General Procedures and Policies at Boxwell

Phone Usage

In case of an emergency, Scouts and leaders may use the phone in the office at the Cripple Crab. Please Note: an adult must accompany all Scouts when using the camp phone at all times. Please remind parents that the camp telephone number is for medical and family emergencies only! Parents are asked to use this number only for emergencies. Boxwell is not equipped with a paging system. If a parent calls with a non-emergency, that message should be communicated at the next available dining opportunity.

Buddy System

For the safety and security of our Scouts, they are strongly encouraged to partner with another Scout whenever they leave their campsite. This "buddy" travels with his Scout friend, insuring that he makes it to his desired destination and returns without issue or incident. No Scout should wander off alone.

Don't be surprised if your Scouts tell you that they were always getting asked "Where's your buddy?" Please help us implement this valuable measure at Boxwell.

Adult Leadership

Each unit must have responsible adult leadership. Each unit in camp is required to have at least two adult leaders present at all times. Units that are unable to secure two deep leadership should contact their district committee to make arrangements to combine with another unit or make other arrangements for their Scouts at summer camp. Leaders must be present day and night. One leader must be at least 21 years of age and the second leader must be at least 18.

Insurance

Each unit in the Middle Tennessee Council is covered by supplemental accident and sickness insurance. This will insure them at camp as well as at all other Scouting activities. Benefits are to cover deductibles or co-pays. Please submit a copy of your son's primary insurance card with his physical form. If a boy is not covered under other insurance, please submit a signed statement from the parent stating this.

Note: The Middle Tennessee Council does NOT insure units visiting from outside the Council. Units must have insurance either through their unit or their home Council. Please send proof of insurance along with your initial Summer Camp registration.

Camp Trading Post

Trading posts are located at Craig and Stahlman. Each trading post is well stocked with handicraft supplies, Boxwell T-shirts, and hats, merit badge pamphlets, fishing supplies, and fun items for the boys. Ice cold soft drink and water, Icees, ice cream and snacks are also available . Operating hours are 8:30 a.m to 9:00 p.m daily, except on Tuesdays when the trading posts close at 7:00 p.m. The trading posts are also open on Saturday morning for last minute purchases from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Every Scout will enjoy a visit to the trading posts several times during the week for refreshing fun and needed supplies. Please send enough - but not too much - money with them to enhance their camping experience. We recommend that every troop establish a unit banking system with an adult banker to help safeguard money that the boys bring to camp. We cannot be responsible for lost or stolen personal items. We also accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover.

We highly recommend that an adult leader periodically accompany boys to the trading post to encourage honest behavior. Shoplifting carries severe and immediate punishment. Remember - a Scout is trustworthy!

Please stop by the trading posts if you bring your son to camp to see the variety of items that we stock and to perhaps enjoy a cold, refreshing drink! Welcome to camp!

General Cleanliness

Let's be clean in everything we are doing. Shower houses will be available for Scouts and leaders. Help us keep camp clean. Trash barrels are in each campsite and throughout camp. Please remember the Outdoor Code. Leave camp cleaner than you found it.

Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on council properties. Violators will be asked to leave. Illegal drugs are also not permitted and this rule is strictly enforced. Prescription drugs must be placed in the care of the health office at the Health Lodge.

Smoking/Tobacco Usage

Scouts are not allowed to smoke or use tobacco at camp. Adults are asked not to smoke around or in sight of Scouts and to always use the designated smoking areas in camp. Absolutely no smoking in buildings or in tents.

Fires, Firefighting and Fuel Policy

The danger of fire exists everywhere in camp. The camp staff is prepared to handle firefighting in camp, but you should be prepared to stop or slow the fire until help arrives. Fireguard charts are furnished and must be posted in camp and should be inspected daily by the unit leader to see that responsibilities are assigned and carried out. Failure to sign the Fireguard Chart will result in an unsatisfactory mark for that day's campsite inspection.

National BSA policy permits the use of liquid fuel only under the direct supervision of a knowledgeable adult leader. Gasoline and other flammable substances are to be stored in the approved fuel storage area in camp (Contact the Camp Commissioner). You must take your empty fuel tanks with you when you leave camp!

