Manual double-sided - safety

Seven Tepees Youth ProgramOutdoor Safety Manual

Camping Trips

Waterfront Outings

Wilderness Outings

City Walks to Public Venues

iii | Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction: Seven Tepees Outdoor Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Common Safety Protocols For All Trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

City Walk Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Camping Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Waterfront Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Wilderness Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1 |

Introduction: Seven Tepees Outdoor SafetyYouth are encouraged in … increased understanding and appreciation of their natural environment.

— From “Our Philosophy,” Seven Tepees Handbook

As part of its mission to impact the lives of promising inner-city youth, Seven Tepees frequently leads youth on outdoor trips and activities. The youth and their families entrust you, the Seven Tepees staff and volunteers, to keep all outdoor trips safe. Failing to provide the proper safety could result in not only serious injury for a young person, but also in the shutdown of the Seven Tepees Youth Program.

This Outdoor Safety Manual provides the common safety guidelines and protocols for all Seven Tepees trips and then lists the specific protocols (what to bring, what to tell the youth, and what to do) for the four main types of trip that Seven Tepees leads:

• CityWalkstoPublicVenues

• CampingTrips

• WaterfrontOutings

• WildernessOutings

Recent studies show the risk involved in these trips and the need for safety measures to mitigate that risk. For example:

• TheNationalOutdoorLeadershipSchoolfoundthatfrom2003to2005medicalincidentsonwilderness expeditions often required evacuations (see Figure below).

Medical Incidents and Evacuations on Wilderness Expeditions, 2003–2005

309203

209

275

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Injuries Illnesses

No Evacuation

Required Evacuation

Source: University of Utah and the National Outdoor Leadership School

2 |

• TheCentersforDiseaseControl(CDC)foundthat43percentoffataldrowningsin2001oc-curred in natural water settings (see figure below).

Fatal Drownings in Recreational Areas, 2001

Pool18%

Natural Water43%

Other/Unspecif ied39%

• TheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA)foundthatmostpedestrianfatali-tiesin2007occurredinurbanareas,atnon-intersectionlocations,andinnormalweatherconditions(seefigure below).

Adhering to the guidelines and protocols in this manual will help Seven Tepees plan and lead safe and fun outdoor trips that teach environmental appreciation and stewardship to young people.

Pedestrian Fatalities by Environmental Factor, 2007

73%

77%

90%

67%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

In urban areas

At non-intersectionlocations

In normal w eatherconditions

At night

Percentage of Fatalities

Source: Centers for Disease Control

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

3 |

Not A Substitute For Training

Note: This manual does NOT provide explicit instructions for administering First Aid, CPR, or other emergency care during outdoor trips. Refer to your First Aid training for what to do in such medical emer-gencies during camping, waterfront, and city walk trips. All wilderness expeditions will be accompanied by at least one emergency first responder (whether Seven Tepees staff or volunteers from a third-party organi-zation), who will have specific training for handling medical emergencies in the wilderness.

Formaterialsthatprovidethattypeofinstruction,contacttheProgramDirector.

4 | SEVEN TEPEES YOUTH PROGRAM

Common Safety Protocols For All TripsThis section provides the safety protocols that are common to all Seven Tepees outdoor trips.

Circle Ups

Communicating the Seven Tepees safety rules and expectations to the youth is essential. The tactic you will use to do this are “circle ups,” where an adult leader gathers the students around him or her in a circle and gives instructions.

The keys to effectively articulating safety rules and expectations in a circle up are:

; Countdownfrom10togiveyouthtimetogatherinthecircleandsettledownbythetimeyoureach0.

; Have adults interspersed around the circle to minimize distractions and help youth focus.

; Always start by telling youth the name and point of the activity

; At the beginning of the trip, and before each activity during the trip, remind youth that the rules, ex-pectations, and consequences that they agreed to for the Seven Tepees facility also apply on the outdoor trip.

; For the first circle up of the day, show youth a “map of the day,” a hand-drawn representation of all the scheduled activities for the day. Give the map to a youth leader for others to refer to during the day.

; Think of instructions (or refer to this manual) ahead of time and write them down.

; Makeinstructionsconcise,ideally3-5sentences.

; Give clear boundaries.

; Include an icebreaker to get the kids loosened up, such as stretching exercises if the group will be getting right into an activity as soon as you get out of the vehicle.

