Big Bend Regional
Sierra Club Outings Policy

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Big Bend Regional Sierra Club
As approved by the BBRSC Executive Committee, Feb. 23, 2007

Outings Policy
The Outings Policies and these Instructions are in accord with that of the National Sierra Club Outings Policies. When doubt about an issue arises, the national statement available at the national Sierra Club “clubhouse” website should be consulted: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/

Following the national standards covers liability issues for the local club and the individual leaders. As the National Policy states, “The Sierra Club has a history of defending its leaders in legal actions when leaders follow Club policy and act within their scope of authority as a leader. Standing Rule 5-1-1 provides that the Board of Directors may, in its discretion, provide by resolution for the indemnification or advancement of defense costs to a volunteer acting at the direction of, and within the scope of their duties for the Club.” They cover claims for bodily injury, death, damage to property of others, or infringement on others' personal and property rights, but this is not a medical or accident policy to insure leaders or participants against losses from injuries.

Leader Requirements.
Requirements marked XXX are waived for those with previous outing training to begin our local BBRSC Outing Program.
Requirements for those leading day hikes and car camping (Level 1):
1. Be a Sierra Club member.
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Have First Aid certification equivalent to or higher than American Red Cross Basic.
4. Have outing participant skills appropriate for the activities of the trip towards the advanced end of the scale.
5. Receive approval to lead outings from the Outing Chair.
XXX 6..Complete the Outings Leader Training - Basic ("OLT 101"), available on the OLT website.
XXX 7. Provisionally Lead at least one outing and receive a positive evaluation by a Mentor Leader.
Requirements for those leading an overnight stay away from cars (Level 2).
All of the above and the following training:
XXX 1.Successfu1. Successfullyhe Outings Leader Training Workshop which includes OLT 101 and OLT 201, available on the website. The leader must complete the following portion of the OLT 201 curriculum on his or her own: Safety Management Planning, Trip Planning, Interpersonal Leadership, and Group Management
XXX 2. Provisionally Lead at least one outing that includes an overnight stay away from cars and receive a positive evaluation by the Mentor Leader.

OLT 101, OLT 201, and the Basic First Aid training must be renewed every 4 years. Records will be kept for all leaders on when the various requirements are fulfilled and updated.
Each outing should have one primary leader who has fulfilled the requirements. Others may assist as guides, first aid experts, and other secondary leaders.


Planning an outing
The Outing Committee will meet several times a year to discuss and schedule future outings.
Outings should be planned to provide variety of locale and degree of strenuousness.
Individuals can agree to lead particular outings at that time.
Once Outings have been scheduled, the leader should define the hike briefly in writing, noting where the outing will be, its date, how long it will be and how strenuous it will be.
The following general assessments will apply
Easy—1-2 mi. of flat, smooth trail.
Moderate—3-6 mi. relatively flat and smooth, but with some altitude gain and roughness.
Strenuous---8+ miles, rough or no trail, major altitude gain.
Leaders should scout the route of an Outing if possible. If scouting is not feasible, you can use maps, guidebooks, other leaders and local sources for planning a hike.
Outings groups should be kept small, especially on more strenuous hikes. The leader should state the number to be included in the statement about the Outing.
The Leader must check to see if permits are required in the area where the Outing will take place and obtain them as necessary. If an Outing is to be on private land, the Leader is responsible for more the necessary arrangements, including insurance forms.
The leader should calculate any outings costs and plan how they will be paid by participants. Be sure to communicate any outings fees to participants before the outing. Outings can be used as fundraisersfund raiserscal group.
The meeting place and time need to be included in pre-Outing information along with type of transportation to the trailhead. trail headg is fine, but the Leader must not assign any individuals to particular cars. Those in a car should divide the cost equably. Rented cars, vans, or buses are also an option, with Sierra Club discounts sometimes available

Safety management planning
Emergency contact information
A filled-in copy of the Safety Management Form should be left with the Outing Leader before strenuous and overnight Outings. It will have information about emergency contacts and a copy should also be taken on the Outing by the leader. This plan also includes the outing itinerary, emergency resources and contingency/evacuation plans for those seeking to bring assistance. Alternately, the leader should carry information about emergency phone numbers and rescues services. The Outings Chair should also be given information about the route of a hike or other Outing and probable time of return. In all conditions, the chair should be contacted on return.
Leaders should carry cell phones although they can not be trusted to function in some locations. Emergency contact information for participants should be obtained from outings participants before the outing begins, preferably when the Leader talks to someone wishing to be part of the outing.
Medical forms
Medical forms are not necessary for most day hikes, but the Leader should ask about possible medical problems in a pre-hike consultation. For overnight/multi-day outings and more rigorous activities, both participants and leaders should consider filling out medical form before the outing. Leaders should then carry the completed medical forms with them in the field.

Publicity
The leader is responsible for providing publicity about the upcoming outing. This publicity should include the following:
A brief description of the outing and destination
Date, time and meeting place
Whether the outing is easy, moderate, or strenuous.
Any particular skill or training needed by participants
Food, water and equipment needed
That a liability waive must be signed.
The deadline for signing up for the Outing.
     (Typically sign up by the previous Wednesday for a Saturday Outing.)
The leader’s phone and e-mail so that a pre-Outing conversation can take place.
(The Outing Chair’s contact should provide an alternative.)
The Outing Chair will provide information about when and where press releases should be sent. At present these include the following:
BBRSC Newsletter and Website
Alpine Avalanche
Big Bend Sentential
Fort Davis Mountain Dispatch
Big Bend Gazette
Newspapers need receive information two Mondays before the Outing.

