Covid-19 Response
Parents & Guardians;
Exciting times! We have gotten the OK from Roswell United Methodist Church (RUMC), our Chartered Org, and the BSA to begin meeting in person again.
Your Scoutmasters and I have been planning for months what that would look like and put together comprehensive guidelines that will be enforced to minimize the potential contracting and spread of Covid-19 as we start up face to face troop meetings and outings once again.
All meetings are to be held outdoors only. This will change as the adherence to guidelines put in place are evaluated and it is determined it is safe to use indoor facilities. The RUMC campus will be available to us starting July 13th. Prior to that if the youth leadership desires to meet in person they can have these meetings at a park or outdoor venue. As of July 13th the meetings can resume at RUMC in the outdoor common areas of the campus. This would be the areas in front of or behind the Coffee Shop, the porches at the Dod or the grass area behind the Scout Hut. We will be sharing these common areas with the churches youth groups as they will also start meeting on the 13th again. We will coordinate what areas will be assigned based on participation size and the planned activities for that week with Jason Scott (Youth Minister and our COR).
Attached to this email is the requirements for both meetings and outings. Once it is determined we can begin indoor meetings again, there are some additional protocols that will be shared to ensure the continued safety of scouts and adults.
We want you to know that the scouts and leaders' health and safety are our number one concern always and as we move forward with our scouting adventures additional measures that can enhance what we have put together will be added.
Parents, please run through the requirements with your scouts so they are aware and understand prior to their first in person meeting.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Chris Muly or John Hannah so they can be addressed.
Yours in Scouting
Committee Chair - Scouts, BSA Troop 431
Requirements for all Meetings:
We will follow all Governor and CDC recommendations and more
When arriving at the meeting all temperatures will be taken by touch-less thermometer and logged (for both Scout and Adult planning to stay). If any temperature is found to be over 100 degrees or more all family members will be asked not to stay. Parents please do not leave prior to this being done.
Each person will use hand sanitizer as they arrive and it will be available for use throughout the meeting. At the end of the meeting, again the sanitizer will be used prior to getting in Mom or Dads cars.
There is no drink (other than your water in a marked container identifying you as the owner) or food to be brought to the meeting. Eat your dinner prior to attending.
You will be required to maintain social distancing of at least 6’. If closer contact is needed you will be required to wear a face mask.
Disposable gloves will be supplied and required for scouts handling patrol, troop and American flags.
Requirements for Outings:
We will follow all Governor and CDC recommendations and more
Prior to the outing along with the permission slip a questionnaire will need to be filled out for each participating scout and signed by a parent in regards to virus symptoms.
Each attending Adult Leader will have a filled out and signed questionnaire in regards to any virus symptoms.
Traveling:
We will limit our trips to nearby areas
Each scout is to be dropped off by one of his/her parents (No Car Pooling)
We would expect to revert back to our old method of having 4-5 scouts share a vehicle once school is back in session and school buses are operational for transporting students. This would allow for longer excursion camping. (Before this decision is made we will evaluate the impact).
Tenting:
All Scouts are to tent solo or with a sibling only regardless of scout rank
Tents will be strategically arranged to maximize distancing requirements
Each outing participant will be expected to set up his or her own tent
Health Check:
When arriving at the Outing all temperatures will be taken by touch-less thermometer and logged (for both Scout and Adult Leader participants). If any temperature is found to be over 100 degrees or more all family members will be asked not to stay. Parents please do not leave prior to this being done.
Temperatures will be re-checked and logged prior to lights out and again each morning for all participants. If an adult leader or scout has an escalated temperature of 100 degrees or more that person will be isolated, parents will be contacted for scout and arrangements will be made to leave camp.
Meal:
While it may vary based on size and type of outing planned, we expect to continue Patrol Cooking with additional measures of safety
Strict duty rosters will be created by each patrol to include;
Cook team-one (1) scout for prep and one (1) scout for cooking.
Cleaning team with one (1) scout for wash/rinse/sterilize, one (1) scout who will dry and put away used items. These duties will be rotated for each meals or everyone has the same responsibilities.
Each scout will be required to wear a face mask and disposable gloves for these duties.
Scouts will be instructed and required to maintain a minimum of 6’ distance from others during meal prep and eating.
A Troop Sanitary Tsar will be appointed by the SPL to monitor and prevent congregating during the outing especially at the cook, prep and cleaning stations.
Folding tables are being purchased and will be provided to each patrol to allow more for more spread-out meal, prep and cleaning stations.
Assemblies Activities:
Scouts will be instructed and required to maintain a minimum of 6” from one another during all activities on outings.
Activities will be introduced that allow working or playing from a distance.
Maintaining Sanitary Environment:
Each patrol will be issued a spray bottle of a diluted leach/water mix to be used on patrol boxes and all prep surfaces after each use.
Hand wash/hand sanitizer stations will be established to be used with mandatory scheduled times when everyone uses them.
Troop will maintain supplies to maximize sanitary conditions.
Misc.:
It is recommended that everyone wears a face mask/shield of some sort for the safety of themselves and your fellow scouts.
Adult Leaders-The troop will not set policy on your participation. Each adult will make their own decisions based on personal health conditions and the advise from your doctors.