WESTERN CAPE SCOUTING
EMERGENCY PROCEDURE

Emergency Procedure (PDF version, with the same information as on this page)

The "Contact", is the person who is named on the F47 Outdoor Activity application form, who is not on the hike and who is aware of the details of the route being undertaken by the Scouts.

The only emergency procedure to be used for any incident on all Scout hikes - be it an overdue party (over 2 hours late with no sign of the party), injured person, help required to evacuate a hiking party or any other problem - is as follows:

The Provincial Hike Advisor must be contacted immediately by the "Contact" person. The contact details, and deputies (in order of priority should the senior Provincial Hike Advisor be unavailable) are as follows:

1. Provincial Hike Advisor - Kuba Miszewski - 082 658 0200 (Cell)
2. APC - Scout Programme - Nimmy Abrahams - 021 705 4852 (H) or 082 929 8496 (Cell)
3. Buzz Macey - 021 987 5054 (H) or 083 651 9323 (Cell)
4. Provincial Commissioner Llewellyn van Aarde - 083 260 2889 (Cell).
5. Any other Commissioner.
   

They will then advise you as to what you should do. Have all the information pertaining to the hike ready, with regard to routes, leader, number in the party, ages of those in the hiking party, etc. If you get through to Kuba's voice mail, please ensure that you leave all your contact details, before contacting the next advisor. Kuba may be busy with another callout at the time you phone, and will get back to you as soon as possible. All the numbers are available 24 hours per day.

Detailed information about the incident should be provided as soon as possible to the Provincial Commissioner and APC Scout Programme.

Under no circumstances should Parents, Scouts or Scouters:

• Organize or initiate any rescues or searches without permission from the Provincial Hike Advisor. If there are any costs incurred by such action, you will be personally and financially liable. (An Oryx helicopter costs in excess of R58 000 per hour to operate, the average minimum operation is 1½ hours!).
• Report incidents to the Police, Metro, etc.
• Make statements to the press or other media.

After discussing and executing instructions from the Provincial Hike Advisor, it is only courteous to inform your District Commissioner and Group Scouter of the situation.

Following all emergency procedures a debriefing meeting with the hiking party and Scouter will be arranged as a matter of course. This will be co-ordinated by the Provincial Hike Advisor to ensure that any inadequacies in procedures or problems can be addressed for the future safety of Scouts.

March 2008