local Native American Havasupai tribe came to their rescue, helping them scale a cliff to escape the danger.
From the air, the group had a chance to see the raging waters than almost engulfed them.
On The Early Show Friday, the Scout leaders and the boys told co-anchor Harry Smith about their harrowing adventure.
One Scout said he was so scared he was "getting ready to pee in my pants!" Another said, "The water just kept rising and rising."
One leader told Smith, "Our preparation made the difference. You're never ready for something like this, but, when it was time to get packed, they were packed in like seven minutes."
Still, much of their expensive camping equipment was lost -- surely a small price to pay.
The six Scouts and three adult Scout leaders, from Maplewood, N.J., were in the middle of a two week trip when they woke up to find themselves surrounded by rushing water near Havasu Falls, not far from Grand Canyon National Park.
After two days and eight inches of heavy rain, a manmade earthen dam broke, sending water miles downstream to where the Scouts were holed up.
A Blackhawk helicopter eventually flew them to safety, but not before members of the local Native American Havasupai tribe came to their rescue, helping them scale a cliff to escape the danger.
From the air, the group had a chance to see the raging waters than almost engulfed them.
On The Early Show Friday, the Scout leaders and the boys told co-anchor Harry Smith about their harrowing adventure.
One Scout said he was so scared he was "getting ready to pee in my pants!" Another said, "The water just kept rising and rising."
One leader told Smith, "Our preparation made the difference. You're never ready for something like this, but, when it was time to get packed, they were packed in like seven minutes."
Still, much of their expensive camping equipment was lost -- surely a small price to pay.
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