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PART 1: Camping Skills

Safety on Camp
Accidents on camps and hikes account for over half of all Scouting accidents. Many of them could be avoided with a little extra care.

Litter
Bottles, cans and plastic bags are not only dangerous to you but also to animals who may be grazing on the land. Therefore a clean site is one way of preventing accidents with these types of rubbish.

Ropes
Ropes hanging from trees are a favorite way of breaking arms, legs and acquiring other injuries, as Cubs and Scouts fall from them, branches break, ropes break or knots give way.

Ropes lying on the ground are an excellent way of tripping people up. The most lethal use of ropes on campsites, which cause many accidents is the fencing off of the Patrol sites and kitchen areas by sisal strung a few inches from the ground.
Guy ropes are another favorite.

Things in the ground
Tent pegs left in the ground are not only dangerous but also an unnecessary waste of money. You are less likely to lose them if :
You paint them brightly so they are easily seen
You count them
You teach your Patrols how to left them from the ground correctly.

Holes
Pits are very useful for disposing of waste liquid however we need to mark these pits carefully and fill them in properly when you leave.

Fires and stoves
Fires too close to tents, placed in cluttered areas, and built too high are all causes of accidents.
Altar fires should be built not more than 450mm (18 inches) above ground level and built correctly.
Under no circumstances should paraffin or petrol be used to start or revive fires.
filled with the incorrect fuel (e.g. petrol instead of paraffin), knocked over, incorrectly assembled or having their cylinders changed inside tents or near naked flames have all been the cause of accidents - be warned and act sensibly.

If you can avoid it, never use a stove in a tent. Axes ,saws and knives
Remember the rules for these tools and enforce them in your camp. Extra care should also be taken if the weather or timber is wet.

Woodpiles
Woodpiles should be kept tidy.

Extra care should be taken if the wood being used on site contains nails or metal spikes such as packing cases or pallets.

Programme
The programme on offer in camp can present its own opportunities for accidents. Pioneering, hiking, games etc. You cannot avoid all accidents the best that all of us can do is to take as much care and attention to safety as is possible without taking the enjoyment and adventure away from the activity.

Preparing for camp
This ckecklist is designed to assist a leader or Patrol Leader in the planning of a camp of a weekend or annual camp.
This is not a comprehensive list but it may assist in highlighting any training or equipment required and hopefully lead to a more successful and enjoyable camp.

The first section of the list deals with actions that need to be taken before a camp and relate in the most part to the skills necessary for a successful camp. Place a tick in each box when you are satisfied that each scout going on camp have sufficient training in each area.

The second section of the list deals with the action necessary before and after going on
camp.

Camping skills
In order to enjoy the full benefits of camping you should spend some time prior to camp preparing and training your Scouts in the following camping skills.

Where to camp
Members of each Patrol can....
List the points to look for when selecting a camp site
Describe an ideal Patrol site layout for a camp

Equipment

Members of each Patrol can...

List personal kit for a weekend camp
List personal kit for an Annual camp
Pack a rucksack
List Patrol equipment for camp
Select and justify all items of personal equipment including
camp clothing
activity dress
change of clothing
sleeping gear
sleeping bag
boots and other footwear
catering utensils
personal hygiene equipment
rucksack

Tentage
Members of each Patrol can...
Select and justify a lightweight tent for camping in exposed situations
Select and justify a Patrol or frame tent for a standing camp
Pitch and strike a hike tent
Pitch and strike a Patrol tent.
Pitch and strike a frame tent
Care for and repair tentage 

Fire and stoves
Members of each Patrol can....
List the burning qualities of different woods
Select woods for starting a fire
Select woods for keeping a fire going
Prepare and light different types of fires
Select, use and maintain a gas stove suitable for use with Scouts
Select, use and maintain a pressure or spirit stove suitable for use by Scouts
List the safety rules for all types of stoves

Knives, axes and saws
Members of each Patrol can.....
Select, justify and use a knife
Select, justify and use an axe
Select, justify and use a saw
Understand the reasons for and importance of acting responsibly when using a knife, axe or saw.
Understand the reasons for safety when using a knife, axe or saw.

Kitchens
Members of each Patrol can...
Set up a camp kitchen
Make camp furniture
Make useful gadgets
Prepare an altar fire and list the safety factors.
Prepare a camp oven
Dispose of both wet and dry waste correctly.

Catering
Members of each Patrol can....
Plan a menu for a weekend camp
Store food hygienically in camp
Cook a meal on a open fire
Cook a meal on a camp stove
Cook a meal using a camp oven
Make a twist, damper, bread
Prepare a meal without utensils
Prepare a meal using only dehydrated foods

Health and safety
Members of each patrol can....
List the rules of health in camp
List the rules of safety in camp
Construct a latrine
Dispose of waste
Make contact with the local doctor in an emergency and call emergency services
List water safety rules
List hill safety rules
List causes and symptoms of exposure

First aid
Members of each Patrol can...
Prepare a personal first aid kit
Treat external bleeding, shock, burns, sting, sprain.
Apply resuscitation
Apply a bandage and sling
Improvise a stretcher
Move a casualty safety.

