Girl Scouts of Colorado Emergency Action Plan
For Meetings, Field Trips, & Day Trips
Build a location-specific Emergency Action Plan. Safety Activity Checkpoints requires a written EAP before starting any activity. This tool walks you through the process: gather key information, think through scenarios, assign roles, and plan your response. Use it for field trips, day trips, and your regular meetings. For a regular meeting location, you may not need the full emergency contacts section. Instead, focus on exits, meeting place, roles, and communication. You can print, save as PDF, and come back to edit anytime.
Start by thinking through three questions about your activity:
Risk. What dangers or risks are associated with this activity?
Prevention. What can we do to prevent those dangers?
Response. What will we do if something happens, despite our plans?
Keep these questions in mind as you fill out each section below.
Risk. What dangers or risks are associated with this activity?
Prevention. What can we do to prevent those dangers?
Response. What will we do if something happens, despite our plans?
Keep these questions in mind as you fill out each section below.
Location Details
Uses the Events, Travel, and Camping column. For multi-level groups, select the youngest level. Minimum 2 unrelated, background-checked volunteers (at least one female) required for all gatherings and trips.
Attach a full roster with all Girl Scout and adult names, emergency contacts, and relevant medical information. The roster is part of your EAP. You should keep a copy in each vehicle (for trips) and at each meeting.
1
Contact List
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List specific contacts for this destination. Use the actual facility name and number, not "nearest hospital." Include two stay-at-home contacts in priority order.
Call after 911 to notify GSCO of an emergency. This number does not connect to emergency services.
Listed in priority order. Both contacts should have the full itinerary, destination address, departure/return times, and participant contact list. Caregivers should know which stay-at-home contact to reach.
First Aid Check: Is EMS more than 30 minutes from your activity site?
Girl-led opportunity:
- Younger Girl Scouts can practice dialing 911 on a pretend phone and saying the meeting place address out loud.
- Older Girl Scouts can research the nearest medical facility, compile the contact list, and present it to the troop.
2
Roles and Responsibilities
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Assign each attending adult a default emergency role that is agreed upon before trip day, not during a crisis. If roles change depending on the type of emergency, note the exceptions below.
3
Exit Strategy
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Document the specific emergency exits and evacuation routes for this venue. Walk the exits when you arrive and confirm they match your plan. If you have a venue map or diagram, attach it to the printed version of this plan.
Tip: Attach or staple any venue maps, floor plans, or hand-drawn diagrams to the printed version of this EAP. Mark the exits, meeting place, and first aid station on the map.
4
Emergency Meeting Place
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Choose a specific, visible spot everyone can find, not just "the parking lot." Confirm it when you arrive on site.
Briefing reminder: Every Girl Scout needs to know the meeting place before a trip starts.
- Younger Girl Scouts: Walk them to the spot (try playing follow the leader or a similar game! Point out the spot and have them say it back to you. Make it concrete and visual.
- Older Girl Scouts: Include them in choosing the meeting place and have them explain why it works (visible, accessible, away from traffic, etc.).
5
Communication Method
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How will adults communicate in an emergency? How will Girl Scouts signal for help? Plan for low-tech backups as phones may die or lose signal.
Girl-led opportunity:
- Younger Girl Scouts: Practice the distress signal at the troop meeting before the trip. You can even make it a game.
- Older Girl Scouts: Have them develop the communication plan and teach it to the group.
6
Emergency Scenarios
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Think through each scenario at this specific location. For each one, consider what you can do to prevent it and how you will respond if it happens. Your default roles from Section 2 carry forward — you don't need to re-list names unless a scenario changes who does what.
Medical Emergency / Sudden Illness
Injury
Weather-Related Crisis
Fire — Structure or Wildfire
Missing or Lost Person
Active Threat
Girl-led opportunity:
- Younger Girl Scouts: Review the "what to do if separated" plan at the troop meeting before the trip, using a story or role-play.
- Older Girl Scouts: Have them present the full EAP to the troop as a pre-trip safety briefing. That's a real leadership responsibility!
