Wilderness=20 First Aid=E2=80=94What Is It and Why Should You Care? =

Got=20 Questions?

= Health=20 and Safety Alerts

Managing=20 Risk

The=20 Sweet Sixteen of BSA Safety

Gui= de to=20 Safe Scouting

Online=20 Version

General=20 Resources

Boy Scouts of = America >=20 Scoutin= g Safely=20 > Tour and=20 Activity Plan FAQs

Tour and Activity Plan FAQs

Q. Why should I complete a tour and activity plan?=20
A. The tour and activity plan is a planning tool = for best=20 practices to be prepared for safe and fun adventure. Completing the plan = may not=20 address all possible challenges, but it can help ensure that appropriate = planning has been conducted, that qualified and trained leadership is in = place,=20 and that the right equipment is available for the adventure.

In addition, the plan helps to organize safe and appropriate = transportation=20 to and from an event, and defines driver qualifications and minimum = limits of=20 insurance coverage for drivers and vehicles used to transport = participants.

Please complete and submit this plan at least 21 days in advance = (check with=20 your local council) to ensure your council has enough time to review the = plan=20 and assist as necessary.

Q. When do I need to complete a tour and activity plan?=20
A. Times when a tour and activity plan = must be=20 submitted for council review include the following:

Trips of 500 miles or more; or=20
Trips outside of council borders (exception: not to your = council-owned=20 property); or=20
Trips to Florida Sea Base, Northern Tier, Philmont Scout Ranch, = Summit=20 Bechtel Reserve (you will be asked to present a copy of = your=20 tour and activity plan upon arrival), = national Scout=20 jamboree, National Order of the Arrow Conference, or a regionally = sponsored event; or=20
When conducting any of the following activities outside of council = or=20 district events:=20
- Aquatics activities (swimming, boating, floating, scuba, etc.)=20
- Climbing and rappelling=20
- Orientation flights (process flying plan)=20
- Shooting sports=20
- Any activities involving motorized vehicles as part of the = program=20 (snowmobiles, boating, etc.); or=20
- At a council's request (Contact your local council for=20 additional guidelines or regulations concerning tour and activity = plans;=20 many have set guidelines for events or activities within council = boundaries=20 such as for Cub Scout overnight camping.) =

Regardless, the tour and activity plan is an excellent tool that = should be=20 included in preparation for all activities, even those not requiring it. = It=20 guides a tour leader through itineraries, travel arrangements, two-deep=20 leadership, supervision qualifications, and transportation.

Q. Is it common for a council to set up a rigorous review of = the tour=20 and activity plan or have our unit submit a plan anytime we meet other = than at=20 our weekly meeting place?
A. Your local = council=20 knows your local conditions, common tours, and activies best. We find = that many=20 councils set their policies based on those known risks. We suggest you = contact=20 your council if it choses to exceed the above policy on when and for = what=20 reasons a tour and activity plan should be filed for review.

Q. Where can I find the paper version of the tour and = activity=20 plan?
A. Click on this tour and activity plan = link. Please=20 only use this format if you have a unit without access to MyScouting. We are encouraging = everyone to=20 use the online system.

Q. Where can I find the tour and activity plan online?=20
A. You will need to log in to www.myscouting.org and select = the tour and=20 activity plan under your =E2=80=9CUnit Tool.=E2=80=9D

Q. Is there a training program to show me how to complete the = tour=20 and activity plan online?
A. Yes, please watch this = interactive=20 video if you are have questions. Watch video now. (Download = video)

Q. What if my trip or activity is as a council contingent or = is an OA=20 activity?
A. Contingent planners can = either use=20 the paper version of the tour and activity plan or the = tour leader=20 can record the plan under his or her primary unit affiliation and = council,=20 adding in other adult leadership as needed.

Q. What, if any, transition period is available?=20
A. If you previously completed a tour plan, it is = still=20 valid. You should start using the updated tour and activity plan = immediately;=20 all other paper versions are obsolete.

Q. Why can=E2=80=99t I see tour and activity plans on my = MyScouting=20 account?
A. The most common reason for not = seeing=20 tour and activity plans in your MyScouting account is that your member = ID is not=20 attached to your MyScouting account profile. Please contact the National = Service=20 Desk for assistance at 972-580-2267.

A second common reason is that your registration (position code) does = not=20 support the permission for the application. The application is not = available to=20 individuals registered only as merit badge counselors, Scout parents, or = Tiger=20 Cub adult partners. Please contact your unit leadership if you would = like to=20 update your unit position. Click here for a list of unit positions with = tour and=20 activity plan access.

Q. Why change the tour permit? =
A. This=20 update replaces the former =E2=80=9Conline=E2=80=9D tour permit with an = interactive planning=20 tool that allows you greater flexibility. It is the first phase to the = online=20 version=E2=80=94with more enhancements to come.

Q. What is the difference between a tour permit and the = online=20 version?
A. Several items. With the online = version:

The unit leadership certifies the plan.=20
The local council reviews plans but does not approve them.=20
An email workflow can be used to notify the council, chartered=20 organization, committee chair, and emergency contact that a plan has = been=20 submitted for review.=20
It contains interactive prompts and warnings.=20
It provides active links to program-required training and = education.=20
It provides the ability to store, retrieve, copy, and reuse = previously=20 submitted tour and activity plans (not applicable to permits).=20
It provides the ability to update the plan up until the day before = the=20 tour and activity date.

