Health & Safety

In the Order of the Arrow, as in Scouting, safety is out first priority. If you have any questions or concerns, contact our lodge leadership.

BSA Medical Forms

Whenever you participate in an OA event – from Ordeals to NOAC, we should have your BSA Medical Forms on file. Bring a completed copy of parts A & B to your Chapter Adviser at the start of any Chapter/Lodge event. For events outside the Lodge, submit them to the Lodge Contingent Adviser.

• Annual Health and Medical Record Forms

Chapter Camping Policies

Updated March 2025

Tipisa Lodge abides by Scouting America’s Youth Protection policies.
https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/yp-faqs/
https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01/ 

Attendance Requirements

• All Participants must be registered in Scouting.
• Tipisa Lodge members must be dues-current.
• For the purpose of these policies, 
• “Youth” are under age 18. 
• “Adults” are 18 years old or older. 
• Participants who are, or will become, adults by the end of the event must have completed YPT within 2 years of the event’s end date.
• Leaders must follow the Scouter Code of Conduct.
• No one-on-one contact: Adults cannot be alone with youth (in-person or online).
• Discipline: Must be constructive; corporal punishment, humiliation, and ridicule are prohibited.
• All Participants must uphold the Scout Oath and Law and follow Youth Protection policies.
• Appropriate attire is required for all activities.
• Prohibited behaviors include violence, bullying, hazing, discrimination, harassment, drugs, alcohol, pornography, inappropriate public displays of affection, sexual activity, and unauthorized weapons.

Chapters Camp as “Units”

• Youth males and females within a chapter will be considered separate, single-gender, “units.”
• Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over must be provided for each unit. 
• Adult leaders are responsible for establishing the barriers and reminding Scouts that members of one gender must not enter the tent/housing of another. 
• Although 18-20 year-olds must be YPT trained, they do not meet the age requirement for adult supervision.
• A registered female adult leader 21 years of age or over must be present for any activity involving female youth or female adult program participants.
• A single girl or boy may not be in the campsite alone. They must be with another same-gender youth with whom they can be “safety-buddies.” Chapters are permitted and encouraged to collaborate on this point.

Campsite Layout

• Separate sleeping areas are required for male and female adults and for male and female youth.
• Separation can be achieved through natural barriers, physical distance, or by the campsite being divided, so long as privacy is achieved for both adults and youth, as well as by gender.  
• Youth sharing tents must be no more than two years apart in age. Solo tenting is permitted.

• Smartphones, cameras, mirrors, drones, etc., are prohibited in places or situations where privacy is expected. 

• Restrooms/showers shall be separately designated or (scheduled, if unavailable).
• Leaders monitor but respect youth privacy.

Sleeping accommodations

• Youth sharing tents must be no more than two years apart in age.
• Youth siblings of the same gender may share sleeping accommodations regardless of age with permission from their parents or legal guardians.
• Adults and youth may not share tents.
• 18-20 year-olds, of the same gender, may tent together as they are considered adults. They may not tent with scouts who are less than 18.
• Exceptional circumstances may warrant a parent or legal guardian sharing accommodations with their same-gender or special needs child if the parent/legal guardian meets all leader registration requirements.

Buddy system

• The buddy system is designed to provide an additional layer of safeguarding by ensuring no youth member is alone and that a buddy can get help in an emergency. 
• The buddy system is used whenever youth members are outside the line of sight of qualified adult leadership and specific activities where the buddy system is required for participation. 
• Buddies are two and can also be three to prevent youth members from being alone.

• Buddy pairs must be same-gender

• Where appropriate a third youth must be added (for a “truddy” group of 3).
• Youth siblings of the same gender may serve as buddies regardless of age with permission from their parents or legal guardians.
• The adult unit leadership oversees and approves buddies.
• Except for siblings, it is recommended that the age gap between buddies be at most three years for non-sleeping activities but must be no more than two years for tenting.
• When exceptional circumstances warrant, a parent or legal guardian may serve as a buddy for their child’s Scouting activities, but youth buddies meeting the above criteria, if available, are always preferred.

Note: To avoid a separate female-only campsite, chapters who cannot meet “buddy” or adult  supervision requirements are encouraged to collaborate with other chapters to achieve YP compliance. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” 

Program Requirements

• All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders. 
• The BSA does not recognize any secret organizations as part of its program. 
• Hazing and initiations are prohibited and have no part during any Scouting activity. 

Reporting Violations

• Mandatory reporting of abuse to law enforcement and child services.
• Policy violations must be reported to the Scout executive.
• Scouts First Helpline (1-844-SCOUTS1) available for abuse-related concerns.
• Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.