Adult Supervision at Campsite

I am getting ready to go with our troop to summer camp on Sunday. We have, due to an incident a few years ago, decided to keep an adult in the camp at all times, except for meals, ect. Anyone else have this situationor any thought on the issue? And anyone know how to beat 90+ degree heat and humidity if I have to stay in camp and not go to the waterfront :>

We have one adult leader who is partially handicapped and doesn't get around camp too easily. He usually hangs out in the campsite most of the day. He's not there all week, but when he's there I know the campsite is usually covered. When he's not there, I or another adult will typically swing by between sessions to check on things. Typically, most of our boys are in sessions or doing other things instead of hanging out in the campsite.

Comfy chair/hammock, good book, shady spot, big cooler of ice water, mister/fan, loose/comfy/lightweight clothing, 'pleasant feeling' bug and sun juice.

Ahhhhh.....

Keep the hot, crowded, noisy waterfront and give me a hammock between two shady trees!

Last week at summer camp we had one adult in camp most of the time. I helped with knots and first aid at the first year camper program a couple days but most of the time I sat in my lawn chair under a shade tree with a cold bottle of water and read or worked word puzzles. We are lucky in that our boys are really good about going to where they are supposed to be and they know if they don't stay with buddies they are in trouble.

We had to make some "adult" decisions at summer camp last week. We had three leaders stay all week, myself and two others along with 21 Scouts. A few leaders came up Sunday/Monday and a few Thursday/Friday/Saturday.

One of our Scouts signed up for the Hiking merit badge. Alas, although published in the Summer camp leader book, the class was not really offered. However, he wanted to go hiking on the trail around camp (maintained by the OA). No other troops had anyone interested. I was told he needed two adults to accompany him. So off went that Scout and two of my SAs. Around lunch, one of the Scouts taking "finger carving" (i.e. woodcarving) cut his finger. It wasn't very serious except he began to show symptoms of shock seeing blood exit his finger (dizziness, sweating, nausea). I treated his finger, had him sit down, and after a few minutes took him to the medical outpost. Therefore, for a brief period of time - no adults in camp. Nothing became of it but it was something that I try to avoid.

We experienced 95 degree heat and high humidity for a few days. One of our Scouters went into heat exhaustion/stroke. We gave him fluids, cold shower, shade, rest, etc. but he kept going in and out of his "normal" state so we called for medical attention. After a brief stay in the hospital, IV fluids, A/C, etc. he was okay. We learned to watch out for adults on blood pressure medications (diuretic), allergy meds (anti-histamines hurt fluid retention), and anti-biotics (more sensitive to sun exposure and if individual is infected, has lower defenses and higher basal temps). Our Scouter was using all three.

This might be a silly question, but isn't there always an adult at the campsite in case the boys go there between classes or activities? I am assuming you mean during the day, correct? My son is going to summer camp for the 1st time next week, he crossed over to Boy Scouts in March. Thanks!

Judy

Judy,

The Troop I am with went to summer camp last week.

We had 9 boys and 3 adults.

A typical day was everyone goes down to the parade field for flag raising then breakfast.

After breakfast we all went back to camp and got things needed for the first three classes of the day. First year Scouts had TNT (new Scout essentials, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class skills.)

We tried to keep one adult in camp because if something happens that is where the administration is going to look for leaders. We would have two adults wander around checking in on the boys in their different classes. This helps show them we ARE interested and not just hanging out at camp.

Everyone goes to lunch straight from classes, then back to the camp for thirty minutes to an hour.

Then it is back to classes for the last 3 of the day.

A few of the older boys did not have a sixth period class so they could work on observations for classes (Enviromental Science, etc..)

We adults would make sure one of the three of us was back at camp before the end of classes to supervise as the scouts came back to camp. Then we would dress in class A's for Flag lowering and dinner.

Judy,

Some camps do have that requirement, usually for security measures more than anything. But it's a local rule.

As I said earlier, we usually had an adult in the campsite, but not always. And we didn't do anything formal to ensure it was the case, it just usually worked out that someone was hanging around.

The problem with having 1 adult in camp is if a scout returns by himself you now have a youth protection violation.

We don't have adults in camp during the day because it is deserted. There just isn't 'free time' for scouts to sit in camp. Occasionally some adults will play a game of cribbage but they are usually roaming the camp, checking in sessions and talking with other scouters.

I'd really like to hear typical daily schedules at other camps. We just returned 47 scouts from Many Point Scout Camp on Saturday. At Many Point, there are 3 separate camps with multiple campsites in each - one has all meals in a dining hall, one has meals cooked at site but with the evening meal pre-cooked, one has food delivered to site and all cooking done by patrols. We do the last one.

