The B.S.A.'s Commitment to Safety is ongoing, and we want you to know that the safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees cannot be compromised.
The Boy Scouts of America prioritizes safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. The Georgia Carolina Council takes great strides to ensure the safety of its youth and the adult volunteer leadership that interacts with them.
Health and safety must be integrated into everything we do, so no injuries are acceptable beyond those readily treatable by Scout-rendered first aid.
Few youth organizations encompass the breadth, volume, and diversity of physical activity common to Scouting, and none enjoy a better safety record. The key to maintaining and improving this exemplary record is the conscientious and trained adult leader who is attentive to safety concerns.
The B.S.A. National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the B.S.A. National Council has developed the "S.A.F.E." checklist to aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in a Scout activity. These four points embody good judgment and common sense and apply to all activities.
The Guide to Safe Scouting aims to prepare adult leaders to conduct Scouting activities safely and prudently. The policies and guidelines have been established to protect members from known hazards identified through 100-plus years of experience. Limitations on certain activities should not be viewed as stumbling blocks; policies and guidelines are best described as stepping stones toward an enjoyable adventure.
All volunteers participating in official Scouting activities should become familiar with the Guide to Safe Scouting. Unit leaders should know state and local government regulations that supersede Boy Scouts of America policies and guidelines.
To provide better care for its members and to assist them in better understanding their physical capabilities, the Boy Scouts of America recommends that everyone who participates in a Scouting event have an annual medical evaluation by a certified and licensed healthcare provider—a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Providing your medical information on this four-part form will help you meet the minimum standards for participation in various activities. Note that unit leaders must always protect the privacy of unit participants by protecting their medical information. Participants in all Scouting events must complete the B.S.A. Annual Health and Medical Record annually.
Youth Protection Training (Y.P.T.)is designed to help you keep youth safe from abuse. During Y.P.T. Training, participants learn the Boy Scouts of America's Youth Protection Guidelines, signs of abuse, and how to report suspected abuse. After each material section, participants answer questions about that section's topic. All registered leaders must complete this course, which is highly recommended for parents and other adults working with youth.
Tour Plan
The tour and activity planis a planning tool that helps leaders prepare for a safe and fun adventure. It can help ensure trained leadership is in place, equipment is available, and safe and appropriate transportation to and from an event.
Health and Safety Training
The B.S.A. and council offer a variety of training courses to educate adult leadership, both online and in a classroom setting. Additional information is available in the Guide to Safe Scouting and the B.S.A. Scouting Safely website.
First Aid/CPR/AED: Would you know what to do in a cardiac, breathing, or first aid emergency? The correct answer could help you save a life. With an emphasis on hands-on learning, our First Aid/CPR/AED courses give you the skills to save a life. Red Cross First Aid, C.P.R. (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), and AED (automated external defibrillator) training are universally recognized for effectiveness. It can help ensure that everyone from the Boy Scout working on a First Aid merit badge to a Scouter leading a unit on a high-adventure trek is fully prepared.
Wilderness First Aid (W.F.A.) is the assessment of and treatment given to an ill or injured person in a remote environment where definitive care by a physician and rapid transport is not readily available. Within their training, participants will learn how to assess, treat, and (when possible) contain emergencies.
Tools to plan events and campouts
The campout safety checklist guides on safety issues you may encounter at a Scouting campout. Along with the Guide to Safe Scouting and the tour and activity plan, this tool will help you identify mitigating or eliminating risks.
The event safety checklist guides you through safety issues at a Scouting event. It is a tool, not a list of mandatory guidelines. The checklist intends to create conversations among event organizers about risks and ways to mitigate or eliminate them.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency management, preparedness, and disaster services are standard throughout the United States - we care for each other. By whatever name, these activities encompass preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery related to any disaster, whether natural, technological, or national security. Emergency preparedness means being prepared for all kinds of emergencies, being able to respond in a time of crisis to save lives and property, and helping a community or even a nation return to everyday life after a disaster occurs.
The Emergency Preparedness B.S.A. program is planned to inspire the desire and foster the skills to meet this challenge in our youth and adult members so that they can participate effectively in this crucial service to their families, communities, and nation. Please review the linked documents to help your family be prepared for emergencies.
A critical responsibility that all volunteers and professional staff share is providing an effective program that meets the needs of young people and provides the proper health and safety for everyone concerned. We must sustain the safe operation of our programs and promote continuous improvement through organizational learning. Timely and complete incident reports support analysis critical to identifying needed improvement of the programs offered by the Boy Scouts of America.
All persons involved in Scouting shall report to local authorities any good-faith suspicion or belief that any child is, or has been, physically or sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, exposed to any form of violence or threat, exposed to any form of sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child pornography, online solicitation, enticement, or showing of obscene material. You may not abdicate this reporting responsibility to any other person.
Reporting Violations of B.S.A. Youth Protection Policies
Suppose you think any of the B.S.A.'s Youth Protection policies have been violated, including those described within Scouting's Barriers to Abuse. In that case, you must notify your local council Scout executive or their designee so appropriate action can be taken for the safety of our Scouts.