Seven Tepees Rules Apply Beyond Facility

Everyyear,staffandstudentsestablishaLearningCenterAgreementfortheSevenTepeesfacility,whichthey all sign. Remind the youth that they must follow the same rules of conduct in the agreement when they are on a trip, or they will face the agreed-upon consequences.

The General Rule for Youth: Be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe.


Working With Third-Party Organizations

You often will work with third-party organizations for outdoor activities that require more supervision, such as sea kayaking, skiing and snowboarding, and whitewater rafting. These organizations will have their own safety protocols and leaders. When leading a group on one of these activities, refer to their safety rules and before starting circle up with students, remind them that they must give the third-party organization’s instructors the same attention and respect they should give you.

Pre-Trip Planning Protocols

Pre-trip safety planning is required for all Seven Tepees outdoor trips. Prior to the day of a trip, Seven Tepees staff must complete the following safety protocols:

; DesignateaTripLeaderwhowillserveasthepointstaffinchargeofthetrip.

; DesignateaSafetyLeaderwhowillbeinchargeduringmedicalemergencies.

; Keepandmaintainanaccurateheadcountofyouthcomingonthetrip,basedonsign-upsANDparen-tal consent forms collected.

; Identify the staff and (if applicable) volunteer(s) from third-party organizations who will participate, and collect their cell phone numbers and contact information.

; Have a meeting with all adults attending to review key safety protocols.

; Clean vans, fill gas tanks, and check oil and water levels (more details on this in the Bus/Van Safety sec-tion below). For a complete list of the required tasks, see the “Trip Planning Form” in the Appendix.

Day-of-Trip Protocols

On the morning of a trip, Seven Tepees staff must complete the following safety protocols:

; Bring First Aid kits, fully stocked.

; Bring emergency contact information and medical release and consent forms for all youth.

; Bring emergency contact list with the names and phone numbers of the medical facilities and emer-gency services nearest to the destination (see p. 6 for examples).

; Search youth’s bags and collect all contraband.

; Circle up with all attending youth to review safety rules and clarify expectations.

; Take final headcount before leaving (have the students all count off one at a time and then have them repeats their numbers at subsequent headcounts).


Examples Of Emergency Contact List

San Francisco

Firedepartment–911or861-8020or861-8000

Policedepartment–911

Ambulance–911

PoisonControl–(800)876-4766

AmericanRedCross–(800)660-4272

SanFranciscoGeneralHospital–206-8111(EmergencyDepartment);206-8000(Switchboard/Generalinformation)

Marin County

Firedepartment–911or485-3300(SanRafaelFD)

Policedepartment–911

Ambulance–911

PoisonControl–(800)876-4766

AmericanRedCross–(800)660-4272

MarinGeneralHospital–925-7200

Bus/Van Safety

Seven Tepees staff must inspect the transport vehicle(s) for safe operating conditions and maintain these conditions while driving:

; Clean windows and working windshield wipers.

; Working horn and mirrors adjusted to the driver.

; Radio/music off until all seatbelts are fastened. Then music is at the driver’s discretion.

; Turnradiooffwhenenteringnationalparkoratleast10minutesbeforereachingoutdoordestination.Allow this quiet time for students to focus on surroundings.

; Any behavior that is distracting to the driver is prohibited.


; All occupants are seated and wearing seat belts. Check before moving vehicle.

; Pull over and stop vehicle if youth a distraction.

; Two adults in each vehicle, with one sitting in the back seat and monitoring students.

; Nocellphoneusebydriver.Secondadultineachvanwillusecellphonewhennecessary.

; For all trips to the mountains, bring a complete set of tire chains.

What To Bring ; Directionsandamaptothedestinationforeachvan.

; Food and plenty of water.

; First Aid kits, fully stocked.

; Emergency contact information and medical release and consent forms for all youth.

; Cell phones for adults.

; CellphonenumbersandcontactinformationforalladultsandtheSevenTepeesProgramDirector.

; Incident Report Forms (see Appendix) and pens/pencils.

What To Do For In-Transit Emergencies

Ifayouthneedsmedicalattentionwhiledriving(e.g.,motionsickness,dehydration,etc.),theSafetyLeaderattends to him or her, referring to the youth’s medical release and consent form for any special consider-ations.

Incaseofanaccident,theTripLeadermustremaincalmand:

; In minor, non-injury accident: exit the vehicle alone and exchange insurance information with the other driver(s) involved.

