Boy Scouts, Merit Badges, and Always Being Prepared

In my last post I made reference to the Boy Scouts and their motto Always be prepared and it got me wondering how many of their merit badges could actually be helpful in a post-apocalyptic situation. The fact that I'm a girl kept them from letting me be a Boy Scout; however, that doesn't mean I can't use their materials. Out of the 130 possible merit badges a Boy Scout can receive 14 of them are definitely useful when in comes to emergencies of apocalyptic degree. I've listed these helpful merit badges below:

Click on a merit badge to go directly to that badge's webpage on the Boy Scouts of America website!

 Automotive Maintenance - You need to be sure that you can take care of your cars basic needs (changing a tire, or the oil, or the battery) in case of an emergency.
 Backpacking &  Camping &  Climbing &  Hiking
 Emergency Preparedness - Enough said!
 First Aid - Cause you actually need to know how, and when, to use the stuff in your emergency first aid kit.
 Life Saving - In an emergency, this is always a good thing to have.
 Orienteering - I didn't know what this is, but it's the use of map & compass to "find a location or plan a journey". I know I need to learn how to do this one, cause I struggle when the GPS tells me to turn left.
 Radio - Actual training on how to use radio communication.
 Safety - Duh!
 Search & Rescue - Though the boys aren't usually trained to go out and participate in these situations, they do have knowledge of what to do when search and rescue is needed.
 Weather - "Scouts can learn about  extreme weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes, and how to stay safe."
 Wilderness Survival - How to survive in wilderness. Might be a good thing to know. Just sayin'.

What have we learned? In case of an emergency keep a well decorated, and dedicated, Boy Scout on hand at all times. Or... a less drastic approach (since I'm pretty sure that'd be kidnapping unless he's your own kid) would be to learn how to do these things for yourself. If they can teach boys between the ages of 10 & 18 to do these things, than there is no reason we should be able to learn how to do them as well!

If there are any badges you think I missed, or didn't properly consider, let me know!