Q. With the older version, we had a =E2=80=9Cpermit=E2=80=9D = to take with us. What do=20 we take now?
A. You can print a tour and = activity=20 plan summary at the end of your submission. Copies can be made if needed = for=20 your unit, emergency contact, parents, etc.

Q. What materials do I need to complete the online = version?=20
A. You will need the following:

Leadership contact information=20
Vehicle information=20
Description of the activity=20
Travel itinerary

Q. Is planning and preparing for Hazardous Weather training = required=20 for all tours?
A. Yes, it has been = required for=20 all tours since Jan. 1, 2009. It should be repeated every two years and = is=20 appropriate for not only adults, but Boy Scout-aged youth as well. A CD = is=20 available for use at your unit, district, and council events where = Internet=20 access is not available. Search for item number <= SPAN=20 style=3D"COLOR: #0066cc">610642 at www.scoutstuff.org.

Q. What should we use for permission from parents?=20
A. The Activity Consent Form and Approval by Parents = or Guardian=20 is an appropriate resource.

Q. Do I need anything else if we are going on a discovery=20 flight?
A. Yes, please complete the Flying Plan = Application=20 along with an Activity Consent Form and Approval by Parents = or Guardian=20 (for each participant).

Q. With whom do I discuss why we are required to have certain = training before we do certain activities? =
A. We=20 suggest that program and qualified supervision requirements be discussed = with=20 your unit leadership, unit commissioner, district commissioner, or = district=20 executive=E2=80=94in that order. The tour and activity plan does not set = these=20 requirements, policies, or guidelines; it is a tool to help unit = leadership=20 identify qualified supervision requirements for the planned program. The = Guide to Safe Scouting is a = good=20 compendium of information to start your research with as well. In = contains=20 information on training such as Safety Afloat, Safe Swim Defense, and Climb On Safely.

Q. What should I tell the parents in my unit, who always = question why=20 they have to furnish insurance or driver information for their=20 vehicles?
A. We suggest that you review = the Scouting Safely alert on insurance information . For auto = liability, the coverage provided by Scouting is secondary when those = non-owned=20 vehicles are used for an official Scouting activity. We get many reports = that=20 parents want to exclude their information since they are transporting = their own=20 children to and from an event. Recognize that in this scenario, the = official=20 Scouting activity for those youth and their parents would not start = until=20 arrival at the location and would end when they left the location; their = travel=20 is not an official Scouting activity.

Q. What kind of insurance coverage does the BSA provide for = the=20 Scouting program?
A. We suggest that you = review=20 the Scouting Safely alert on insurance=20 information.

Q. Do we really need an Annual Health and Medical Record, No. = 680-001, for all participants?
A. Yes, and = while=20 this is a frequently asked question, it is not a new policy. Information = on the=20 Annual Health and Medical Record, including FAQs, can be found at this = link.

Q. What are the common issues why my tour and activity plan = would be=20 defective or require me to update it before we conduct the tour or=20 activity?
A. Common deficiencies reported = by=20 councils that have reviewed many of the PDF versions of the tour plan = suggest=20 the following:

There are no registered adult leaders.=20
Two-deep leadership = requirements are not=20 met.=20
Both male and female leadership for coed activities is not = present.=20
Qualified supervision is not identified for high-risk activities.=20
Training is not completed for the planned program.=20
Youth Protection training is = not=20 current.=20
Hazardous Weather training is not current.=20
The itinerary is incomplete.=20
Travel plans include excessive mileage or travel in a 24-hour = period.=20
There are not enough vehicles identified to safely transport the = tour.=20
The planned activities are unauthorized.=20
The plan was submitted after the activity or with no lead time.=20
There is incomplete or inadequate insurance information for the = tour or=20 flying plan.

Q. What must be included in the emergency roadside = kit?=20
A. The type of emergency roadside kit needed can = vary=20 depending on, for example, where you live, where the unit is traveling = to/from,=20 or the season (summer, winter). An emergency roadside kit may include = items such=20 as a reflective safety vest, tire jack and lug wrench, jumper cables, = emergency=20 flares, triangle reflective warning signs, fire extinguisher, flashlight = with=20 extra batteries, shovel, work gloves, space blanket, bottled water, = whistle,=20 basic tools (e.g., wrenches, multitip screwdrivers, and pliers), and a = utility=20 knife. You may choose to build your own emergency roadside kit or = purchase one=20 from a local general or hardware store.

Q. We don=E2=80=99t know who the commercial carrier or = charter bus driver=20 will be for our trip, so what do we enter for driver and insurance=20 information?
A. Enter the name of the = company and=20 make sure the commercial carrier provides you with proof of insurance: = $5=20 million CSL for 16 or more passengers or at least $1.5 million CSL for = vehicles=20 designed to transport nine to 15 passengers. It is not expected that = this=20 information will be furnished for commercial airline transportation.

=C2=A9 2010 Boy Scouts of America - = All Rights=20 Reserved

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