BSA’s “Safety Moments” – Use them!

BSA has a health and safety page on its website that should be of interest to all Scouting volunteers – “Safety Moments“. BSA’s  “Safety Moments“ are single page discussions of specific aspects of the Scouting program, intended to highlight significant

Preventative search and rescue (PSAR) . . . a proactive approach to a safe activity

The National Park Service since 1997 has engaged in an effort call “Preventative Search and Rescue” (PSAR ), in a proactive attempt to reduce the need to engage in searches and rescues of park visitors. This effort generally involves educating

Who has supervisory authority over a high adventure crew?

In this story  regarding a near-tragedy during a 2015 Northern Tier canoe trek, it is stated that the Northern Tier “guide” made a mistake by taking the crew too close to a waterfall, with the entire crew ultimately being swept

Portage, or rapids, at Northern Tier?

The participant handbook for BSA’s Northern Tier canoe programs states as follows with regard to its “whitewater” policy: “The running of rapids, whitewater or waterfalls is prohibited. All Northern Tier crews will portage around all falls, rapids, fast water, etc.

“Qualified Supervision” . . . do you have the skills?

The Sweet 16 of BSA Safety (replaced in 2021 by BSA’s S.A.F.E. activity assessment criteria) defined a “qualified superviser” as follows: “Every BSA activity should be supervised by a conscientious adult who understands and knowingly accepts responsibility for the well-being

Did the injury result from gross negligence, or willful or reckless misconduct, and does it matter? It might!

The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997   immunizes from liability unpaid volunteers working for non-profit organizations whose negligence results in an injury to another during the course of their volunteer duties.  This Act, of course, applies to adult Scout volunteers acting within

“American Whitewater” Safety Code

American Whitewater has a safety code directed specifically to white water boating. See, http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:start. The safety code covers the following subject areas: Personal preparation and responsibility Boat and equipment preparedness Group preparedness and responsibility Guidelines for river rescue International scale

Do nothing in haste . . .

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think

Injuries and near misses – what are their causes, and can they be avoided by following BSA policies and procedures?

Goode et al, in their 2015 publication “Looking beyond people, equipment, and environment:  Is a systems theory model of accident causation required to understand injuries and near misses during outdoor activities?“, Procedia Manufacturing  3 (2015) 1125-1131 (available on-line at www.sciencedirect.com),

How many victims are there?

In the event of an unfortunate incident, involving one or more youth or adults, it may be simplistic to believe that the only victims are those directly involved – i.e., those who are injured, or worse. But, the list of

Is your unit capable of attending to risk issues?

Professor Angie Moline of Northern Arizona University several years ago released the results of a study directed to the level of preparedness of university faculty who supervised outdoor field programs for students in subject areas such as ecology, biology, environmental

Wilderness first aid, CPR, BSA high adventure, and the standard of care

Being able to provide reasonable medical care during an outdoor activity is one aspect of meeting the standard of care  toward the participants, Scouts or adults. BSA deals with this issue by requiring minimum medical certification standards for those attending

The Sweet 16 of BSA Safety . . . now retired, but still relevant!

The “Sweet 16 of BSA Safety”  has been an integral part of the standard of care which must be exercised during the planning and conduct of Scouting’s outdoor program for decades.  However, as of 2021, the “Sweet 16” is phased

What causes accidents in the outdoors, and how can you avoid them?

There is a consensus among outdoor program commentators that accidents in the outdoors are the result of one or more of unsafe conditions, unsafe acts, and errors in judgment. Leemon et al, “Risk Management for Outdoor Leaders“, 2005, p.16., among others.

Unauthorized activities – don’t be tempted!

BSA‘s Guide to Safe Scouting  states the following with regard to BSA‘s liability insurance coverage and activities conducted on behalf of youth: “The Boy Scouts of America’s general liability policy provides coverage for a bodily injury or property damage claim

You followed “protocol” . . . so why did bad stuff still happen?

In a story from 2002, two members of a church camp canoeing group tragically perished at the base of Upper Basswood Falls in the Boundary Waters (pictured below) – one a camp participant while swimming at the base of the

Learn it young, remember it forever . . .

