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Re: Scouts Calling Home From Camp
Alan Brown (awb@BTINTERNET.COM)
Sun, 19 Jul 1998 20:18:18 +0100
Big Snip
>
>This summer, we had two moms call camp and leave a message for their son
>to call home. (Of course, the camp director checked to make sure it
>wasn't a true emergency, like a death in the family or something.)
I've been reading this thread with interest. I'm not sure if this is
standard for all UK Scouts or if it is just my own Troop, perhaps somebody
else in the UK can comment. We have always operated an " Emergency Contact "
system. Its works like this.
1. A leader in the Scout Group who is not going to camp and not going on
holiday during the camp period is appointed as the emergency contact.
2. The parents are told who this person is.
3.The names, addresses, phone numbers including work numbers of all the
campers parents / next of kin are given to the contact. If the parents are
going on holiday during the camp they are asked to supply their hotel name
or any other information they have available such as the name of their
travel agent.
4. Even adult leaders are asked to supply a name and address. Without
wanting to seem flippant what we are really asking is this. If the leader is
killed or seriously injured who do we contact?
5 A copy of the proposed camp program is left with the contact.
6. At least every other day the camp leader will phone the contact to advise
that there are no problems.
With this system there is one person at home who can deal with any problem
that may arise. If a Scout is injured at camp it might be difficult for the
leader in charge at the camp to be constantly trying to contact the parents
who may be out shopping. If necessary the contact can go and visit the
parents in person to break any bad news.
I'm not sure of the position in America but in the UK the parents or
guardians of Scouts have to sign an form which allows nominated Scout
Leaders to sign permission to operate forms for hospitals. Still ideally you
would want to inform the parents as soon as possible.
If the camp leader receives a message to phone the nominated contact there
is no delay, the leader knows that the call should be returned no matter
what the time of day or night.
If there has been a death in a Scouts family the news can be broken a
controlled way, the parents tell the emergency contact, who gets in touch
with the camp leader who can deal with the situation. That way you don't
have a Scout standing alone, far from home, being told over the phone about
the death of a near relative.
I'm presently the emergency contact for my own troop, they are at camp just
now in France but they have been in touch every two days, even if it is
just by leaving a message on my telephone answering machine saying all is
well.
Does anyone use a system like this for their camps?
Alan Brown
133rd Haymarket Scout Troop
Edinburgh - Scotland
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
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