Flagbreak and inspections
Members of each Patrol know...
How to break a flag
What to look for on a camp inspection

Leadership
Each Patrol leader .....
Is responsible
Has received adequate training and briefing for camp
Understand the 'Country Code'
Would know what to do in an emergency

Before camp
The camp is discussed and agreed by the Scout Leader and Patrol Leaders Council
Confirmation of site booking is obtained in writing from site owner.
Initial information is given to parents by letter with as much detail as possible including camp bank arrangements
A non - returnable deposit is received for each participant and final monies is banked in the Unit bank account through or by arrangement with the Unit Treasurer.
Availability of fuel supplies, water and other necessities checked.
Waste disposal arrangements checked
Programme planned
Menu's planned and budgeted
Food bought or arrangements made for delivery.
Travel arrangements made and checked
Parents advised of final details, place, times, costs, travel arrangements, equipment, programme, date and time of return, emergency contact telephone number, full postal address of site, arrangements (if any) for visiting.

Parents must give the following information
Permission to consent to medical treatment on their behalf if necessary in an emergency.
Their address and telephone number while their children is at camp, details of any special dietary requirements or medical treatment for their child. Information relating to any known drug reaction including Penicillin and to injections which their child may have had such as Tetanus.

After camp
The site is left in a clean and tidy condition.
Thanks have been extended to the site owner
Complete all correspondence and pay outstanding bills
Produce a final camp account and get the statement checked by the Unit Treasurer
Check all equipment back into the Unit stores
Ensure necessary action is taken over damaged or faulty equipment
Finish off the camp log
Hold a camp reunion / open night for the Scouts and their parents. 

At Camp
The earlier the party going on camp reach the site the easier it will be to get settled down comfortably. The practice of sending an advance party to set up the site should be discouraged as a rule , as Scouts lose a valuable part of their training. The exact layout should have been worked out on the site - plan before arriving in camp, and jobs should all have been allocated before setting out. The following are the main points to keep in mind in planning the lay - out.   

# The Patrol camping as groups should not be too near each other.
# Scouters' tent in centre, with flagstaff and camp notice board nearby.
# Each cooking place near its Patrol Tent. This should be marked and be about 8 - 10 yards apart.
# Latrines in the most convenient place, ( other things being equal, to leeward) but not more than one hundred yards away. They can then be used at night and a storm lantern be kept alight there on dark nights.
# Store tents and rest tent in shade near Scouters' tent
# Wash places and drinking water as near to camp as possible
# Provision of camp chapel in pleasant secluded spot
# Arrangements of jobs for pitching camp
# Each Patrol to pitch its own tent at once, Scouters put up theirs and the rest tent
# A Patrol appointed to do each of the following
Digging latrines, putting up screen
Digging rubbish and making a burning pit / barrel
Fixing washing place, putting up flag - staff
Pitching stores tent and putting in stores under direction of Quartermaster
Helpers should supervise these various jobs.

As soon as jobs as outlined above are finished, all hands should assemble gear, put into tents, get fuel, start on cooking places etc. and complete Patrol sites.

Latrines and wash places
It is of the upmost importance that adequate latrine accommodation should be provided. The most sanitary form of latrines are chemical toilets. Privacy is essential. Paper should be kept in a box (with lid) and a wash basin and towel kept outside. Rules governing the use of latrines should be strictly enforced.

Cooking places
The cooking area should be railed off to avoid accidents with people walking across the area. Choose an area that will do least damage to the ground. Altar fires are preferred as they do less damage to the ground and are better for cooking on as they are raised from the ground. Close to the fire should be a wood store covered to keep wood dry. A cooking shelter and a dining shelter should be erected for rainy days and for very hot weather. Rough tables can be made, the table made from wooden laths. Wet and dry disposal pits should be constructed in they above ground method, - and cared for.

Serving meals
Proper arrangements must be made for serving and eating meals. Scouts do not go to camp 'to rough' it or live like pigs. Table manners are the concern of the Scouter, whose own example is of great importance. Campers should sit at their places at the table at the appropriate time and those on duty should serve them. Dirty plates etc. should be cleared after each course. Scouters should eat with their Scouts taking it in turn to visit the different Patrols.

Store tent
The quartermaster has a most important job. Apart from ordering food and issuing it, he/she must give much attention to the actual storage. There must be no flies in the store. Boxes from grocery store provide excellent store cupboards. A large supply of butter muslin is useful for covering open boxes. Jam jars etc., must always be covered - and the outside kept clean. Meat should be stored in a cool place( a cooler box is excellent for this purpose). As a general rule only order meat on the day it is needed keeping it in the cooler box until issued for use. All items within the store tent should be kept off the ground.

Health and cleanliness
These go together, the proper use of incinerator and rubbish pits, well constructed latrines, and spotlessly clean camping and cooking areas will ensure cleanliness. Each Patrol tent should have a rubbish box or bag. Personal cleanliness is largely a matter for the Scouters. Daily inspection should emphasis teeth, feet and general cleanliness.

