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 and conducted.
Scout units, in essence being administrators of “outdoor education programs”, should similarly find these areas of inquiry to be applicable to the planning and conduct of their own BSA outdoor program:
- Staffing (is the staff trained in technical skills, people skills, first aid, risk management, familiar with the terrain?)
- Program (have the risks been assessed and dealt with, are the program objectives appropriate and attainable, is there a route plan, has the environmental impact been determined, can the program be modified as need be?)
- Evaluation (is there a provision for periodic assessment of the program?)
- Participants (are the participants satisfactorily informed of the nature of the program and of the terrain, are the participants medically qualified to participate, have the participants been screened for suitability for participation?)
- Equipment (is appropriate equipment available and well-maintained?)
- Logistics (is there a transportation plan, has consent for minors been obtained, has parental contact information been obtained, have necessary permits and permission been obtained?)
- Framework (are accepted procedures in place, is the ratio of staff to participants suitable, are communication means in place, are first aid facilities identified, are means of shelter identified?).
Some adult Scouting volunteers might find the above areas of inquiry, although stated differently, to be consistent with those discussed in the Sweet 16 of BSA Safety and Trek Safely.
However so stated, the above areas of inquiry should serve as a reminder that conducting an outdoor program involves many and varied aspects, each of which is deserving of attention during the planning and conduct of the program activity.
As some have said in relation to the planning and conduct of outdoor activities, “Hope is not a plan”.