Planning and Conducting a Safe Scout Outing
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| Training Summary |
Safe Scouting can happen if you follow the Scout motto—Be Prepared.
This unit of supplementary training will describe how to plan for and conduct
a safe Scout outing. |
| Time Required |
60 minutes |
| Target Audience |
- Scoutmasters and assistant Scoutmasters
- Troop committee members and other adult troop leaders
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| Learning Objectives |
At the end of this lesson, participants will be able to
- Create a plan for a safe Scout outing.
- Implement the plan during a Scout outing.
- Understand the resources available for planning and conducting
a safe Scout outing.
|
| Training Format |
Small-group discussion or lecture, personal coaching, or self-study. |
| Required Materials |
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| Training Resources |
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Planning and Conducting a Safe Scout Outing
The training includes best practices for planning a safe Scouting event and
covers safety issues that will crop up during an event (including vehicle,
activity, and weather safety).
Planning for the Safe Trip and Scout Outing
Tour Permits
Tour permits are an essential part of the safe Scout outing planning
process.
The Local Tour Permit is used for trips of less than 500 miles and lets the local council
know where your trip will be taking place. It describes activity training
standards required for activities such as swimming, boating, or climbing. It
explains the requirements for transportation and leadership training.
The tour leader signs the application, indicating that he or she has read
the Guide to Safe Scouting.
The Local Tour Permit includes spaces for officials at facilities visited to
sign indicating that cooperation and conduct were satisfactory, as well as
vehicle insurance section to be completed for each vehicle used. There is a
section outlining transportation requirements (required speeds and licensing).
Lastly, the tour permit includes "Our Pledge of Performance handout," which covers best practices for a Scout outing.
True stories that shed light on some points of this pledge follow. You are
encouraged to contribute anecdotes of your own, and to contribute them for
inclusion in future versions of this training. (Send them to
supplementaltraining@netbsa.org.)
Point 3: Reasonable Travel Speed and Using Safe Vehicles
Example 1: A van was traveling at an unsafe rate of speed on an
interstate highway, weaving in and out of lanes of traffic. The van driver
lost control of his vehicle, which spun in a circle and came to a stop
facing oncoming traffic.
A Scouter driving below the speed limit saw the problem as it developed
and was prepared to avoid a collision by leaving the highway onto the grassy
median strip.
There was time to react because the safe interval rule was
followed—leave at least one car length between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front of you for every 10 miles per hour speed. At 50 miles per
hour speed, for example, this means leave at least five car lengths between
you and the car in front.
There was a safe exit plan. In case of a problem there was a grassy median
strip available to enter to get away from the dangerous situation on the
highway.
Example 2: On a very cold day, icy conditions on the road made
driving extremely dangerous. The operator of a sport utility vehicle lost
traction at 20 miles per hour and slid into the lane of oncoming traffic.
The driver aimed the wheels of the SUV in the direction of the skid,
regained control of the vehicle, and drove off the road out of the way
of oncoming traffic.
Safe driving speed depends greatly on road conditions and that unsafe
situations can occur even at slow rates of speed. It also shows that control
of a vehicle in a skid can be regained by turning the wheels in the direction
of the skid.
Point 4: Fires Attended at All Times
Example 1: A person burning trash in a steel barrel poured water on
the fire to put it out, then assumed that the heavy barrel was safe to leave.
The weather shifted unpredictably and strong winds came up, blowing the
barrel over. Some hot coals remained in the bottom of the barrel, and they
spilled onto dry grass and started a grass fire. The local fire department
put out the grass fire, but not before a boat on an adjacent property was
damaged.
The safety error made was to assume that the heavy steel barrel had no
way of being tipped over and that there was no need to be absolutely certain
that the fire embers were completely extinguished.
Example 2: A Scout wanted to help his campfire along and poured some
fuel from a container onto the fire. The fuel caught fire and burned back in
midair, singeing the Scout's arm. The Scout knew to remove the source of the
fuel (he dropped the can) and to remove the source of the air feeding the
fire (he dropped to the ground and rolled his arm in the dirt). He applied
first aid for the burns on the arm, including applying ice packs to reduce
pain and swelling and to promote healing.
Point 7: Clean and Sanitary Camp
Example: Sanitation in camping must not be taken for granted. The
safety of water is of particular importance. In 1993 in Wisconsin, for example,
an outbreak of cryptosporidium and giardia infection caused severe
gastrointestinal disorders, affecting 400,000 people and leading to 60
deaths.
Water must be made safe to drink by filtration and chemical treatment. |
When the Local Tour Permit is completed, send it to your local council office
for approval. Allow the office about two weeks for approval.
The Local Tour Permit is an essential and valuable document for planning a
Scout outing. Every adult leader and Scout should have a copy of this permit
to study so that the obligations undertaken are well understood.
The National Tour Permit is used for trips 500 miles or more (one-way). It
is similar to the Local Tour Permit in that it is sent to your local council
and then to the BSA regional office for approval, so leave adequate lead
time—at least a month—in submitting the application.