; In injury accident: call or have someone call for an ambulance. If calling by cell phone, be prepared to tell the operator the location (county, city, road or cross streets).

TheTripLeadermustcompleteanincidentreportandreporttheaccidenttotheProgramDirector.


City Walk Protocols

As often as possible, Seven Tepees will lead youth to local activities such as community service and cultural exhibitsbywalking.Leadingagroupofstudentsonbusyurbanstreetsrequiressomesafetyplanning.

What To Bring ; Have a minimum of two staff lead the walk:

- One in the front of group (“leader”).

- One in the rear (“sweeper”).

- Any additional staff should walk in the middle.

; Cell phones.

; Emergency contact list (see p. 6 for examples).


; Cell phone numbers and contact information for all adults who will participate.

; Incident Report Forms (see Appendix).

What To Tell Youth ; Tell youth the duration and destination of the walk before leaving.

; Remind youth that the rules, expectations, and consequences that they agreed to for the Seven Tepees facility also apply on the walk.

; Noonecanwalkaheadoftheleaderorbehindthesweeper.

; Norunningisallowed.

; Youth can not leave group without staff consent.

; Youth go to restrooms with staff or at minimum in pairs.


What To Do ; Walk block by block, waiting at each corner for the entire group to gather before crossing and walking

the next block.

; Cross streets at crosswalks only.

; If necessary, send staff into public restrooms in advance of youth.

; If a student needs minor First Aid or appears ill, offer what assistance you can, referring to the youth’s medical release and consent form for any special considerations.

; Inaninjuryaccident,callorhavesomeonecall911immediately.Ifcallingbycellphone,bepreparedtotell the operator the location (county, city, road or cross streets).

; NotifytherankingSafetyLeaderandofferwhatassistanceyoucantohimorher.

; RecordeverythingtheSafetyLeadertellsyouabouttheinjured/illyouthinanIncidentReportForm(see Appendix). You will relay this information to the EMS responders when they arrive.

; ContacttheProgramDirectorandreporttheincident.

Safety Protocols at Public Venues ; Upon arrival, circle up with all youth to review safety rules and clarify expectations.

; Youth can not leave group activity without staff consent.

; Send staff into public restrooms in advance of youth.

; Youth go to restrooms with staff or at minimum in pairs.

; Have a cell phone to call coordinator/parents/other staff.

; Record all safety incidents in Incident Report Forms (see Appendix)andreportthemtoProgramDirec-tor.

; Spread out adults to provide supervision of all areas.

; Assign staff to any specific equipment that could be dangerous.

; Make eye contact with fellow staff to transfer any responsibility above (make sure to pass all details).


Leading Youth On Public Transportation

Leaderentersfirsttopayforstudents,andtakesaheadcountasstudentsboard.Sweepergetsonlastandmakes sure all students have boarded. At destination, sweeper gets out first and takes a head count of stu-dentsastheyexit.Leaderremainsonboarduntilallyouthhavegottenoff.


Camping Protocols

The week-long hiking trip is one of Seven Tepees’ longest and most demanding outdoor expeditions. With asmanyas40studentsattending,itisalsothelargest.SevenTepeesusuallyhasfullcampingtripsandcampduring spring break and on its rafting trip. Camping trips can include hikes, backpacking trips into the wilderness, and swimming in natural waters as well.

What To Bring ; One adult to every five youth.

; Food and plenty of water.


; Cell phone and loose change for pay phone call if no cellular service is available.


; Proper gear for youth (outerwear, sleeping bags, boots, etc.—provided by third-party organization).




What To Tell Youth ; Tell youth the agenda for the trip and the point of each activity.

; Remind youth that the rules, expectations, and consequences that they agreed to for the Seven Tepees facility also apply on this outdoor trip.

; Review safety rules and clarify expectations.


What to Do ; If a student needs minor First Aid or appears ill, offer what assistance you can, referring to the youth’s

medical release and consent form for any special considerations.

; When splitting into separate groups, each group must have a First Aid kit and a cell phone.

; Whenyoutharedividedintosmallteams(4–6students)forgamesandactivities,staffteamleadersmustensure youth on their teams have full water bottles, are well hydrated, have applied sunscreen, and have all everything they need for the given activity.

; Formedicalemergencies,callorhavesomeonecall911immediately.