Open flames (i.e. candles, Sterno, kerosene lanterns, cigarettes, etc.) are also strictly prohibited in tents.

Fire Extinguishers are provided at each site and should not be played with or removed from the site. Fire Extinguishers remain on the property of Boxwell Scout Reservation.

Camp Security

An important aspect of youth protection at camp is having some control of visitors in the camp. The Scout uniform is a powerful validation symbol making anyone wearing one seem to be in the right place at a Scout camp. Unfortunately, almost anyone can obtain a uniform, whether or not they are registered in the program.

Everyone in attendance at the camp must wear identification that signifies legitimate participation in the camping program. Wristbands, such as those used in hospitals, will be Boxwell's method. The importance of wearing this identification will be stressed when the unit checks in. It is not necessary to explain the youth protection aspect of this identification beyond its signifying a properly registered participant in the camp program.

All visitors to the camp must stop at the camp office (Cripple Crab) and sign in. A guest book for this purpose will be maintained and positive identification required. A special visitor nametag should be given that will easily identify the person as a legitimate visitor. Upon conclusion of their visit, guests will sign out so that camp administrators will know who is on camp property at all times.

Any time a person is spotted in camp without either a visitor's nametag or camp participant identification, that person should be escorted to the office to sign in (staff personnel must determine why that person is on camp property).

Early Scout Release from Camp

Boxwell Scout Reservation is required to check Scouts out of camp with adults that are approved by the camp unit leader or the parent's name that appears on the Scout's medical form. Any adult not approved by the camp unit leader and not named on the Scout's medical form must have a completed "Release Authorization Form" to check the Scout out of camp. Click here to download the release form. Scouts are to be checked out at the Cripple Crab.

Health and Safety

A safe and enjoyable experience has been the focus of the Boy Scouts for decades. The camping experience at Boxwell Scout Reservation is no exception. In the event of an emergency, Boxwell has immediate response capability with a Wilson County Emergency Management team located only three miles away. We also have Emergency Medical Staff on the site at all times working out of the Health Lodge. They can be contacted by radio 24 hours a day. If needed, a medical doctor is on call 24 hours a day and makes weekly visits to camp. He is supported by the Sumner Regional Medical Center located only five miles from Boxwell. This facility offers a full array of state-of-the-art medical services. Emergency transportation by ambulance is only a radio call away and we have established a Pre-designated Emergency Landing Area (PELA) with Vanderbilt LifeFlight. The Wilson County Sheriff's Department makes random checks of our facility and is ready to assist in the event of an emergency.

The Middle Tennessee Council Health & Safety Committee has determined that for the safety of Scouts and adults at camp, everyone that comes to camp must understand that it is a privilege to be at Boxwell. If medical attention or recommendation is refused, the patient may be asked to leave Boxwell.

Boxwell Scout Reservation takes the safety of each camper very seriously and pledges to do the utmost to see that they have a safe and enjoyable environment to pursue the great ideals of Scouting.

Emergency Action Plan

In the event of a camp emergency, notify the Camp Director, Program Director, Camp Ranger, and/or the Camp Medical Office immediately. Where an emergency involving a camper is concerned, the appropriate unit leader should be contacted. Emergency phone numbers are posted at each phone location.

Camp Emergencies: with the exception of a weather emergency, all campers are to report immediately to their campsite upon hearing an emergency signal. In the case of a weather emergency, campers should seek protective shelter. Once the weather emergency has passed, campers should report to their campsites. Campers should remain in the campsites until the "All Clear" signal has been given. Leaders should review these procedures with their campers.

The following emergency signals will be used.

Fire Alarm:: Three blasts of a car or air horn throughout camp
Lost Bather Procedure:: Two blasts of a car or air horn blast throughout camp
Weather Emergency:: Continuous blast of a car or air horn throughout camp
All Clear:: Reveille call
Health Emergencies:: The Camp Health Officer will respond to all health emergency situations.

