debbi821

Most merit badge councelors in our district only are willing to work with 1-2 troops. Very few are willing to work district wide because we are very spread out.

Thank you Qwazse. That makes perfect sense to not share names. Our minutes are not like that and I don't believe they are available to parents. Since I quit our committee, the others have been told they are not allowed to discuss anything with me.... I do still want to be informed, just tired of the politics. I didn't think the information in meetings was "secret", but I 100% understand eliminating names and such for us non-committee members. =]

A quick question.... Committee meetings have a secretary... meetings are recorded. Is that information available to parents, troop MB councelors, etc? Or, is that information for only committee to know?

Thanks for the info on Guide to Safe Scouting.... but what about Youth Protection and 2 deep leadership? I completely see the boys doing a day Patrol meeting/hike without an adult. But, our troop says as an adult, if my son's patrol wants to go swimming at the rec center and I chose to stay, I have to have another adult there with me, because of Youth Protection.... How great it would be if I didn't need that other adult! His patrol could do a lot more things!!!

Wow! Well at least I know our troop does something right... We ALWAYS require 2 adults. The only time we let this slide is when an adult drives and has his/her own scout in the vehicle. I'll keep you all posted on when we have an issue that requires med forms and it isn't there. Oh wait - I have one! Well, an old one.... A couple years ago our Cub Pack was having a Pie Throwing event at their meeting site. Whipped cream + cafeteria floow = SLIPPERY! A den leader went down, hit her head on a table and passed out. Her glasses were broken, and she broken the bone around her eye socket... 911 was called and the EMT took her to the hospital. No med forms were at the meeting. I wasn't there, or a part of that committee, so I do not have details. But, I do know that BSA insurance covered ZERO of her medical expenses, she paid all of it through her own medical insurance. Did BSA not cover because med forms were not there? I was told BSA didn't cover because BSA insurance is a joke and doesn't cover anything if you have medical insurance..... The den leader didn't sue. She isn't that type of person... but I wonder what would have happened if she did???

Actually, it is the PLs that schedule patrol meetings... but they are required to have an ASM + 1 adult (2 deep leadership) with them. Our troop likes to think it is boy led... and troop meetings are chaos. Let's not talk about summer camp where the ASM was oblivious to the bullying, disrespectfulness to other troops and swearing.... but, the adults are the one who carry all the behind the scenes stuff.....

So, here is how this turned out.... First off - after giving the troop more than 6 weeks (deadline of 2/16 since we rechartered on 2/17) the compliance rate of turned in med forms was 38%! And that was just scouts and adult leaders. I didn't include parents or committee memnbers in that number because our parents that participate change each year. At committee - they agreed that all scouts and leaders needed to have forms on file. But, gave me no authority to madate this. (I actually have an ASM that also works/volunteers at District who is refusing to do med forms for him or his sons - they don't go on campouts! AGH!). We did agree that from now on, I will send the ASM that is in charge of each campout the list of non-compliant scouts and adults. They will become responsible for making sure that if somone on that list is scheduled for the campout a form is turned in. I was done getting rosters 2 days before a campout and then having to figure out who was out of compliance. Ive told them I will hold med forms but I will not spend all my time begging for forms, I bring them to all troop meetings. If an ASM or SM decide to have a patrol meeting or something else that I am not at.... I don't care anymore. I am done fighting to try and get them in BSA compliance. I am 1 person working against a troop of 100 boys and 20 leaders... and 4 of those leaders have been with the troop for 10+ years and are stuck in their ways and refuse change.... of course, they are the Committee Chair, Advancement Chair, SM and SM wife.... they run the troop... any change put before them is almost always denied. I'll just do my best and stop stressing out. Not my head on a plate if heaven forbid something happens and a med form isn't on site..... I did all I could.

Thank you Richard! I will print that and take it to the next committee meeting!!! RememberSchiff - a parent driving - HECK YES! they need a medical form! In fact, each driver is supposed to have a medical form IN THEIR VEHICLE for EACH PERSON in their vehicle if they are driving scouts to an event.

qwazee, I did not scoff at your phone list... I think it is a brilliant idea. I laughed because I KNOW our troop does not have one and would not make one. Heaven forbid a change be made to a troop that has had the same 4 people (SM & wife, Committee CHair & wife) running it for the last 10 years. I think all the ideas here have been wonderful and have really given me some things to think about. I appreciate the diversity of the answers and thoughts. I will say that I started a spreadsheet that I give to the person running each event that has allergy information. However, due to HIPPA I don't think I am allowed to list medical issues. So, I write - SEE MED FORM. I keep original copies of med forms. Since the scoutmaster holds things at his house, he has a binder with copies. We also have an extra binder that is given to the adult running a campout (since this is the only time they think we need the forms). Again, thank you all. I have some thinking to do =]

Here is what we are running in to. Our troop used to never collect forms except when a new scout joined. I was given the task of taking over med forms and making sure they were current. No problem, right? Well, we have at least 1 campout a month and 1-3 activities away from our meeting site. It was taking me over 5 hours each month to confirm current medical forms and to get forms from people who were expired. So, I asked that we make the national policy (current medical forms for everyone) mandatory and also that everyone (active scouts and all adult leaders) have to fill out a new medical form every January before we recharter in mid-February. At first, it was agreed to. then someone complained and the troop decided not to follow through. the complaint was that "med forms are only needed for campouts and people who don't ever do campouts shouldn't have to fill them out. Most of the complaining was done by ASMs (and I think maybe the scoutmaster - he doesn't go on campouts for medical reasons). So, now I am back to square one.... any and all means - ANY TIME 2 or more scouts get together... that is a boyscout activity. At least that is how I feel.