“Learn it young, remember it forever” . . .  a promotional slogan adopted by Scouts South Africa, as discussed and depicted in this video.   This slogan has real implications with regard to risk management in Scouting, reinforcing the fact

What is your “zone of operation” ?

Several outdoor program commentators characterize an outdoor program participant’s ability to function by relating their level of competence to the degree of difficulty of the activity, denoted as “operation zones“. Such “operation zones” are defined as follows: The “boredom zone”

Questions to ask about your outdoor program!

Cathye Haddock, author of “Managing Risks in Outdoor Activities”, New Zealand Mountain Safety Manual 27, pp. 91-93, 1993, suggests that administrators of outdoor education programs should address a number of areas of inquiry to ensure that their programs are well-planned

Philmont PASS . . . or fail?

Philmont Scout Reservation has been in continuous use since 1942. During 2015-2016, for two years, BSA offered Philmont advisor training programs at various locations across the country (apparently the first ever offered specifically for Philmont advisors). The program, known as

The challenge of an activity . . . and adult volunteer decision-making

During a recent outdoor activity, the author requested that one of the activity stations be modified (by reducing the height at which the activity occurred) to provide a greater margin for safety, this despite the activity being within the guidelines

The unit must have a culture of risk management to safely “sail the boat”!

Each Scout unit must establish a culture of outdoor risk management in order to enhance the odds that a successful, safe, outcome is achieved. The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council  in its book “Outdoor Safety – Risk Management for Outdoor

General vs. specific supervision . . . know the difference, and the potential effect!

The “qualified supervision” of BSA’s Sweet Sixteen  involves many responsibilities, one of which is to understand when to exercise “general supervision”, when to exercise “specific supervision”, and when to transition from one to another. In a reported incident of years past,

Open water paddling . . . be prepared, and be aware!

Open water paddling, particularly in bodies of water where the temperature is cold, places risk management at the forefront. The margin for error can be slim indeed as shown by this Chilean kayak story  involving the founder of North Face. Experienced

New Hampshire’s and Utah’s new “search and rescue” cards . . . avoid being billed for your rescue!

Rescue agencies, including the National Park Service, as well as various state agencies, have long questioned whether those in need of rescue, who have created a need to be rescued due to their own negligence, should be billed for those

Some stories of Scout volunteers . . . driver fatigue, Philmont, falling tree, and severe weather at summer camp

Several persons during a risk management training session shared some personal stories. Story #1: Regarding the issue of driver fatigue, one person confirmed that a scout leader returning from summer camp fell asleep and hit his car in traffic.  As

Teachable moments in the wilderness

This post will be supplemented periodically with stories about teachable moments in the wilderness.  There unfortunately does not seem to be a lack of them on the web . . . Cold water canoe accident 1982 Boy Scout cold water

“Barrier analysis” . . . standard of care by another name?

“Barrier analysis” is a concept which originated decades ago with government and industrial accident investigations and accident prevention efforts. While the barrier analysis concept has  not routinely been associated with risk management in the outdoor recreation field, extensive discussion of

Lightning safety in the outdoors

Lightning safety  is a necessary skill for those participating in outdoor program activities. Indeed, it is not difficult to find references on the web to lightning incidents. The lightning risk in Scouting is real. See, “Boy Scouts Accused of Not Taking

The exercise of good judgment in the outdoors is crucial!

The exercise of good judgment by an adult leader in a youth-based outdoor activity is a crucial aspect of risk management.  Indeed, it is the foundation of BSA safety in the outdoors.  In the end, exercising good judgment may be the only factor protecting participants

What is “”Qualified Supervision””?

One of BSA’s Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety  is “Qualified Supervision”. The Sweet Sixteen’’s  “”Qualified Supervision”” and ““Discipline”” form the “bread” of BSA’’s “ “Safety Sandwich””, with the “meat” of the sandwich being the activity-specific rules for each activity (Safe Swim Defense,

Are you sufficiently skilled for paddle sport programs?

The August 2014 issue of Boys’ Life contains an article titled “The Wild Wild North”, describing a California troop’s eight day trek through Bowron Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia.  Interestingly, the trek followed a number of interconnected lakes and