President's Perspective

In June 2002, a five-year-old Winnipeg boy drowned in a swimming pool on a school trip. The coroner's 70 page report made 47 recommendations. They covered the number of lifeguards at crowded pools, higher standards for lifeguard training, safety audits for public pools, new procedures for school trips and a safety awareness campaign. However, the boy's father pointed out that if policies already in place had been followed his son would still be alive.

In February 2003, seven Alberta teens on a school ski trip were killed in an avalanche. A 58-page report prepared by an independent expert on adventure education said both the school and the parents contributed to the deaths and stressed that responsibility for safety goes two ways. While the report did not assign blame, it suggested that the school failed in assessing, managing and communicating risk levels. It also criticized the complacent attitude of parents, some of whom signed consent forms without knowing where their children were going or what they would be doing.

How can you make sure your child will be safe on a school trip? First and foremost, make sure a risk management policy is in place - and that the school adheres to it. Find out the details of the outing. If you have reservations, don't give permission for your child to go. Before your child goes, reinforce behaviour expectations.

Responsibility for safety is indeed a two-way street. Schools and parents must work together to make sure school trips never end in tragedy.

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Safety Canada October 2003

Risky School Field Trips

Risk Management for Schools

Field trip safety program for Alberta schools