Watch out for the weather - wearing a pullover in the evenings or taking care with bare backs and legs in sunny weather.

Diet is another important factor, fresh fruit and vegetables are essential. Minor ailments such as constipation can be dealt with in camp, but if in doubt call in a doctor. Don't run risks. All cuts etc., should be treated immediately. The daily inspection is the great opportunity to see that the whole camp is clean and that Scouts are healthy.

Routine and programme
As these have been drawn up before camp, there should be no difficulty in providing plenty of healthy, Scout activity throughout the camp. The patrol leaders and Scouters should meet once a day to run over the next day's programme and arrangement how it is to be carried out.

The spiritual side of camp
Morning and evening prayers should always be recited in an attractive atmosphere - short, simple and appropriate. Where a camp chaplain is present, adequate arrangements should be made for the celebration of Mass on the site.

Neighbours
Remember that every Scout Camp creates a good or bad impression on the people who come in contact with it. Orderly behaviour in the train and in the village will give the Scouts a good name. Bad behaviour will do the movement harm. Scouts should have correct uniform outside the actual camping area, so should Scouters and Venturers. Avoid anything that will cause offence. If the camp is near houses, see that noisy campfires are not a nuisance and that there is silence in camp by 10.30 PM. The Scouts will need instruction about shutting gates, getting through hedges, not taking dead wood out of hedges, crossing fields of hay, etc. Your aim should be to leave behind you a neighbourhood of people impressed with the good things of Scouting and glad to welcome any Scouts as a result of your visit. If there is a local Scout group, get in touch with the scouters and arrange a joint camp fire, and possibly a scouting game.

Safety
The mis-use of axes, saws and knifes is a common cause of injury during camp. Strict control should be exercised over all such implements. The Camp Leader should ensure that no unduly rough conduct or activities are tolerated and that all water and swimming activities are properly organised and supervised. There should be a well equipped first aid kit on camp and due care should be encouraged with regard to fires and cooking.

Accountability
From the very beginning, every camp / expedition should have proper financial records. Large sums of cash should not be kept on the campsite. You should have an account operating in the local bank / post office or if abroad you should have travellers cheques. A full account of the camp should be presented to the Unit Council and Unit Treasurer within two months of the camp.

Behind the concept of accountability lies an awareness of our consideration for others. In fact, the key word for a successful and happy camp might well be 'consideration' - consideration for the hard working Patrol Leaders who are doing a very important job, for the newer boys who may be away from home for the first time, for the bus driver who may have to endure the singing and shouting of excited scouts on their way to camp and for our neighbours on camp ( local people / farmers and campsite owners).

Cooking on Camp
Cooking on camp is neither a complicated art or a 'knack', with practice any meal is possible. Simple straight forward cooking should be the norm. Most camp cooking will be on open fires. Younger campers have a lot of fun and enjoyment cooking over a fire. Many skills are attached to this activity - firelighting, cooking, self - reliance and teamwork.
Scouts and Patrols should be encouraged to practice cooking simple meals at home or at Patrol weekends. Likewise the preparation of menus and the listing of quantities should be completed by Patrols before camp.
Although Patrols should work together as a group and experience the joys and failures that are necessary in order to gain a competent level in camp cooking, the Leader should at all times make sure that the Patrol do no suffer as a result.   

Hygiene
Anywhere food is prepared should be kept as clean as possible, otherwise there is a risk of disease or food poisoning. In camp situations the risk is ever higher.
Always wash your hands before you start preparing and cooking any food
Keep all food under cover.
When preparing food, once ready, it should be placed in a plastic container or under cling film until ready to cook.
Clean up all spillages immediately. Keep all sauce and jam bottles clean.
Wash up as soon as possible after the meal in hot water and washing up liquid.

The Camp Menu
Balanced diet
The camp diet should contain an ample selection of eggs, cheese, milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and salads, meat and fish. It is best to avoid too many carbohydrates foods such as white bread, cereals and potatoes.

Variety in food
Variety results from a balanced diet and the way in which it has been prepared. Some meals are simple to prepare, while others demand a higher standard of cooking. This enables a varied programme to be run and also helps to make eating itself an adventure. The time element needs to be watched. Scouts do not go to camp solely to cook and eat.

Sustaining food
Food gives energy, but this depends on the quality of both the ingredients and the cooking. Energy comes from most of the foods listed in a balanced diet and this should contain plenty of vitamins and fresh natural foods. Packed lunches should contain foods which give a quick source of energy such as wheatmeal bread, meat, cheese, raisins, chocolate and fruit. The use of soft margarines is now widely accepted and is healthier than butter.

Cooking and presentation
The importance of cooking has been stressed, presentation is equally important. Food should be served in the right order, on warm plates, with an organised routine. Scouts should learn that food should be placed carefully and not heaped onto plates. If the diners can eat at a table attractively laid out, this is better.
Never underestimate the value of presentation in helping to make the meals an important part of camp life, where high standards should be encouraged.