Safe Swim Defense does not apply to boating or water activities such as waterskiing or swamped boat drills that are covered by Safety Afloat guidelines. Army Corps of Engineers lakes and at all temporary swimming areas such as a lake, river, or ocean. Safe Swim Defense standards apply at backyard, hotel, apartment, and public pools at established waterfront swim areas such as beaches at state parks and U.S. Adult leaders supervising a swimming activity must have completed Safe Swim Defense training within the previous two years. Safe Swim DefenseīSA groups shall use Safe Swim Defense for all swimming activities. Ultimately, each responsible adult leader must personally decide if they understand the risk factors associated with the activity and is sufficiently experienced and well-informed to make the rational decisions expected of a “qualified supervisor.” The BSA training programs listed above help provide the skills, experience, and guidance for making such a determination.

A Venturing crew on a whitewater excursion may rely on a licensed outfitter to provide the necessary equipment and trained guides.Įvery possible contingency will not be covered with a hard-and-fast rule, and rules are poor substitutes for experience. For example, a Scouts BSA troop at a water park with trained lifeguards on duty need not assign separate unit personnel to perform water rescue. However, under appropriate circumstances, the unit leader may delegate responsibility to trained individuals within the unit or to on-site professionals for the second and third bullet points above.

Unit leadership that accompanies the unit on an outing handles the first and last bullet points above. Is trained and committed to the nine points of BSA Safety Afloat and/or the eight points of Safe Swim Defense.Is confident in their ability to respond appropriately in an emergency.Is experienced in the particular activity.Understands and knowingly accepts responsibility for the well-being and safety of youth members in their care.Both specify that the activities are supervised by a mature and conscientious adult age 21 or older who: Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat govern BSA swimming and boating activities. Responsibilities of Supervisory Personnel The training is available at National Camping Schools. Those with BSA Aquatics Instructor training may serve as aquatics directors at district and council day camps, short-term/long-term (overnight) camps. These training courses are provided locally by qualified instructors who are authorized by the local council.īSA Lifeguard provides professional-level training for lifeguards at unit or summer camp swimming activities and is provided locally by qualified instructors who are authorized by the local council.īSA Aquatics Instructor prepares adults for leadership roles in year-round aquatics programs and is recommended for a least one member of the council aquatics committee. Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat training programs are available online at my. and may also be offered locally by instructors approved by the council aquatics committee or other council authority.Īquatics Supervision: Swimming and Water Rescue and Aquatics Supervision: Paddle Craft Safety cover skills needed for Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat policies at the unit level. Aquatics activities at district and council day and short-term/long-term (overnight, resident) camps must follow appropriate National Camp Accreditation Program ( NCAP) standards. Aquatics Supervision is the primary resource for aquatics at the unit level.

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