The SCA Board of Directors seeks commentary on a proposal to eliminate the official Office of the Chirurgeonate, and the associated changes to Corpora necessary to accomplish this action.
The Office of the Society Chirurgeon has been providing exemplary service to the Society since 1986. The Society and Board of Directors are tremendously grateful for the sterling service the Office of the Society Chirurgeon has provided over the years, and hope to continue to allow licensed first aid providers to provide such service, while needing to take into account the realities of the climate in which the SCA currently operates.
The Board of Directors has been advised by its outside counsel, as well as by its insurance company, that having officers of the Corporation acting as emergency services providers and warranting them as official Chirurgeons represents an unacceptable assumption of liability by the Corporation for the actions of these individuals. The SCA can allow individual medical professionals to provide emergency care under their own licenses and the various Good Samaritan laws. Such services can also be provided by professional emergency services organizations and companies that provide such services. However, having corporate officers and warranted officials do so represents an unacceptable risk according to both our outside counsel and our insurance company.
Acting upon the recommendations of our professional advisors, the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. seeks commentary regarding a proposal to eliminate the Office of the Society Chirurgeon, the Kingdom and local Chirurgeons, and all associated Deputies and warranted Chirurgeons as of a future date. All Society Chirurgeonate activities and warrants of office would cease at that time. Any emergency services at SCA activities would thereafter only be performed by Good Samaritans under their own licenses, or by professionals or professional organizations specifically hired or called by event staff to provide such services.
Individuals with appropriate emergency care related licenses or those acting under the general Good Samaritan laws that might be applicable are, of course, free to provide emergency care at SCA activities under the terms of their licenses and applicable state and local laws. However, they would be doing so as volunteers and would not be warranted by the SCA nor hold an SCA office related to the provision of emergency care services. Similarly, professional emergency care organizations (e.g., municipal, non-profit or for-profit ambulance providers) that are not affiliated with or part of the SCA or any SCA organization, might provide emergency care services at SCA events (particularly larger SCA wars) through arranged voluntary or for-hire agreements with event staff. Licensed individuals would still be able to provide significant service to their local groups, Kingdoms, and the Society by offering to provide any emergency services under their own licenses (and would thus be worthy of any and all appropriate awards) — but would no longer be providing such services through an official Society Chirurgeonate.
The SCA would no longer maintain an Office of the Society Chirurgeon, Kingdom or local Chirurgeons, or warrant any Chirurgeons or Chirurgeonate activity. However, individuals are still encouraged to meet and pursue any and all SCA-related interests on their own. People are, of course, free to pursue and provide emergency care at SCA activities as licensed medical practitioners under the licensing laws of their state or any Good Samaritan laws that might be applicable. Any such unofficial organizations, communications, or provision of emergency care related services would not be sponsored or overseen by the SCA, Inc. or any of its groups.
The SCA would no longer have Corporate, Kingdom, or local Chirurgeon officers or warranted Chirurgeons, so any and all class material taught on any related subjects would be developed and provided by SCA members individually and based on their own accreditation, licenses, and experience. Because the SCA, Inc., does not endorse or supply the content of any classes taught at SCA activities (other than those being taught by Officers in support of their Office), individual members are free to teach classes on any material that might be related to unofficial first aid activities, but would be doing so strictly as individuals with no official sanction or involvement of SCA, Inc. As individuals, such service could also be considered worthy of any and all appropriate awards, although there would be no relationship to an official Society Chirurgeonate.
The Board of Directors seeks comments on the matter through 03/18/2014, which can be directed to . Additionally, we invite all those interested to send their comments to the Society Chirurgeon (). The Board of Directors invites the populace to take advantage of the range of our communication outlets -- including email lists, social media venues, and public meetings -- to discuss the issue, but would simply like to remind everybody that courtesy and the presumption of honor are core values of the Society, and apply equally in on line venues as they do at SCA events. Additionally, the Board of Directors will be holding a public meeting at Gulf Wars, where these interested in discussing this issue are welcome to hear what the Board has to say and share their feedback.
