Practical safety guidance for running Scout and outdoor activities, including preparation, hazards, equipment, supervision and sensible precautions.
Knowing when to ask for help is an important outdoor skill, but it is one that can easily be overlooked. When you’re exploring somewhere new, something doesn’t feel right or you simply don’t know what to do, speaking up can make a situation much easier to deal with. Asking for help isn’t a sign that…
Going outdoors should be an exciting experience. Whether you’re heading into a woodland, walking across the countryside, going camping or simply exploring a local park, a little knowledge about staying safe can make a big difference. Outdoor safety isn’t about being worried about everything that could possibly go wrong. It’s about knowing what to look…
A thunderstorm can turn an enjoyable camping trip into a serious situation surprisingly quickly. The rain itself might not be the biggest problem. Lightning, sudden gusts of wind, falling branches and rapidly changing conditions can all make being outdoors hazardous. The good news is that you don’t need to be able to predict exactly where…
If you are somewhere with a mobile signal but cannot make a voice call to the emergency services, the UK’s Emergency SMS service can provide another way to contact 999. It can be particularly useful for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, but it can also provide an alternative…
Not every countryside hazard is obvious. Before an activity, leaders should take time to look beyond the main path and consider what could be hidden by vegetation, darkness, weather or changes in the landscape. Look at the ground, water, surrounding area, weather, access points and anything the group could come into contact with. Then decide…
Activity Overview Difficulty: BeginnerTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Navigation, route planning, situational awareness, map reading, decision-making, group management The best way to deal with becoming lost is to avoid becoming lost in the first place. Good navigation is not simply knowing how to use a compass. It means continually…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable indoor or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Emergency procedures, leadership, communication, headcounts, search planning, risk assessment A lost-person situation should be treated as an emergency that needs an organised response, not as an excuse for everyone to immediately spread out and search. The first priorities are…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 45–60 minutesLocation: Suitable indoor or outdoor training areaBest for: Scouts and ExplorersSkills: Decision-making, navigation, emergency planning, situational awareness, risk assessment When something goes wrong outdoors, one of the most important decisions is whether to stay where you are or move to somewhere else. Moving may take you towards safety, help, shelter…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Campsites, woodland, open countryside and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Emergency communication, signalling, situational awareness, emergency planning and outdoor safety A distress signal is used to show that you need help in an emergency. For Scouts, useful methods include a whistle, torch,…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Campsites, woodland, open countryside and suitable outdoor training areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Emergency communication, signalling, navigation, situational awareness and emergency planning Emergency signalling is about getting attention, communicating that you need help and making your location easier to find. The best method depends on…
