Safety and Security

The safety, security and well-being of the students in its care are of great importance and concern to RVC. To help keep our travelers safe, we have implemented the following safety and emergency procedures.

Safety and Emergency Procedures

Adult Chaperones

The RVC required ratio of participants to chaperones is 10:1.

Security and Liability Insurance

Group organizers are responsible for the safety and security of all participants at all times during the program. Should an accident happen the organizers would be responsible if negligence could be proven. Well before the visit, ask your school or governing body for more information on its liability insurance policy protecting the organizers and participants, and confirm what coverage exists.

You can be sure that for its part, RVC has taken all the necessary precautions to keep risks to a minimum. We work only with the most reliable and trusted suppliers: officially approved accommodations, which meet our high standards; quality restaurants; and transportation companies experienced in dealing with school groups and meeting all security standards required by law.

Medical Information and Insurance

Medical information should be obtained for each participant (e.g., details of existing medical conditions, detailed instructions for appropriate response in the case of a medical emergency such as the use of EpiPen for treatment of an allergic reaction). Please refer to the RVC Medical Information and Treatment Release Form.

Medical insurance covers the cost of out of province medical treatment not covered by your home province’s medical plan. An example would be a participant with a pre-existing condition such as asthma who has a severe attack and needs to be hospitalized. In this case, the medical need is not in any way related to the RVC activities. Medical insurance is included as part of the RVC tour package -please contact your RVC representative for specific coverage information.

Cancellation insurance covers the cost of the land package and flights if the trip must be cancelled for reasons such as flight cancellations. Cancellation insurance is mandatory to ensure that the group is entitled to a refund of some or all package costs should a cancellation occur.

Safety Procedures and Participants

Discuss emergency procedures with your participants. They need to know where they can reach you or another adult chaperone at all times during their visit in case they get lost or separated from the group. Distribute the Emergency Contact Information Form with all the relevant contact phone numbers for the group. Discuss with participants the procedures for receiving urgent calls from home while they are on the visit.

Even with constant supervision, participants can occasionally get lost, and it is a good idea to discuss this possibility with them beforehand and to have them take note of the proper steps to follow if it happens. Emphasize that it is important that the group member stays where they are. Someone they know will come and get them.

Example of one possible scenario once it is noticed that a participant is missing:

• Chaperone calls the hotel or hostel as soon as the participant’s absence is noted
• Participant locates a landmark, street name, nearby store, or monument, etc. Then finds the nearest phone, calls the hotel or hostel and leaves a clear message stating the following:
  1. his/her name and name of the group;
  2. his/her present location and time.
• The participant stays where they are and a chaperone goes to meet the participant

Emergency Contact Information

For the duration of the visit, every participant and his/her family as well as the school or association administration should have a contact number for the group organizer and/or the phone numbers of all accommodations. In addition, the group organizer must have the 24 hour emergency number. (1-877-782-8909). See the Emergency Contact Information Form.

In Case of Accident or Incident

In the event of an accident or incident, the participant should receive the appropriate care and/or treatment. Once the immediate situation has been dealt with, the following people should be informed:

• the parent or guardian of the participant
• your RVC representative
• the appropriate authorities

If medical treatment is needed while on a program, the person requiring it must present a valid health card at the treatment facility. Be aware, however, that not all out-of-province cards are accepted at all medical facilities.

Should payment for medical service be requested, the accompanying adult or chaperone should make the payment and be sure to retain the original receipts as well as the hospital and/or doctor’s report. Once back home, they should contact their RVC representative so that a claim form and instructions for reimbursement can be provided.