Idle Time And Boredom Can Spell Trouble

Providing structure is a good way to ensure students stay engaged in only safe activities. Keep a tight sched-ule of activities for youth during camping trips and communicate the agenda to them clearly and frequently. Here’s an example schedule:

8:00AM–Breakfast

8:30AM–Circleup

8:45AM–Journaling

9:00AM–Prepfortrip

9:30AM–Hikecircleupanddivideintogroups

10:00AM–Hiking

12:00PM–Returnfromhike

12:30PM–Lunch

And so on…

Seven Tepees leads a summer trip every year that involves waterfront activities such as whitewater rafting and sea kayaking. Students can also participate in waterfront trips during camping trips, when they may swim in natural waters.

What To Bring ; One adult to every five youth


; Cell phone and loose change for pay phone call if no cellular service is available.


; Proper gear for youth (life vests, water shoes, etc.—often provided by third-party organization).




What To Tell Youth ; Circle up with all youth to review safety rules and clarify expectations before any student enters water.

; Set clear boundaries of where youth can go.

; Youth must pass swim test in order to go in above knees.

What To Do ; Take a final headcount before allowing youth in water.


WaterfrontProtocols

; Assign a minimum of two staff to lifeguard:

- One staff in the water.

- One staff on the shore.

; Lifeguardstaffmustscanwaterevery3-4secondsandDONOTengagewithyouthwhileonguard.

; Lifeguardstaffmustknownumberofyouthinthewateratalltimes.

; Get youth out of water if disruptive or disrespectful.

; If a student needs help in the water, go immediately to him or her, take a life jacket, and get the student to shore.

; If a student requires CPR, offer what assistance you can, referring to the youth’s medical release and consent form for any special considerations.

; Ifthestudentisnotresponsive,call911immediately.


; RecordeverythingtheSafetyLeadertellsyouabouttheinjuredyouthinanIncidentReportForm(seeAppendix). You will relay this information to the EMS responders when they arrive.


Test Safety Of Jumping/Diving Areas

Staff must test to ensure that a jumping or diving area is safe (deep, clear of rocks, etc.) before allowing youth to jump in the water. When the area is deemed safe, the staff in the water should keep the area clear by quickly moving youth who have jumped/dived in from the area before other youth jump/dive.



WildernessProtocols

Wilderness trips are defined as outings to remote environments (for example, deep in the woods or on a mountain)whereEmergencyMedicalServices(EMS/911)aretwoormorehoursaway.Theyusuallyoccurduring camping trips as daytime or overnight backpacking excursions. With no immediate EMS help avail-able or advanced medical care facilities nearby, you and any accompanying staff from a third-party organiza-tion, such as Environmental Traveling Companions, must provide the emergency services usually performed by EMS staff. This need to administer possibly critical care makes wilderness trips the most dangerous outings for Seven Tepees.

What to Bring ; One map for each adult with the locations of emergency phones and trails.

; One adult to every four youth.

; Food and plenty of water, as well as a water filter/purifier.


; Cell phone, or satellite phone if no cellular service is available.


; Proper gear for youth (backpacks, outerwear, boots, etc.—often provided by third-party organization).

; Proper food-storage gear (bear canisters, etc.).


; CellphonenumbersandcontactinformationforalladultsandtheSevenTepeesProgramDirector.

; Incident Report Forms (see Appendix) and pens/pencils.

What To Tell Youth ; Tell youth the agenda for the trip (duration, destination, when they will be stopping, etc.).

; Remind youth that the rules, expectations, and consequences that they agreed to for the Seven Tepees facility also apply on the trip.


; Review safety rules and clarify expectations.

What To Do ; If a student needs minor First Aid or appears ill, offer what assistance you can, referring to the youth’s

medical release and consent form for any special considerations.

; Formedicalemergencies,callorhavesomeonecall911immediately.




No Democracy In An Emergency

The designated medical emergency leader or adult with the most wilderness First Aid training is in charge during an emergency. All other adults present must defer to the leader and can only offer assistance—never intervene.

Authority in an emergency situation will follow the following chain of command:

1. First in charge: Wilderness emergency first responder (volunteer from third-party organization).

2.Second in charge: Seven Tepees staff with wilderness First Aid training.

3.Third in charge: Adult with First Aid and CPR training.