The National Tour Permit has space for the following information.
- Leadership and personnel information
- Transportation requirements (driver's licensing and insurance)
- A copy of the itinerary
- An application for an International Letter of Introduction (where
desired)
The National Tour Permit describes BSA requirements for health, safety,
aquatics, climbing/rappelling, sanitation, wilderness use, and Youth
Protection training. The group leader is required to have a copy of the
Guide to Safe Scouting and to sign that it has been read.
Both the Local and National Tour Permits are valuable planning and safety
tools. Each of these permits refers to other BSA documents that discuss safety
training:
- Safe Swim Defense
- Safety Afloat
- Climb On Safely
- Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO)
- Tours and Expeditions
- Wilderness Use Policy
- Principles of Leave No Trace
- Leave No Trace Training Outline
Introduction to the Guide to Safe Scouting
Every Scout leader should be familiar with the contents of the
Guide to Safe Scouting.
Planning for a safe Scouting event is a big responsibility and requires
a big guide!
Topics included in this guide include:
- Youth Protection and Adult Leadership
- Aquatics Safety
- Camping
- Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Use and Abuse
- Emergency Preparedness
- First Aid
- Fuels and Fire Prevention
- Guns and Firearms
- Sports and Activities
- Inspections
- Medical Information
- Transportation
- Winter Activities
The Guide to Safe Scouting is revised every year. Be sure that you are using
the most current version. Remember—both the Local and National Tour Permits
require that the adult leader certify that this guide is in his possession and
has been read.
Two-Deep Leadership
Safe Scouting requires adequate adult leadership. For camps, trips, and
outdoor activities, this means having at least two adult leaders, one of
whom is at least 21 years old. It is unacceptable to have a camp, trip, or
outdoor activity with only one adult present. If only one adult is able to
attend, the trip must be cancelled. Ideally, at least three adults will
accompany the troop on Scouting on trips. (Note that for properly trained
Boy Scout patrols, it is acceptable to have outdoor patrol activities with
no adults present. Such activities do require Scoutmaster approval.)
Planning Basics
To plan and conduct a safe and successful Scouting activity you must ask
and answer these basic questions:
- Who is going?
- What is the purpose of the activity?
- Where is the group going?
- When will events be accomplished?
- How will the transportation to and events
at the Scout activity be accomplished?
As you work your way through the detailed answers to these questions, refer
to the Guide to Safe Scouting
for answers on how to be safe from start to finish of the event.
The patrol method is used in successful Boy Scouting. Use it here to see that
your Boy Scouting is safe Scouting. The patrol leader's council and individual
Scout patrol members should be actively involved in planning for safety in
Scouting events.
Permission Slips and Medical Forms
The Informed Consent Agreement (parent/guardian permission slip) is available
on the BSA Web site, as are the two Personal Health and Medical Record
Forms—Class 1 and 2
and Class 3.
Study these forms closely to understand their purpose in identifying
potential problem areas. See that these forms are used and available to adult
Scouters during the course of an activity.
You should have a separate permission slip for each Scout for each activity
and an updated medical form each year. Get medical forms for adults, too, as
adults can have medical conditions occur on outdoor activities. Be sure to keep
these medical forms private and use them only on a need-to-know basis. Troop
leadership should review the medical forms of Scouts and leaders to ensure
that they are prepared to handle situations which might arise.
Guidelines for Safe Transportation to and from the Outing (Vehicle Safety)
Drive safely!
Some best practices for vehicle safety include:
- Have each vehicle checked for safe operating condition, including
tires with good tread and correct air pressure levels, correct
level of lubricants and coolant, safe spare tire and jack, emergency
supplies of food and water, and a mobile phone or portable citizens
band radio.
- Have each driver clearly understand the route plan. A safe route plan
will allow adequate time to drive to and from the starting and pickup
points during hours of good visibility.
- Have each driver understand the principles of safe defensive driving.
These include keeping at least one car length between the driver and
the car ahead of him for each 10 miles per hour speed and to have an
escape route planned to avoid accidents that may appear ahead.
- The completion of a safe driving course and careful study of state
driver's license manuals are highly recommended.
- Ideally, there will be at least two adults in each car. As a minimum,
unless they are parent and child, there must never be one adult and
one Scout in a car.
- Be sure to observe the guidelines on travel times on the tour permit.
The best plan for safety is to have drivers take turns driving so that
while one person is driving the other person can be resting. Be sure
to take rest stops.
Safety During the Outing
To be safe during a Scout outing, study carefully the safety issues that you
may encounter for the kind of Scout activity you are planning. The
Guide to Safe Scouting has
extensive information on general Scout safety topics.
Here are some points to consider.
1. Know the area where you are going. Be prepared—Know where water will
be available. Know where you are by noting landmarks and using navigational aids
such as GPS tools and map and compass.
2. Know the special medical needs of any participant (such as diabetes
medications) so that you can be alert to needs being met on a timely basis.
Everyone should be trained in how to recognize and deal with cardiac issues
if they happen. Have medical forms available with current contact information
for each boy. (It does little good to have a home number if no one is at
home.)
