Put your son's in the scouts,(really wish the girl scouts were more into out door camping,survival.) It builds skills needed for hiking and camping. How to handle accidents and even plan for them. Most young children 12 and up need to know first aid,how to use it,when to use it with a level head. I see some parents don't give their children credit for the ability to handle tough situations. No I don't expect a 12 year old to perform CPR for an hour on an adult or to be able to pull an adult out of the wilderness if injured but should be taught to recognize these events and be able to decide how best to handle it.
No they can not think nor physically react the same as an adult but with training from those same adults they will.
I have had some of our scouts 13,14,15 realize my our limits when I didn't, you know those times when you are trying to show off and over do it, hiking up hill I have been asked to stop and take a water break because I didn't look or sound right to them which I was but on the verge of dehydration.These kids I'd trust my life to and have on many campouts,hikes and canoe trips.

Train them,train them, the best way is to get out there with them, thumbs up to those that do and shame on those that don't.If your able put them into one of the many NOLS programs,those are great and I wish I had known about them years ago..

Just my rant and raves..

Tim R
Asst. scoutmaster
LNT trainer
Ke4uzi ham radio
beekeeper
father of 3