17 | Endox

Index

A

accidents. See in-transit emer-gencies

B

backpacking15bagsearch5bearcanisters15bus safety 6

C

camping11–12circleups4–6,9,12citywalks8–9CPRtraining3,14,16crashes. See in-transit emergen-

cies

D

day-of-tripprotocols5divinginwater14drownings2

E

emergency contact list 6EMS11,14,16–18

F

FirstAid5,7,9,11–13,15FirstAidtraining3

H

headcount5,6,10,13

I

Incident Report Forms Appendixin-transitemergencies7

J

jumping in water. See diving in water

L

leader(oncitywalks)8LearningCenterAgreement4lifeguarding13–14

M

mapoftheday4musiconbus/van7Ppre-tripplanning5pedestriansafety2public restrooms 9publictransportation10public venues 9

R

radio on bus/van. See music on bus/van

recordingincidents3–4,10,12,14,16

S

safetyleader5,7,9,12,14,16seakayaking13scheduling12sweeper8swimming13–14

T

teamactivities12third-partyorganizations5trafficemergencies.See in-transit

emergenciestripleader5

V

van safety. See bus safetyvehicle safety. See bus safety

W

waterfront13–14whitewaterrafting13wilderness15–16working with third-party orga-

nizations. See third-party organizations

18 | Endox

19 | Endox

Appendix

This appendix provides examples of two documents referred to throughout the text:1.Trip Planning Form2. Incident Report Form

Revised 04/08

Name of Trip:____________________________________ Date(s): ______________________ Location: _____________________________Staff in Charge: ___________________________ Contact Info for Outside Organization: ______________________________________________

What are the goals of this trip in connection to Seven Tepees’ mission?

What are the specific outcomes? How will you judge the trip’s success?

Attendance Number of staff/adults needed Number of drivers needed Number of students that can attend Requirements for students to attend Others invited (mentors, board members, etc)

Schedule Time for staff to arrive at Learning Center Time for students to arrive at Learning Center Time to leave Learning Center Date and Time to arrive at location Date and Time to leave location Time to return to Learning Center

Budget Budget Category Amount allotted

Get approval from the Program Director at least five weeks before an overnight trip or three weeks before a day trip you would like to plan. ___________________________________________ ________________________________ Program Director Signature Date

Seven Tepees Youth Program Trip Planning Form

Revised 04/08

Once the trip is approved, the lead person should assign people to each of the following tasks. Each space should be filled-in. If it does not apply to the trip, write N/A. Give to Program Director at least four weeks before an overnight trip or two weeks before a day trip. Before the Trip By When Who Is Responsible Create a flyer and permission form Make announcements and create a sign-up sheet Make phone calls to parents/guardians Collect permission forms Create the itinerary Plan activities and games Plan and purchase food Pack food and equipment Clean vans, gas-up, check oil and water Bring first-aid kits and emergency contact info Print directions and give to each driver Assign student groups and team leaders Meet with all youth attending (date and time) Meet with all adults attending (date and time) Morning of the Trip Who Is Responsible Make reminder calls home Set out food for breakfast/lunch Search bags/ Collect cell phones/electronics Pack coolers/Load vans During the Trip Who Is Responsible Drive van(s) Hold the credit card and all receipts Hold the first-aid kits Lead the opening Lead the closing Administer youth evaluation of the trip Take pictures/video Clean-up at location After The Trip By When Who Is Responsible Clean used gear and put away (storage room) Clean vans/gas-up Get photos developed and create poster Send thank-you cards Staff evaluation of the trip

Materials needed to purchase for this trip Materials needed to pack for this trip

Name ____________________________ Staff Name __________________________ Date: ___________ Time: ___________ Location (specific)____________________

Type of incident (please circle): First Aide/Injury Social Disturbance Other

DESCRIPTION OF EMERGENCY, ACCIDENT, OR EVENT:

How the event happened, relevant people involved, etc… Describe how the person was hurt or affected: RESPONSE: Immediate Response:

Follow-up plan Notification: parents: Name: _____________

Date: ________ Notes:

Other _________

Staff Signature _______________________ P.D. Signature: ________________________

(A copy of this form must be placed in the behavior/incident binder)

Seven Tepees Youth Program Incident Report

SevenTepeesYouthProgram,317717thStreet¤SanFrancisco,CA94110¤4155221550,fax4155221551¤www.7tepees.org

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Manual double-sided - safety