Where d!the!sign! come!from?! Trek Safely!! The Seven Safe. Points of Trekking

Transcription

1 Where d!the!sign! come!from?! Trek Safely!! The Seven Safe Points of Trekking

2 Purpose That s!good!advice.! Learn!before!you!go!!! Trek Safely is designed to help youth & adult leaders plan & carry out safe trekking activities.! This is similar to Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, & Climb On Safely. It is not designed to teach the actual skills of trekking. If you do activities requiring special outdoor skills, get qualified instructors to teach the skills to you. Then acquire these skills prior to the outing. You!can!be! prepared!!!

3 Purpose! Trek Safely is the Boy Scouts of America s recommended procedure for organizing & carrying out outdoor treks that involve Boy Scouts.! Trek Safely applies to all types of outdoor activities that involve trekking, including: hiking, canoeing, backpacking, horseback riding, caving, rafting, sailing, kayaking, ski touring, mountain climbing & biking. Wa Was!that! a!snake?! Portage! Too?!

4 Learning Objectives At the end of this training, each Scout should be able to:! Explain how each of the seven points of Trek Safely adds to the goal of assuring safe treks.! Understand why the first and last points qualified supervision & discipline - are crucial & why all other points rely on these two points.! Plan & carry out a safe trek, observing the seven points of Trek Safely.! List the resources available for planning & safely carrying out a trek.

5 Personal Experiences Can you remember any personal experiences with an accident or close call during a Troop trek?! Someone getting Lost Falling down hypothermia! Were you prepared to handle the situation?! Did someone have a First Aide Kit Extra Water Matches. Gee,!Remember! Sid!back!on!the! Niobrara!!!! How could these incidents have been avoided?

6 Weekend Hike Leaves Boy Scout Leader Dead KTNV Television - Link to story Las!Vegas!Leader!dies!of! Heat!Stroke!It!was!112! What!would!you!! have!done?!

7 Trek Responsibility! All Scouting participants are responsible for the safety of all trek participants. Trek Safely is designed to promote safety & help prevent accidents. Boys, accidents occur when Trek Safely procedures are not followed.!

8 Trek Policy! Before any Troop begins a trekking activity, youth and adult leaders should understand the possible hazards they may face & should be sure steps are taken to reduce risks.! Weather, Terrain, Wildlife, Gear, Skills, etc.! Distribute Trek Safely flier, No , to each Scout, & review the 7 points.

9 The Seven Points of Trek Safely! Out of the seven points of Trek Safely, the two most important points are the first and last points, Qualified Supervision & Discipline! These two points are crucial and all other points rely on them. Also Remember Two Deep Leadership. It s!not!too!deep!here!!

10 1. Qualified Supervision! All treks must be supervised by a conscientious, mature adult at least 21 years old, who accepts responsibility for the safety & well-being of everyone in the group.! At least one additional adult must accompany the group to meet the BSA requirement for two-deep leadership. Son,!I m!goin!t!hav ta! write!you!a!lcket!for! excessive!paddling?!

11 1. Qualified Supervision! The lead adult is responsible for ensuring that someone in the group is currently trained in first aid.! The BSA recommends Am. Red Cross Wilderness First Aid Basic, a 16 hour course that includes CPR (or an equivalent course).! A higher level of certification such as first responder, EMT, LPN, RN, NP, PA, MD are also acceptable. I m$good$!$

12 2. Keep Fit! Participants need to have a Personal Health and Medical Record for any trek lasting longer than 72 hours.! Accidents are often related to physical conditions unknown to the Troop Leader or they are unexpected result of known physical problems. Scouts Did you tell them everything???!

13 2. Keep Fit! Before a Trek, good safety requires the leader to review the medical record of each participant & adjust the trek activities and conditions to reduce potential risks associated with health and medical conditions.! The BSA recommends following a regular physical exercise routine.! People should start slowly, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of exercises. No$Pain,$No$ Gain,$Scouts!$

14 3. Plan Ahead! The trek should match the maturity, skill levels, & fitness of Troop members.! Permits must be obtained to use public or private land.! Training in the principles of Leave No Trace is essential for both the safety and consideration of other visitors to the area.

15 4. Gear Up! A qualified youth or adult leader ensures that the group has the proper equipment and clothing for the trek.! Every crew must have a firstaid kit and the means to carry and treat water. The leader reminds everyone to bring and take prescribed medications.

16 4. Gear Up! Crew members should be trained to use specialized equipment such as climbing gear, bridles, watercraft, and skiing gear.

17 5. Communicate Clearly & Completely! All participants should know what to expect and what is expected of them.! Youth and adult leaders should communicate with each other to avoid unpleasant surprises.! To paraphrase Winston Churchill, do not communicate to be understood, communicate so that you can not possibly be misunderstood.

18 5. Communicate Clearly & Completely! Itinerary details should be shared with parents and a designated contact person.! If the itinerary changes, leaders should share the changes with the contact person who then shares it with parents.! One of the trek leaders should bring a cell phone, in case of emergency. *Although you may not have a signal. Can!you!hear! me!now?!

19 6. Monitor Conditions! The Whoa!!!!! leaders are responsible for making Did!you!see! good decisions during the trek. that!storm!?! They continually assess conditions including weather, terrain, group morale, food and water supplies, and group physical condition.! If adverse conditions develop, the group is prepared to stop or turn back.

20 7. Discipline! Each participant knows, understands, and respects the rules and procedures for safe trekking and has been oriented in Trek Safely.! The reasons, as well as the rules and procedures, should be shared to encourage compliance.! Youth and adult leaders must be strict and firm, showing no favoritism. That means, don t change rules for friends. That could be dangerous!!

21 Questions??! Scouts Review the 7 points and think if there are any questions that you may have regarding Trek Safely. So you re saying that qualified supervision and discipline are the basis for all the other Trek Safely points?

22 Remember,!Only!You!can! ensure!safe!trekking!!! Treky the Bear

23 Training Aids & Resources! Passport to High Adventure, No. 4310! Passport to High Adventure Training Outline, No ! Backpacking merit badge pamphlet, No ! Camping merit badge pamphlet, No ! Canoeing merit badge pamphlet, No ! Cycling merit badge pamphlet, No ! Hiking merit badge pamphlet, No ! Horsemanship merit badge pamphlet, No ! Small-Boat Sailing merit badge pamphlet, No ! Swimming merit badge pamphlet, No ! Whitewater merit badge pamphlet, No ! Fieldbook, No ! Personal Health and Medical Record Forms Class 1 and Class 2, No ; and Class 3, No ! External Links! Trek Safely flyer on the Boy Scouts of America website Leave No Trace on the Boy Scouts of America website

24 Hey,!finally!I!had!to!hike! 6!miles!to!get!a!signal!!! Do!you! have!any! T.P.?!I!can t! find!any! trace!of! ours!!