Hi. Looking for some guidance on whether or not during a Sqn camp we are or are not allowed to have an open fire and if there are any regulations about it.
I’ve tried searching share point but to no avail.
I seem to recall a document several years ago relating to the banning of open camp fires in case cadets got hurt or someone accidentally puts a gas canister on it etc, but have no idea if this is a wing, region or corps policy. Also I’ve not seen anything about this in a long time, so I’m hoping someone in the community can shed some light on this.
I’m sure someone will come along with some sort of outlining document, since I have no access to such material.
In the interest of common sense, I’d hope if there is guidance on this, that it should allow campfires. Kids in the Scouting organisation are allowed around campfires as young as 8 years old. It’s good fun and keeps you warm. They’re completely safe as long as they’re properly constructed (not hard) and supervised.
Camp fires are usually at the behest of the hosting camp site/land owner, who provide the guidelines and wood!!
Don’t ask the question just get on with it, as the answer will be mindnumbingly isproportionate and completely over the top, for what as said is a fun element.
If the landowner permits it, and you properly risk assess it (and supervise), then crack on.
For your own peace of mind, stick it on the application, with permission from the landowner (or scan the T&Cs of the campsite, and submit the RA. If it gets approved, then your clear for it.
If it gets bounced, then you have your answer to work from there.
I’ve known squadrons have open fires, having jumped through the small hoops.
(Just make sure you take plenty of marshmallows and skewers on which to cook them!)
I’ve lost count of the number of fires I’ve had as a cadet and staff when using sites where it’s allowed.
People mess around with an open fire, prodding, poking etc as it’s something deep within our psyche to do so. Anyone who has or has had an open fire in their house or garden will know this.
If you wrote an RA it’d be too much hassle policing it and you’d lose all the fun element.
I await with baited breath the day you’re taken to court for injuring a cadet because you didn’t bother risk assessing something, because you didn’t agree with is GHE2
How would a risk assessment for a campfire not remove the fun and warmth benefit, and we’ll not go down the toasting of marshmallows.
I wouldn’t use a metal skewer for toasting marshmallows the obvious chem/phys property that means I don’t use a metal mug. I’d use a sharpened stick.
[quote=“glass half empty 2” post=7343]I’ve lost count of the number of fires I’ve had as a cadet and staff when using sites where it’s allowed.
People mess around with an open fire, prodding, poking etc as it’s something deep within our psyche to do so. Anyone who has or has had an open fire in their house or garden will know this.
If you wrote an RA it’d be too much hassle policing it and you’d lose all the fun element.[/quote]Er, do you actually understand the point of a risk assessment?
Assuming that you complete one in a sensible and correct fashion, any of the “fun bits” will either be:
Dangerous, and not to be done
Not dangerous, so crack on
I’d suggest that you’d need adequate supervision, a first aider who’d be there anyway, and a means of extinguishing the fire should it all go wrong. In other words, common sense which is then written down.
There are a number of ‘Survival’ courses run at Wg level across the Corps, and no doubt the RA for these events has no choice but to include the activity. As mentioned, cover the appropriate risks and mitigate where appropriate, and like anything else, it’s about reducing the risk to As Low As Reasonably Practicable.
Have a clearly defined area for the fire - marked by stones or in a pit
Have a method of extinguishing the fire - sand bucket/water bucket
Not use flint stones
Monitor what gets put on
Clear area around to mitigate risk of anything else catching fire
Clear briefing to cadets on safety points, fire procedures (stop drop and roll)
first aider with full first aid kit present.
Fire extinguished at lights out or someone watches it through the night to keep it going
