Practical safety guidance for Scouts, leaders, parents and outdoor groups, covering activity safety, emergency planning, equipment, fire, supervision and water safety.
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Observation, campcraft, organisation, hazard awareness and teamwork A camp inspection is a planned check of the campsite, tents, equipment and general organisation. For a Scout camp, inspections help make sure that tents are properly pitched,…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–60 minutes to learn and practiseLocation: Campsites, activity centres and outdoor campsBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, adult volunteers, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Emergency response, communication, first aid awareness, evacuation, hazard management and decision-making Campsite emergency procedures are the agreed actions taken when something happens that could threaten people, equipment…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–20 minutes to learn; ongoing during campingLocation: Campsites, woodland, hills and other outdoor camping areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders, campers and outdoor enthusiastsSkills: Tent pitching, knots, tensioning, campsite organisation and weather awareness Tent guy lines are cords attached to a tent to help stabilise and tension the structure. They…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 20–40 minutesLocation: Scout hut, campsite, outdoors or before an activityBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult volunteersSkills: Planning, adaptability, decision-making, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership Contingency planning means deciding what you will do if your original plan can’t happen as expected. A contingency plan isn’t the same as an emergency…
Activity Overview Difficulty: IntermediateTime: 30–60 minutes to prepare; review regularlyLocation: Scout hut, campsite, outdoor activity area or before an expeditionBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult volunteersSkills: Planning, communication, navigation, leadership, decision-making and emergency response Emergency planning means deciding what you will do if something goes wrong before the activity starts. A useful…
Activity Overview Difficulty: EasyTime: 15–30 minutesLocation: Scout hut, campsite, woodland, field or activity areaBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult volunteersSkills: Observation, risk awareness, planning, problem-solving and decision-making Quick Answer Hazard identification is the process of looking for things that could cause harm before an activity starts. A hazard could be something obvious,…
Water can become significantly more difficult to assess after dark. Rivers, streams, lakes and ponds may be difficult to see, while slippery ground, uneven banks and hidden obstacles become harder to identify. Even a familiar campsite can present additional risks when visibility is poor. For Scouts, the safest approach is to treat darkness as an…
Crossing a stream can look like a simple outdoor challenge, but even shallow water can present serious hazards. Moving water can affect balance, slippery rocks can cause falls, and water levels can change quickly after rainfall. For Scouts, the safest crossing is often the one that has been properly planned rather than improvised. Do You…
Swimming outdoors can be an enjoyable activity, but natural water is very different from a swimming pool. Rivers, lakes, ponds and other outdoor water can contain hidden hazards, changing conditions and difficult exits. Swimming alone removes one of the most important safety measures: having someone nearby who can raise the alarm if something goes wrong….
Seeing someone fall into a river, lake or pond can be frightening, but the most important thing is to avoid becoming a second casualty. Scouts should understand that attempting to jump in after someone without the right training and equipment can make the situation much worse. The safest response is to raise the alarm, get…
