MEETING SAFETY INSPECTION
All of us are committed to providing a FUN and safe experience for the youth in Scouting - have you ever thought about your local unit meeting room - does it really "measure up"
The beginning of a new Scouting year is a great time to do a Meeting Place Inspection
The link below is to a handy form from BSA National that can assist each and every Unit in providing a safe environment for meetings - you might also consider contacting your local Fire Department or the County Environmental Health Department (781 5454) for assistance.
Some items on the form that are of special importance -----
- EXITS - this is a common area of concern in any public occupancy - can everyone get out, all the time? Are any blocked ? LOCKED ? What happens once you are outside - are the stairs, etc. safe?
- EXTENSION CORDS - they are ONLY for temporary use - never to be fastened to the building, passed through walls, doors, etc.
- FIRE EXTINGUISHERS - are they handy (normally near a door on the way out), visible, and charged ?
- FIRE DRILLS - when is the last time your Unit held one ?
- CURTAINS - although not on the form, any curtain on a "stage or platform" must be made of fire retardant material and have a State Fire Marshal certificate.
Here's to SAFE and FUN Scouting!
George Brown,
Camino Real Training Chair,
LPC Risk Management Chair
To download a BSA form that assists in reviewing your meeting site for safety, click on the link below:
http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/mpinsp.pdf