Authorities Release Names Of 4 Boy Scouts Killed By Tornado At Camp

June 12, 2008 10:07 a.m. EST

Little Sioux, IA (AHN) - The identities of the four Boy Scouts killed by a tornado at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch Wednesday night in western Iowa have been released and scouts being lauded for quick action in assisting the injured.

Dead are 14-year-old Aaron Eilerts; 13-year-old Josh Fennen, 13-year-old Sam Thompson and 13-year-old Ben Petrzika. The four Scouts were among 93 campers and 25 staff members between the ages of 13 and 18 who were at the site for leadership training camp when the tornado hit.

The scouts were all believed to be from western Iowa, eastern Nebraska and South Dakota.

Even some injured Boy Scouts were among the group of scouts being credited for quick action in putting their training to work to come to the aid of 48 other people at the ranch who were injured.

Lloyd Roitstein, Executive Direction of the Mid-America Council of Scouts spoke at a Thursday morning news conference, applauding the young men for being prepared and using their training in the aftermath of the tragedy.

"Today is a tragic day for Scouting," he was quoted as saying by Omaha's WOWT TV. "We practice being prepared every day."

They put that practice to use by going to the aid of those injured, they got tools from a storage shed and made their way to people in need of first aid.

"They did everything that they were taught to do," Roitstein said.

Among those they assisted were the park ranger and his family whose house had collapsed on them.

The scouts in the shelter had seen the tornado coming and activated a warning siren moments before it struck.

Some of the injuries were severe, including one scout with a dislocated hip, broken ankle and gashes, and 42 of the injured were hospitalized for treatment.

One witness reportedly saw an adult leader's automobile picked up and tossed 50 feet by the twister as it tore through the camp.

A spokeswoman for Iowa Homeland Security told local media that a search and rescue team had been sent to the camp. But it was covered by debris and downed trees after the twister struck shortly before 7 p.m. and the team had to hack it's way through debris during a lightning storm.

Boy Scout officials told local media that buildings and tents had been destroyed, along with the downed trees, making the 1,800 acre site a scene of destruction. Although all the scouts have been accounted for, about 100 first responders were sent to the area and are still searching to make sure no one is left injured in the woods.

Although the four scouts that were killed were in camp near a chimney, which fell on some of them, many of the other injured scouts were out on a hike in the woods, which left them without protection.