Safety Course Descriptions

Climb on Safely

Climb On Safely is designed to help adult leaders organize a climbing and rappelling program for their unit, similar to Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. It is not designed to teach leaders how to instruct BSA youth in the skills of climbing and/or rappelling. Teaching climbing or rappelling requires a trained climbing instructor who meets the criteria under "qualified instructors" in Climb On Safely. Ideally this person has a current certificate of completion of training for BSA climbing director or BSA climbing instructor. Contact your local your district or council training chairman to get the date, time, and place of the next Climb on Safely course.

Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat

It is not designed to teach leaders how to instruct BSA youth in the skills of climbing and/or rappelling. Teaching climbing or rappelling requires a trained climbing instructor who meets the criteria under "qualified instructors" in Climb On Safely. Ideally this person has a current certificate of completion of training for BSA climbing director or BSA climbing instructor. Contact your local your district or council training chairman to get the date, time, and place of the next Climb on Safely course.

Scouting Safety Begins with Leadership (SSBL)

Because the majority of Scout injuries and accidents occur during unit events, BSA Health and Safety has developed a video and training course intended to heighten troop, pack, and crew leaders' awareness of safety and risk management issues.

Contact your local your district or council training chairman to get the date, time, and place of the next Scouting Safety Begins With Leadership course.

Safe Swim Defense

Before a BSA group may engage in swimming activities of any kind, a minimum of one adult leader must complete Safe Swim Defense training, have a commitment card (No. 34243) with them, and agree to use the eight defenses in this plan.

Although this training is offered every week of Summer Camp at the Aquatics Center, qualified instructors can conduct training throughout the year. Contact your local your district or council training chairman to get the date, time, and place of the next Safe Swim Defense course.

To help adult leaders understand the very important requirements for this training, please visit the National Aquatic Safety page and review the eight defenses.

Safety Afloat

Safety Afloat has been developed to promote boating and boating safety and to set standards for safe unit activity afloat. Before a BSA group may engage in an excursion, expedition, or trip on the water (canoe, raft, sailboat, motorboat, rowboat, tube, or other craft), adult leaders for such activity must complete Safety Afloat Training, No. 34159C, have a commitment card, No. 34242A, with them, and be dedicated to full compliance with all nine points of Safety Afloat.