New Incident Reporting Kits and GTSS updates

[RichardB]

Here is a link to today's Scout Wire article on the subject.

 

http://scout-wire.org/2013/01/24/incident-reporting-kits-next-steps/

 

Perhaps you can quiz your DE at the next roundtable to see if they have recieved theirs.

 

For those of you that can't wait to read cover to cover the latest version of the Guide to Safe Scouting, be on the lookout for the 2013 edition "green" cover in your Scout Shop.

 

It includes a revised incident reporting section as mentioned in the Scout Wire Article. Hopefully any ambiguity that existed is now gone.

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss14.aspx

 

To help those who want more detail the appendix also includes a matrix to assist you in reporting:

 

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-033.pdf

 

Richard

 

[bnelon44]

Richard,

 

Of course we live and breath for each revision of the GTSS ;-)

 

There use to be a "changes" section which was convenient to review when updates came out. What happened to that?

 

Nevermind... I see the update section now. (This message has been edited by bnelon44)

[bnelon44]

Ummmm.... so units need to keep or submit incident reports for illness and near misses?

 

1) That would have to somehow get into the specific training

2) It won't happen, sorry, the vast majority of units won't do it. I know it would be great information to compile to see if we should modify training, but IMHO it simply won't happen.(This message has been edited by bnelon44)

[Tampa Turtle]

Man, I got enough to do in the field without worrying about filling out a "best" report! Beat us to death with paperwork will you?

 

This smacks of National fishing for data.

 

If national really wants it that bad have them set up a toll free hotline and we can call it in.

 

 

[qwazse]

Thanks for the update. This may be a challenge.

 

For example where would this fall on the Good, Better, Best continuum ... ?

 

Venturer fell skiing. It hurt. After evaluation by the group, qualified for for the crew face-plant award. Was given her choice of imported chocolate bars. She chose raspberry filled milk choc. No further symptoms reported afterword.

 

I guess it's a near miss. Not typically something I would complete paperwork for. It would be something our youth would evaluate. It would probably be forgotten by the end of the charter year.

[Basementdweller]

Man, no I gotta fill out a report for every kid that pukes or has diarrhea????

 

Never forget that kid that won the gummy bear challenge, didn't even look like they had been chewed.

[RememberSchiff]

A database of incident reports ONLY has value to me, unit leaders, and my PLC in activity planning if we can search and view the original report indexed by incident report number, location, date, council, unit number, injury. The incident narrative and leader recommendation is what we want to read not data analysis pie charts or stats. This is really where the adults and scouts learn from the mistakes of others and this pays forward big time( AMC's or NOL's incident reports). I will ONLY comply if this learning value is preserved and accessible for leaders and scouts. So far, it just seems to be an insurance claim early warning system.

 

In keeping with sharing information, understand that I will copy incident reports to all involved. I will, of course, copy Council and National directly. I want an e-mail notification from RiskConsole when Council completes online database entry along with the generated Incident Number.

 

The Incident Information Report needs more work! Consider adding the following

 

Number present at incident: Scouts ____ Adults ______ Others_____

Number injured at incident: Scouts ____ Adults ______ Others_____

Incident occurred Day____ Night____Inside ____, Outside ____, On Water_______, Car ____ , Other Transport ___

Incident type -- more info fields as needed for Council to code as Marginal, Critical, Catastrophe, whatever

Lost scout situation: Yes or No 911/Rescue contacted_______ Length of time missing_________Missing overnight

Did this occur on BSA/Council property? Yes or NO

Weather Conditions and dress:

Water Temperature/Conditions

Reported (to Council) date:_______

Vendor/Outfitter Information

Leader email address: _______

 

As stated, there should be more space for the narrative and a leader recommendation/lesson learned space, e.g., "Buddy system not followed. "

 

This is just off the top of my head. Others also experienced in the field will likely have more and better suggestions.

 

My $0.02,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

[Eagle92]

Way to much paperwork. Can't we use common sense?

[Kristian]

"Way to much paperwork. Can't we use common sense? "

 

Not the in current BSA. Remember this is the bureaucracy scouts of America. Where an overwhelming percentage of the program is now indoors. As more and more information necessary for a successful outdoor experience leaves the scout handbook and ever more rules are added to the g2ss and even more paperwork becomes required to go on a simple trip.

[packsaddle]

I am convinced that there is nothing more professionally gratifying than for an administrator to create a new form for others to complete. Reasoning optional. High fives all around Irving.

[RichardB]

Okay, now if memory serves many in this thread want the data being requested. Data that as I fondly remember some of you have demanded be produced to justify change. Jerry the argument doesn't fly.

 

Help me understand why when offered tools to capture this data and you have a chance to provide it you chose not to do it?

 

 

 

[Eagle92]

Richard,

 

B/C BSA will more than likely use the stats internally only and not allow volunteers in the field access to them.

 

Further I can see those stats being used to take more of the OUTING out of ScOUTING. Our society today is to the point that if getting rid of an "unnecesssary" activity or tool will prevent 1 tragic death, then that uneccessary activity needs to get banned.

 

Best example in the BSA are the restrictions on pioneering projects to 5 feet and under unless inspected by a COPE inspector and everyone having harnesses and brainbuckets.

 

Best societal example are firearms. Some see no use for them and want them banned and/ or severly limited after last month's tragic event. This despite that there are more car deaths than firearm relat4ed deaths, and there are numerous cases of firearms being used to protect people and prevent mass shootings.

 

EDITED: cars won't be banned b/c they are needed by the majority of the population.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[ntrog8r]

@ PackSaddle:

Your insight into the mind of the Beast is dead on accurate.

[packsaddle]

From the article:

"What Is an Incident?

Loosely defined, an incident is any unplanned event that results in harm to an individual, property, or the environment."

 

RichardB, my advice is that those words be replaced by the ones hidden at the bottom: "ANY incident that requires the intervention of medical personnel, involves emergency responders, or results in a response beyond Scout-rendered first aid must be reported."

 

Those make more sense and allow far greater local judgment.

And if a woefully unarmed leader slips from the tree and Miss Piggy manages to bite him, you'll know all about it.

But ONLY IF it requires something beyond Scout-rendered first aid. (This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[Twocubdad]

Rediculosly, insanely broad and over-reaching.

 

Was is Lincoln who said the best way get rid of a bad law is by it's strict enforcement? I think we should all follow this to a "T" and report every unplanned incident which results in harm to a person, property or the environment. Next time a Scout pees on a tree, I'm writing it up. Trash bag rips and last night's baked bean dump on the ground, out come the forms. Scout is leaning back in a chair and a slat breaks, my DE gets a call.

 

I'm giddy with excitement.