Outdoor Education Tips for Creating a Culture of Safety-Mindedness for Grades 9 to 12

Make sure all teachers and monitors are knowledgeable about the following:

• School board policies, procedures, and approval processes
• The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE)
• The geographic coordinates for the trip
• The route the trip will follow
  • Has the teacher or any of the monitors explored the route or travelled it before the trip with students?
• The condition of the route
  • Has the teacher and/or trip guide consulted with park staff or other appropriate agencies (for example Environment Canada) regarding the recent conditions of the route?
• Trip administration
  • Has the teacher documented student participation in trip requirements (for example, water-based activity requirements, clothes packing)?
  • Has there been sufficient and ongoing communication with the school administration, parents/guardians, and the students?
  • Is the teacher or any of the monitors aware of all administrative requirements of the school and school board?

Make sure teachers and/or trip guide have the appropriate level of knowledge competency required for each activity. For example:

• Skills related to the specific activities involved (for example, hiking, camping, canoeing)
• Certifications related to the specific activities involved (for example Ontario Recreational Canoeing And Kayaking Association (ORCKA) Basic Canoeing Instructor, Paddle Canada Intermediate Tandem Lake Canoeing (Skills), Wilderness First Aid)
• Outdoor food preparation, storage, and cooking skills
• Encountering wild animals (the risks and confrontation skills)
• Navigation skills
• Wilderness first aid skills
• Skills related to the use of emergency communication devices
• Risk and crisis management skills
• Group facilitation and problem-solving skills
• The ability to communicate and interact with colleagues and students in a positive and constructive manner

Make sure students are prepared and, as much as possible, have practiced the following:

• Packing the required and correctly/comfortably fitting gear
• Using the gear
• Basic first aid, including using the first aid kits and emergency communication devices
• Knowing how to identify potential hazards and how to respond
  to prevent injury
• Knowing where and how to access what they need in an emergency
• Navigation
• Preparing food in the outdoors

Ensure your students have the required skills and abilities to easily master the following:

• The trip coordinates
• The trip route/itinerary
  • Have they reviewed the map before the trip, and each night or morning to plan for the day ahead?
• Emergency action plans
• Avoiding wild animals and how to stay safe when encountering them
• Overall risk management
  • Have they reviewed related scenarios, and have they practiced how to react under various circumstances?
• The group dynamics and its role in a successful trip
  • Do they know their responsibilities to self, to others and to the group as a whole?

• Always create an emergency risk management plan and make sure all trip teachers, monitors, and trip guides understand and are comfortable with the outlined plans.
• Trip participants should be made aware of and be comfortable with their role during an emergency.
• Include simple activities for inclement weather (for example, water colour painting or song writing). Consider the extroverts and introverts in the group.

• Organize a pre-trip meeting with all teachers, monitors, and trip guides to review the route itinerary, emergency plans, decision-making strategies, communications, menu, participant concerns, and any other matters that are pertinent to the trip.
• Organize a pre-trip meeting with the students and their parents/guardians in order to make sure everyone has current information and is comfortable with the trip plan, the emergency risk management plan, and the expected behaviour during the trip.
• Be knowledgeable about the site or hosting facility (for example, the park office, local police, campground operators, outside activity providers) and the conditions of the route or facility before the trip, to avoid any last-minute surprises.
• Notify local emergency services of the trip. Leave the trip itinerary with the park office and/or local Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachment. Before the trip, work with the local services to establish emergency measures and telephone numbers to call in case of emergency during the trip.
• Before the trip, have the students complete a personal reflection on their expectations, goals, and biggest “fears” related to the trip. This will help address any worries during discussions with the group, so that each student can benefit fully from the experience. Ensuring everyone is comfortable should relieve tensions that might lead to problems with group dynamics or unsafe situations.
• Be aware of students’ medical conditions and school board policies and procedures on medical conditions, including considerations for carrying medication for use in emergencies (for example epinephrine, naloxone).
• Review the contents of the first aid kit before the trip. Make sure it is well stocked, medications are up to date and appropriately stored and all items are readily accessible during the trip.
• Make sure all meals are planned considering the dietary restrictions of group members. Allow for choice during the planning process so that all participants will be well fed and happy.
• Review hygiene practices before the trip. Before the trip, talk to the students confidentially about their concerns or refer them to a teacher or monitor with whom they can talk about those matters.

• Pay attention when things do not seem right. Take the time required to stop and think things through when decisions need to be made.
• Check in with the other teachers, monitors, and trip guides. If anyone is uncomfortable with a decision, their concern needs to be respected by the group and fully considered when making decisions; for example, if one teacher, monitor or trip guide is uncomfortable heading out or continuing further, the group should stay where they are.