3. Safety in hiking requires that you know where you are stepping. You should
step without putting all your weight down until you are sure of your footing. A
sprained ankle, torn ligament, or broken bone can be avoided by taking care with
your footing. A walking stick can be valuable for safe hiking.
Safety in hiking requires that you know where you are and can safely find
your way back. The backward-look method of navigation is simple and effective.
Look back while hiking to recognize the landmarks you will need for your return
trip.
4. Use the buddy system. This system is well-known in the Scout Safe Swim
Defense plan but is useful in all Scout activities. In brief, each Scout has
another Scout as his "buddy." Each Scout then looks out for the other Scout.
In high-adventure hiking, for example, a Scout may spot a need of his buddy
Scout (backpack coming untied, for example) that he can then share with his
buddy."
The buddy system is of particular value for spotting emerging physical
well-being issues, such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
5. Be safe in bear country. Bears are attracted by "smellables," so a basic
rule in avoiding bears is either to avoid taking items on a trip that they like
to smell or, if the item is necessary, to keep it in a tightly sealed
container.
Here is a bear story that occurred recently in Pennsylvania.
A group of campers stored food in their tent. A bear was attracted by the
smell of the food in the tent. When one camper returned to the tent, the bear
attacked her. The camper was severely wounded and had to be evacuated. The
hospital treated scratch marks on the back, a puncture wound to the leg, and
bites on the back of the head.
This could have been avoided if the food had been contained in sealed
containers and stored outside of the tent.
6. Weather is a major factor in conducting a safe Scout outing. It can be
a tough decision to cancel a trip (either before or during the event) if the
weather turns bad. Remember that the overriding concern is the Scouts' safety.
You must let responsible persons know where you are heading so you can be
located if trouble develops.
Weather can change with drastic suddenness. Even if you have checked the
latest weather reports, both for short-term and longer-term outlooks, you must
be prepared to deal with unusual cold, often due to extreme wind gusts, or
unusual heat.
The ability to stay warm in cold weather will depend on adequate shelter,
layered clothing, and a reliable heat source. In cold weather, survival
depends on warm, nutritious food and beverages.
In warm weather survival depends on not overheating and replacing fluids
and salts lost through sweating. You must have plenty of fresh water as well
as salt tablets. If water is found along the way, it must be treated before
it can be considered safe to drink. Nutritious drink mixes can be valuable
to keep hydrated and to replace salts lost through sweating.
Lightning can be dangerous. During a storm, take shelter in a place that
is insulated from lightning. Stay away from metal objects. A complete list
of precautions is found in the Guide to Safe Scouting in the
Lightning
section.
Here is a story about a Scout group's encounter with lightning.
A backpacking group was overtaken by a summer thunderstorm on a ridge
line. They removed their packs, took their rain gear and ground pads, got
off the ridge line and waited for the storm to pass. When they returned to
their packs, they found that lightning had struck one of the packs. Water
in a canteen turned into steam and exploded the canteen. The aluminum
pieces then went through clothing and a sleeping bag. No one was injured
because the group got off the ridge line and away from the place where
lightning was likely to strike.
Here are two stories about storm safety at Scout camporees:
A severe thunderstorm headed directly toward a camporee. The Scouts were
camped in an open field with few trees. One of the trees was hit by lightning,
and several units lost tents and dining flies. No one was seriously injured,
although a few Scouts had minor injuries from having their tents fall on them.
Someone should have been following the weather, and a decision should have
been taken to move the Scouts to a safer location.
Severe weather threatened a camporee, but the leadership was prepared.
The boys were quickly rounded up and taken to a building, where a longtime
Scouter put on an impromptu skit and song evening. Several tents and dining
flies were lost and at least one unit had to go home because their equipment
was damaged, but the Scouts were safe.
7. Trees are heavy objects and occasionally fall unexpectedly if their root
structure fails. Always inspect trees before pitching tents or conducting
activities near them. Review safety procedures for tree cutting with ax and
saw. A downed tree is a heavy object, so take precautions that you are not
standing near or on a downed tree as it may roll and move unpredictably.
8. Take care of yourself as an adult leader. Your physical condition and
well-being are extremely important. Your Scouts have tremendous energy, but
their energy can run out quickly. Set a good example for the Scouts, but
don't feel that your needs must come last. Remember that if something happens,
YOU are the one whose strength, endurance, and good judgment will make the
difference. Get plenty of sleep, and keep yourself well-fed and hydrated.
When possible, take naps if the Scouts have kept you awake.
Hands-On Participation
Ask participants to provide examples from their own experience to illustrate
the points covered throughout the training.
Conclusion
The objective of any Scout outing is to develop character, citizenship, and
fitness. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law are valuable life principles that can
contribute to safety in a Scout outing. Safety is an important part of Scouting
and must be an essential part of all outdoor skills instruction. This training
has outlined key points that will help you plan and conduct a safe Scout
outing.
Each of the resources below has valuable information on safe Scouting,
and you are encouraged to study each of them.