Pre-outing communication
The leader should talk to each possible participant before the Outing in order to answer any questions and insure that the participant has proper knowledge about the Outing.
The leader should also evaluate whether or not the participant has the fitness, stamina, and training (if any) necessary.
The participants should be reminded of the requirement to sign a waiver. The Americans with Disability Act criteria declare that a participant need not be accepted for an Outing is he or she will cause excessive extra cost, endanger anyone, or require that the nature of the outing be fundamentally changed.
Information should be taken at this time as to a contact person’s name and phone number or email who should be contacted in an emergency.
If the Outing is already full, get the name of the person and suggest that he or she will be contacted about the next outing. Turn this over to the Outings Chair.

On-Outing Issues
ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE SIGNED WAIVERS
Participants must not leave the group without notifying the leader.
The leader should appoint a Point to lead a hiking outing and a Sweep to be the last hiker to insure no one gets left behind. Anyone leaving the group temporarily should be sure the sweep knows and waits for them.
No radios, Ipods, and comparable devices are allowed on Outings.
Cell phones should be used only in emergencies and can not be assumed to work in areas far from tower (including south Brewster County.)
No firearms are allowed on Outings.
No pets are allowed on the Outing are allowed without special notice.
Anyone needing medicine or devices such as an inhaler in personably responsible for bringing the necessary items.
The trip officially begins at the Trail head.
Leave no trace behind.

Basic camp or car camping
No one should leave the exterior of the camping area, as defined by the leader, without the permission of the leader. Those hiking out from the base camp should not go alone.
Leaving an outing early:
The leader must keep track of participants from the start of an outing to the end. If a participant wishes to depart from the group before the end of an outing, they must sign out on the Sign-In Sheet and Liability Waiver by initialing the Early Sign-Out column. Participants may not sign out and then sign back in later in the outing.
Lost participant:
If someone on an outing becomes lost, leaders should follow the Sierra Club protocol for finding lost participants - a search for lost participants will not begin after dark unless there is good cause for alarm, and searching will not begin (or resume) until eight o'clock the next morning. This protocol should always be mentioned in the trailhead talk. If practical or emotional factors necessitate a night search, proceed methodically with a closely spaced line.
Problem behaviors
If participants are truly disruptive to the progress or safety of the outing, the leader has the authority to remove that individual from the outing. Removing someone from an outing should be treated like any other evacuation, and the they should be escorted back to the trailhead. If the individual may want to participate on future outings, report the incident to your Outings Chair. No incident report is needed.

Occasionally you may encounter people who become confrontational. Regardless of the cause of the hostility, the best course of action is to avoid any conflict and quickly distance your group from the hostile non-participants. If your group felt overly threatened during the confrontation, or any laws or land use regulations were violated, contact the proper authorities as soon as possible. If authorities are contacted, be sure to submit a completed Sierra Club Incident form, and the national office will follow up with you to provide advice and assistance.

Emergency response
See Emergency Response Card.
Stay calm.
Establish or maintain leadership roles:
Primary leader addresses the needs and safety of the entire group, manages resources, and coordinates evacuation plans
First aid leader tends to the medical needs of the injured patient(s), although the first aid leader may be supervising the delivery of first aid administered by others.
Survey the scene before rushing in, protect yourself and your group members, and don't create more injuries. Consider: Is the scene safe? What happened? How many injured people are there? Can bystanders help?
An Emergency Response Patient Report form will guide you through a detailed patient assessment, help you document the patient care you have provided and help you plan an evacuation.
If necessary, contact the Emergency Medical System (e.g., 911) and the local search and rescue team.
Life-threatening emergencies or fatalities:
As soon as possible, contact the Sierra Club Outings Department at: 1-888-OUTINGS (888-688-4647).

FIRST AID POLICY STATEMENT

All outings leaders will have basic aid training, the basic Red Cross course or its equivalent. Leaders of overnight outings awawayrom cars and roads, will have Wilderness First Aid.

The BBRSC will own a well-stocked first aid kit. The leader for each outing should determine which of its items are appropriate for the outing and that everything in the Kit to be used on the Outing be up-to-date and functional. There is no need to carry items which no one on the Outing knows how to use.

EpEpinephrinehould not be bought by the BBRSC. It is the responsibility of the person with allergy problems.

A Safety Management Statement or some other document will be left with a designated person for use in case of emergency. It must indicate where the Outing is going, the basic route and the expected return time.

Any particular risks present for an Outing should be discussed beforehand with participants.

Records will be kept to insure that first aid training is updated every four years.

Any accident with possible long-term impact must be reported on an Incident Form. This is not necessary for minor cuts or bruises.

Ending an Outing
The leader should double check the sign-in sheet to ensure that all participants are accounted for and that all have a way home. Membership forms and any conservation materials should be disturbed to those interested in them.
Let the Outings chair know you are home.

After an Outing Emergency
Incident reports:
An Incident report needs to be filled out and filed with the Sierra Club Risk Management Department in the following situations. Consult with the local Outings Chair in filling out the form and file a copy there.
Any incident that requires search, rescue or evacuation.
Any injury that requires major first aid.
Any injury or illness that could have future complications.(animal bite, sprain, etc.)
Any act of suspected sexual harassment or child abuse.
Any act that violates the law.
In the event of an incident, mail/fax your Incident Report form, the participant's liability waiver and all other documents relevant to the incident to the Risk Management office.

Liability waivers:
The outings chair should be given all participants’ Waive forms. These must be kept on file 7 years. Names and statistics will be assembled from these. Write-ups or slide shows about the outing shared with the BBRSC meetings and newsletter or elsewhere can help publicize the Outings Program.