Scouts get kudos for their tornado response

Custer’s Pack 25 Boy Scout Troop received accolades recently for its quick action following the recent tornadoes that took down trees and caused other damage south and east of town.  
On May 23, Russ Hill of Berea, Ohio, was vacationing with his family in Custer State Park and was at Legion Lake Lodge when the storms hit.
“Around 6:30 p.m. phones went off alerting everyone of a tornado warning and severe storm approaching,” wrote Hill in an email to Scout leader Nicole Anderson who was on scene that day. “Within minutes the wind picked up dramatically, rain blew horizontally and hail came pelting down. Frightened, soaked guests rushed into the building and took shelter with their children in the bathrooms. Some children were crying and their parents were very scared.
“As the storm passed over us and then receded,” continued Hill, “Nicole ... phoned park staffers and gave everyone regular updates on storm damage, trees downed and blocked roadways back to different lodges and general updates.”   
Hill said the road to State Game Lodge was blocked for a time, but Anderson notified guests when it reopened for traffic so they could get to their room at Creekside Lodge.
“She and Lucas did an exemplary, professional job taking charge and looking out for everyone and answered any questions brought to them,” said Hill. “They were calmly reassuring and extraordinarily helpful as I would expect or hope Scout leaders would be.”
The “Lucas” mentioned by Hill was Scout leader and chaplain Lucas Humbracht of Spearfish’s Pack 17. He and his son were in Custer that day for a “Scout Sunday” event with Pack 25 at Harbach Park.
Anderson said she had taken the Humbrachts to lunch at Legion Lake as a way of saying thanks for participating in the event and they had eaten and were getting ready to leave when everyone’s cell phones started going off with the warning and about that time it started to hail.
Anderson said, knowing how quickly the weather can change in this area, she told people to get away from the windows, worked to bring fishermen in from the docks and got people out of their cars in the parking lot. After she exited the building, Humbracht and his son stepped up to calm restaurant patrons.
“We knew without checking with each other each of us had our parts under control and I have no doubt if I’d hesitated two or three seconds, he would’ve been the one soaked,” said Anderson. “It’s just what Scouts/Scouters do. We were both happy to be in positions to help that day.”
Anderson said she was also glad they were wearing their Class A Scout uniforms which gave them instant leader status with the patrons.
“The people who were there all mentioned how they were relieved to see adult leaders in uniform,” said Anderson, “because they knew they could trust our instructions. All of my training I gripe about sure did kick in to make sure those around us were safe.”
“On behalf of my wife and the many other guests in the building that day, many thanks to Nicole and Lucas,” wrote Hill. “They are two people the Council should be very proud of.”