Follow the Rules of the Road – Avoid Accidents with venomous insects and spiders

BEFORE REACHING INTO CONCEALED AREAS

Be alert for black widow and brown recluse spiders under logs, stones, benches and tables. Inspect clothing, shoes, bedding and latrines before use.

YIELD TO YELLOWJACKETS AND BEES

Know that most beverages and foods attract yellowjackets. Always keep trash cans tightly covered.

Avoid painful bites and stings; always give spiders, wasps, and bees the right-of-way. Report any spider, bee or wasp nests to adult troop leaders.

Seek Immediate Medial Attention for Spider Bites or Bee/Wasp Stings!

Ticks

The Health & Safety Committee along with the Camping Committee desires to make our campers more aware of the concerns created by ticks at Boxwell.

Ticks transmit various disease-causing agents from animals to humans, their pets and their livestock. These agents include viruses of disease-producing organisms. They are obligate parasites of vertebrates and in the United States most ticks utilize three different hosts for blood meals, one in each of the lavaral, nymphal, and adult stages.

Common Ticks

Blacklegged (Deer) Tick, Ixodes scapularis

American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variablilis

Most people do not feel a tick biting nor the subsequent drawing of blood it needs for nourishment. If left undisturbed, the tick will remain attached to its host and become engorged with blood over the next 2-4 days, eventually dropping off. If the Ixodes (deer) tick happens to be a carrier of Borrelia Burgdorferi spirochetes, it may transmit them to the host during this feeding process. Once in your body, the spirochetes can multiply. Not all ticks carry the spirochete, and a bite does not always result in the development of Lyme Disease - even if the tick is a carrier. We do spray for ticks twice during the period of Summer Camp.

Tick Awareness Plan - Boxwell Scout Reservation

All participants on day of arrival will be cautioned and directed as to the risk of tick borne disease, and the precautions and procedures to be followed. Signs will be posted throughout Boxwell Reservation with information about ticks.

All embedded ticks are to be removed by Health Lodge personnel and preserved in properly labeled specimen containers (any such incidences will be properly logged according to pre-existing procedures).

All exposed persons will receive written information pertaining to the exposure and appropriate follow-up care. (For youth, the information will be provided to the responsible adult).

Mosquitos

Mosquito bites can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva - this is what causes the red bump and itching. But a more serious consequence of some mosquito bites may be transmission of certain diseases, such as the West Nile Virus.

What is West Nile Virus?: The West Nile virus is a mosquito borne disease that was first detected in the United States in 1999. Most people and animals who become infected with the virus have only a mild illness or no symptoms, though in rare cases can become seriously ill.
What can I do to reduce my risk of being bitten?: Two times during Summer Camp, campsites are sprayed to reduce the number of mosquitoes present. Though mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn, it is advisable to use bug repellent at all times.

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown Recluse Spider - Loxosceles recluse

The Brown Recluse Spider is one of six poisonous kinds of spiders in the United States and is usually found in dark places. When outside, they can be found in piles of rocks, wood, or leaves.

Brown Recluse Spiders are soft-bodied, yellowish-tan to dark brown, about ¼ to ½ inch long and have long, delicate grayish to dark brown legs covered with short, dark hairs. The leg span is about the size of a half dollar. Distinguishing characteristics are the presence of three pairs of eyes arranged in a semicircle on the forepart of the head and a violin-shaped dark marking immediately behind the semicircle of eyes.

How to avoid getting bitten

Be careful in areas where they like to spend time like rock piles and wood piles. Shake out clothing and shoes before dressing, and inspect bedding and towels before using.

Bite Symptoms

The severity of a person's reaction to the bite depends on the amount of venom injected and individual sensitivity to it. Bite effects may be nothing at all, immediate or delayed. Some may not be aware of the bite for 2 to 8 hours, while others may feel a stinging sensation usually followed by intense pain if there is a severe reaction.

A small white blister usually rises at the bite site surrounded by a large congested and swollen area. The affected area enlarges, becomes enflamed and the tissue is hard to the touch. Wash the bite well with soap and water. Apply ice to the area, elevate, it and keep it still.

If you think you have been bitten by a brown recluse spider, seek medical attention IMMEDIATELY!