For those that say a meeting isn't an activity. Let me give you this example. My son has a heart defect. He is fine and has no restrictions. If I was to not stay at a meeting (I am always there) and he passed out because the stars aligned just right it could become a matter of life or death on how quickly the Scoutmaster acts. If his med form isn't on file, then no one there has a way to reach me (A phone roster - what's that? HA!). the EMT arrives and they have no clue what caused this to happen, no idea if he has allergies, etc. What now? (my daughter was in a car accident when she was 16. A parent was driving. The EMT made the mom call me to get permission before he would touch my daughter. It was not a life threatening accident, but she had to be moved to the ambulance and be taken to the hospital)

The reason I am desperate for an answer is that I can't get a decisive answer from Council, District or anyone else. We, as a committee, meet this coming Tuesday. I am tired of this fight with them (it has been 2 years) and I want to know if I am correct in feeling we are not following BSA NATIONAL POLICY. because, if I am correct, I will be resigning from the position as I refuse to be held accountable if heaven forbid, a situation like the one above actually happens.

Again, I really appreciate everyone's input.

FYI - our troop has 90+ scouts and 10-15 ASMs. Last year I collected 184 medical forms for people who participated in campouts (parents, scouts, adult leaders, siblings, etc).

I like your comment regarding parents. Our troop is a babysitter though. 90%+ of our parents are drop and go. We have had a few times that a parent has not be reachable when we have needed to get ahold of them.

So, what about:

anyone who needs their swimming/life saving for 1st/2nd class, scoutmaster will be holding a lesson at the rec pool.... rsvp if you will be there.

Scoutmaster will be holding Operation First Class (to finish your ranking) at his house this weekend... RSVP

SPL and troop guides will be leading orienteering for new scouts at the local park - rsvp.

Meeting after a campout (once a month) is activity night... we will meet at the bowling ally, trampoline park, local park, etc instead of holding a troop meeting.

In each of those cases parents do NOT stay.

thank you for your input! =]

Please interpret what is meant by "any and all activities" in the following sentences:

~~For any and all Scouting activities, all participants must complete Part A and Part B. "All participants" includes parents, guardians, siblings, youth, staff, and unit leaders.

I really NEED TO KNOW how others would interpret this. Does it mean ALL Activities, as in troop meetings, patrol meetings, eagle projects, any time scouts get together? Or does it mean campouts? Or just outings away from where normal meetings are held?

I am desperate for clarification. Every time I call council or district the interpretation depends on who I talk to, no one agrees.... This is a HUGE issue for me (I interpret it very different than how our troop does, and I am the medical form keeper) and I need some clarification before our committee meeting on Tuesday.

All comments are appreciated. Thanks!

Thank you all. This helps me understand a little better. So, from there, how do I make the understand medical forms are a national policy and we have to follow it? As I said above, I would not have the support of the COR, District or Council... I am honestly at my breaking point and ready to quit my voluntary position. Do you have any idea how many hours it takes to make sure all med forms are on file and filled out correctly (we have a troop of 90 boys) every month for campouts? Especially when you don't get the roster until 2-5 days before the actual campout? And, there are always new people going on campouts, so that means contacting a person to ask them to fill out the form... I want this to be a "before we recharter, you must turn in your medical forms" This way it is a 1 time thing and it follows the BSA policy that states: Q. Who needs to complete an Annual Health and Medical Record? A. For any and all Scouting activities, all participants must complete Part A and Part B. "All participants" includes parents, guardians, siblings, youth, staff, and unit leaders. Though Part C is only required for participation in events lasting longer than 72 hours, all BSA participants are encouraged to complete this Pre-Participation Physical during an annual physical performed by a medical professional.

Our committee usually does function on consensus. However, twice recently, we have had a consensus on a new policy. Once the ASM or SM hear about it (they never attend committee meetings), one will throw a temper tantrum and complain to the CC. At this point, the CC will disregard the new policy. In this instance it is about medical forms and who has to turn them in annually. Some adults in our troop don't want to fill them out and have their information known. So, the CC has decided that only scouts need to do them. I am a follow the rules kind of person (as well as the person who collects and keeps medical forms) and this does not sit well with me. COR won't do anything, he likes the CC. District and Council don't feel forms have to be turned in unless it is a District Event.

If a committee votes unanimously on a new policy and then someone complains to the CC, does the CC have the right to over turn the vote without notifying the committee or without another vote?