Typical schedule:

6:30 - wake and breakfast

8:30 - assembly

8:40 - 1st merit badge session

9:40 - 2nd m.b. session or 1st Class Adventure

10:40 - 3rd m.b. session

11:30 - troop time for lunch

1:00 - troop activities (climbing wall, archery, rifle, ... different each day)

4:00 - 4th m.b. session or 1s Class aquatics

5:00 - troop time for dinner

7:00 - scout time to work on m.b.s or use camp resources (climbing, archery, ...)

9:30 - campfire

11:00 - lights out

Hi All

This is a strange discussion for me. I'm sure there are good reasons to have an adult sit in camp at all times, I just can't think of any.

Let me start by saying that in all our years of summer camps, we never required at least one adult stay in the campsite while everyone else is gone. Never heard of a camp that reguired it.

Also, we didn't check on our scouts in their classes. Not sure why we would need to do that. We didn't care if they thought we were just sitting around camp because we told them that summer camp was also our vacation. Usually our adults could be seen fishing, hiking, chatting at the SM Hut and even laying in a hammock under two Oak trees reading. By chance if a scout saw the SM at the camp store, he knew odds where good that that the SM would buy him popsicle.

Even if a unit does require an adult stay in camp between classes, scouts are supposed to have buddies at all times, so one adult should be fine.

I am very interested in reading the experiences that led units to leave adults in camp.

Thanks. Cheers.

Barry

Barry -

I think the two reasons that some do this are security and safety.

Security - Some camps, regretably, have had problems with theft from campsites. Keeping an adult present reduces that risk. While we haven't had much of that problem here, I am aware of a few camps that encourage you to leave someone in camp for that reason. In fact, I know of one camp that used to have a seperate meal serving for the people who stayed in the campsite.

Safety - As some mentioned, if a scout has an issue, he's likely to return to his troop campsite.

As for the YP issue. First, in most cases, a boy should have a buddy with him. Second, it shouldn't be an issue as long as they remain out in the open. At our camp, the campsites are easily visible from one another. Plus, boys and leaders are always walking by on their way to various program areas. So, I don't see an issue with one adult and one boy being in the campsite together, as long as they are out in the open. (Now, if your campsite is very secluded, there may be a concern).

We have never designated adult to stay back. So far, we have been a "guest troop" to the summer camp which resulting in choice campsite that is in the extremely far corner of the camp. So the incentive for the boys (and the adults) to go back to camp is 0 to none; as a result, we packed everything to stay "down" in the activity areas the whole day.

Our adults have assigned tasks. One or two are busy updating their training. One or two work on their BSA lifeguarding. One or two assist camp staff in the mb classes (depending on their expertise and registration as mb counselor). One or two act as truant officers spot-checking the boys and be readily available at a central location just in case the boys need help. As for camp director finding us, they know us quite well after a day or two and where we are, especially the health lodge! We usually agreed on a "central" place where at least one or two adults can be found. If the boy has an emergency, his first task is to get him and/or his buddy to the health lodge. If it is a non-emergency, they can find the adult(s) at the previously agreed spot(s).

Our adults do take turn from time to time drop by the camp to make sure that everything is in order. It's more of the "tagged, you're it" style! We pay closer attention to the new scouts' adaptability for the first couple days than the older ones. After they got the routines down, our adults tend to look for "free shoot," "free ride (horsemanship)," "free swim," "open hike," or any along that line, up to and including a nice shady bench for a nap!

This past summer camp was the first time that I actually bought one of them "slushy" at the trade post. Now, I know why the boys like 'em so much! They're nothing more than colored sugar syrup!

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

We had an injury to a boy using a "camp improvement" (a modified rope swing) when no adults were in the camp, which is why we have modified our approach in the last few years. Our scouters do not act as truant officiers or check to make sure the boys are at the MB classes - that is thier responsibility. We see summer camp as a time the boys get to experience true freedom from most adult oversight, and with that they also get to face the consequences of thier actions (i.e. - parents!). We have a daily summitt meeting where the scouts can discuss the daily activities, but the scouters TRY to keep thier noses out of it other than showing interest in what each boy was doing and providing positive reinforcement. I did insisit (and escorted)some of the boys try the Thunder Ridge program (for advancement to First Class)on the second day of camp, but after that is was up to them to decide to attend, which most did. I did see a few scouters at MB areas, checking on advancement and how each boy was doing. Made me feel a lot better about the direction our program was going. I see this as reinforcing the "Trust'em" portion of what I see as the leaders creed. We feel it is important the boys have fun at camp, not just chase MBs or advancement.

Madkins007 - Thanks for the good advice. I did, however, need to use the waterfront daily to cool down, however!

Joeleeper & EagleInKY,

Thanks for your answers! I asked my son Mark & he said that had 2 adults (1 leader & 1 adult volunteer) in camp! He's not sure if this was at all times since he was at his "classes"!

Judy