16 pages is still a huge amount for the majority of what we do. I appreciate that if you start adding in map traces that will bulk it out but we have crept in to a way of working that seems to think that if we write stuff down we will be safe. 16 pages means it is unworkable as a document. How can you realistically use that on an activity? That’s not even including risk assessments, which will pretty much double the page count.
We need to get away from the idea that we have to produce war and peace for every activity. It’s getting to the stage where we’re probably less safe by doing it because we’re trying to include so much info in it we’re not actually going to focus on the actual activity and all we are doing is copying it, changes the dates and not actually caring about what the rest says.
I am willing to bet none of the HQAC sponsored activities have anywhere near that much paper involved in any of them. If it’s good enough for the top of the organisation it is good enough for us.
That assumes that the phone battery hasn’t run down, and more pertinately that you can get a signal. Even if the designated phone won’t work, neither will anybody elses, if the signal is non-existent or the network is down. Then what do you do in the middle of nowhere.
Maybe one shouldn’t be giving the assumed ‘masters of the universe’ more ideas for admin?
To be fair I’ve always made sure that every unit I’ve run has a Squadron mobile phone. It comes on activities with us purely because I have a “no way will parents or Cadets get my mobile number” policy.
How many people actively refer to the admin order / risk assessment / most other “safety” paperwork during the activity? I know I don’t.
I refer to SMS. I read my safety brief. I refer to my lesson plans. Then it all goes in the bag and I get on with it.
If something did go wrong, I wouldn’t be reaching for my emergency action plan. I’d be dealing with the situation, then calling 999 / moving any casualties to A&E / calling parents.
Yes, because you wrote it so should know what it says and the steps you take should follow it.
If soneone else took over because you had to go, they should read it prior to needing it in case there are any peculiarities in the area/plan they wouldn’t know.
oh to have had the luxury of a pc!! Hand written on A4 paper and having to measure the margins and spacings with a ruler and pencil 1st - really am showing my age now
I remember the defence writing exam on IOT with … not much fondness.
And then had a (redacted) of a flight commander who tried to tell me my 96% in 10 minutes was far worse than someone else’s 98% in 35 minutes. Kinda lost faith in the system a bit after that.
