In the United Kingdom, insurance is becoming harder to get and society is becoming increasingly more likely to demand criminal sanctions when accidents occur. Adventure educators can protect themselves by having a demonstrable, transparent system of risk assessment, safety equipment, training, and control, but they must also educate the public to…

Technology is influencing the evolution of adventure and outdoor education. Technology can negate adventure by dispelling the need of skill and mastery for attainment and by fostering a consumer mentality. Technology can enhance adventure by creating new experiences and suggesting that more is now possible. The challenge is to embody appropriate…

This paper stresses the outdoor recreation and education professionals should understand aspects of liability, negligence, and risk management. There are four elements that must be present if a person or organization is to be considered negligent: the presence of a legal duty of care, a breach of duty, proximate cause, and actual damages. When…

Critical decision making on a whitewater trip goes beyond simply having knowledge of safety practices. Rather, prudent decisions are arrived at through a complex interplay of diverse factors. The question is: how can outdoor educators prepare themselves and their staff to make the "right" decision when faced with a potentially dangerous…

This book is designed to help instructors and students master and teach the Wilderness Education Association (WEA) curriculum while in the field. It is formatted in self-contained lesson plans which describe the overall goal, the specific objectives, the body of knowledge, and the materials necessary for teaching about a specific topic within the…

The dilemma in adventure education is to eliminate unreasonable risks to participants without reducing the levels of excitement, challenge, and stress that are inherent in adventure programming. Most accidents in outdoor pursuits are caused by a combination of unsafe conditions; unsafe acts (usually on the part of the student); and error judgments…

The purpose of this illustrated manual is to increase the knowledge and facilitate the training of challenge course instructors at an outdoor education center in Texas. It is intended for use as a tool during staff training for new instructors and as a reference tool throughout the school year by all instructors. The manual presents information…

Although designed for the lost hunter, this 4 by 5 1/2 inch handbook of survival guidelines is compact enough to be included in the backpack of anyone venturing on an outdoor, wilderness expedition in the north woods. Twenty-one major sections provide information and some illustrations about: what to include in a survival kit; the importance of…

To improve outdoor safety in general and the Hunter Safety Program in particular, 879 reported search and rescue incidents involving lost outdoor recreationists conducted by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department for 1974 to 1979 were studied. Data indicated that most incidents involved hikers (45%) and hunters (18%), occurred on clear sunny…

The adventure of adventure education comes in the testing of oneself, in putting self against the environment and in striving to overcome the environment through personal skill. Unfortunately, instead of perceiving the risks in terms of physical and psychological challenges, many schools and other organizations perceive them in terms of liability…

Presents practical information about psychiatric medications and psychological emergencies to assist staff working in outdoor settings with mental health patients. Discusses the potential hazards and side effects of psychotropic drugs. Provides step-by-step guidelines for distinguishing between medical and psychological problems, assessing…

lines insurance needs for adventure education programs. Gives results of a survey (65 percent response rate) of 68 adventure education programs and their insurance coverage or reasons why they had no insurance. Discusses risk management for adventure education programs. (MH)

An expedition is different from other forms of overnight wilderness travel in that it involves extended time and distance in the field; it is beyond the reach of immediate rescue; and the party is self-contained regarding gear, provisions, and decision-making responsibilities. Successful expeditions may prove to be powerful, life-changing…

Providing a beginning point for better understanding of the legal liabilities involved in risk sports and adventure education programs, this article discusses legal liability based on negligence, participants' responsibility, and perception of risk. The establishment of professional safety guidelines is advocated. (JC)

An adventure education center in South Wales has developed a safety contract that enables the client (often a school) and the center to fully discuss responsibilities, safety, and emergency arrangements prior to a course. Clients are educated and reassured by the process, and the contract is a positive marketing tool. Includes a copy of the safety…