Vehicles in Camp

The Health & Safety Committee along with the Camping Committee has established a written Policy and Procedures of Vehicles in Camp. The policy follows the guidelines established in the Guide to Safe Scouting as they relate to Boxwell Scout Reservation.

NO PRIVATE VEHICLES will be allowed beyond the camp parking lot for any reason other than provable disability or pre-approved vehicles used to pull trailers to campsites for the delivery of troop and personal gear.
Weather permitting, trailers will be allowed in campsites. However, vehicles used to pull trailers must deliver and return to the designated parking lot within one hour.
All personal gear of campers and troops without trailers will be delivered and removed by camp personnel using camp vehicles.
All parking must be confined to designated parking lots.
All program and administration sites are within convenient walking distance of all campsites.
CAMP SPEED LIMIT IS 25 MPH
No one under the age of 18 will be allowed to drive on the Reservation, with the exception of arriving at the respective camp parking lot.
Visitors must park in the visitor's parking lot and check in at the Cripple Crab before proceeding to their respective camp. NO PARKING ALONG ROAD!!
After check-in, please proceed to the designated parking lot in your respective camp.
Safety belt restraints are required at all times in all vehicles. The passenger number per car is not to exceed the number of safety belts in the vehicle.
BSA Policy states "there is no riding in the back of a pick up truck or a trailer, covered or uncovered."
Due to safety and conservation, vehicles used in camp will be limited to only those designated as Administrative Staff. They are as follows:
- Reservation Manager * Reservation Director * Camp Ranger
- Camp Directors * Camp Trucks * Food Transportation Truck
- Sanitation (Garbage) Truck * Shooting Sports Director * COPE Director
- Emergency Vehicles * Swimming Pool Director
- Staff Vehicles in Camp
Private vehicles of Camp Staff members must be parked in their designated parking lot by 1:00 PM on Sunday and remain there until departure on weekend.
Private vehicles of Camp Staff members age 18 to 21 may be removed from the parking lot on their assigned evening for Staff Night Out and when departing camp on the weekend. At no other time are these vehicles to be moved without the permission of the Reservation Director.
Private vehicles of Camp staff member age 21 and over may be removed from parking lot when Camp Staff member has completed his/her duties of the day. However, these vehicles are allowed only on main roads from camp parking lot to Highway 109.
Violations of this policy will result in loss of driving privileges at Boxwell Scout Reservation. Determination of whether an individual is in violation will be left to the discretion of the Reservation Manager and/or Reservation Director.

Medical Information

It is recommended that all members of the Boy Scouts of America have periodic medical evaluations by a licensed health-care practitioner. In recent years, in an effort to provide better care to those who may become ill or injured and to provide youth members and adult leaders a better understanding of their physical capabilities, the Boy Scouts of America established minimum standards for providing medical information prior to participating in Summer Camp. They are classified as follows:

Class 2: Includes an event that exceeds 72 consecutive hours, where the level of activity is similar to that normally expended at home or at school, and where medical care is readily available. Examples: resident camping, tour camping, and hiking in relatively populated areas. Medical data required is an annual health history signed by parents or guardian supported by a medical evaluation completed within the past 36 months by a licensed health-care practitioner.; The Personal Health and Medical Record - Class 2, is designed primarily for resident Cub Scout and Boy Scout summer camp, but could be used for any Class 2 activity. Youth members and adult participants under 40 years of age use this form.
Class 3: Includes any event involving strenuous activity such as backpacking, high altitude, extreme weather conditions, cold water, exposure, fatigue, athletic competition, adventure challenge, or remote conditions where readily available medical care cannot be assured. Examples: high-adventure activities, jamborees, WoodBadge, and extended backpacking trips in remote areas. Medical information required includes current health history supported by a medical evaluation within the past 12 months performed by a licensed health-care practitioner. Form 34412 is to be used by youth for Class 3 activities. Adults age 40 or older will use this form for all Scout activities.; All participants in COPE and all High Adventure Camp activities must complete the Class 3 Health and Medical Records

All adult leaders at camp must have a physical on file for any over night stay.