MedVents and MedRovers

In my post “Interview with a MedVent” I shared some questions and answers about this awesome program. Today I’m going to cover a little of how this program began.

First off for the benefit of the non Canadian readers Medical Venturers (or MedVents for short) are a subsection of the Venturer Scout (ages 14 -17) program. For those of you in the UK this would be the similar to the Explorer Program.

MedVents began as vocational units within the Scouts Canada Venturer program. As program was updated this was changed to a themed Scouting program. Generally each Venturer Company is sponsored by a local EMS service from which some of the advisors are drawn from.

The MedVent program began in British Columbia in 1994. While preparing for PJ95 (Pacific Jamboree) it was clear that there would need to be a substantial amount of both medical and first aid staff required to give care for the expected attendee’s. Local Venturer Companies and Rover Crews were challenged to help fill this need. And so the MedVent program was born.

In the 2000 Scouting year with the help of Scouters from within the Toronto Emergency Medical Services the program was brought to Ontario. The 1st Downsview MedVents working with Scouts Canada helped further define this growing program. While the MedVent program had been targeted for Venturer aged youth, there was a large number of overaged youth interested in joining. Instead of turning them away the MedRover was developed to include these numbers as well.

Successful camps such as CCJam05 and CJ07 helped showcase the program and more units where created to meet with growing youth interest across Canada. In 2011 MedVent and MedRovers were invited to help provide first aid for the Pacific Jamboree (PJ11). Six years after they began, the program had returned to BC.

It is now commonplace to see young men and women of the Medical Venturer/Rover program at Scouting events. If you are interested in either joining or requesting first aid training or services, please check with your local Area/Council for more information about these 2 unique programs.

I would also like to thank Tristan from the Peel Medical Venturer/Rover Group once more for all his help in answering my questions.

Be safe, be prepared, and keep Scouting!