Re: Tour Permits

Charlie Perry asked

> we now need a local tour permit not only when we leave the geographic
boundaries of the council, but now also *anytime* we have an overnight
activity! This covers all overnight campouts no matter where they are --
whether at the council camp or the troop's favorite private campsite...Did
this braindead policy come down from National, or did our local braintrust
come up with this? <

Charlie -

Actually, this is nothing new -- your council apparently just discovered
the rule and decided that it had better start enforcing it. ANYTIME the
troop has an activity away from its meeting place that requires drivers
carrying boys to the activity, you have to have a tour permit UNLESS it is
an activity sponsored by the local council. This would apply to a
non-council-sponsored campout at the local council reservation, a trip to
your favorite local campsite as well as a summer camp in another council.

The requirements are spelled out in the Guide to Safe Scouting (page 33).
They've been around at least as long as I have (4+ years).

They really aren't that much of a pain -- they DO require your Outdoor
Chairman to do his work ahead of time. Basically the tour permit acts "as
proof that your unit activity has been well planned and organized and is
under capable and qualified leadership." (GtSS) I've had troop activities,
for instance tours of military bases, where the host activity required me
to fax them a copy of the approved tour permit before they would allow us
to come.

Our council will allow us to fax in the tour permit, and they turn it
around and fax it back to us in under a day.

The GtSS DOES provide an exemption for short, IN-TOWN trips of a few hours
for Cub Scout dens.

When you consider that the council is covering the troop and leaders for
liability in the event of an accident on the trip, it really isn't being
that onerous by asking the troop to document that the trip has qualified
leadership and drivers.


YiS
Chuck Batteau
SM, Troop 751, Glen Allen VA
-----------------------------
Maybe they meant an hour a DAY!

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