Educational Trip Leader Permit

Each year, thousands of students take safely to the woods and waters of Maine on educational trips organized and led by their schools, colleges, or universities. While some of these trips are led by registered Maine guides, who are either regular employees of these educational institutions or hired specifically for the excursion, many of these trips at colleges and universities are led by fellow students who have undergone extensive training including wilderness safety. In other instances, educators or staff members with experience and training lead the outings. 

There had been a long-held assumption by many educational institutions that student participants were typically not paying directly for excursions nor was their trip leader being directly compensated, so they were not required by State law to hire a registered Maine guide for any paddling or overnight primitive camping. So, to provide clarity to this decade's old uncertainty and to provide a path for educators and educational institutions to be in compliance with statute, the Educational Trip Leader Permit was established through the 129th Legislature. 

You can read the ETL Taskforce report to the Legislature here (PDF)

An educational institution conducting an outdoor educational trip that would normally require a registered Maine guide (trips overnight away from potable water and/or trips that occur on Maine's waterways) shall provide for every 12 trip participants at least one educational trip leader who holds a valid educational trip leader permit and who is associated with the educational institution. If the person who is conducting the trip holds a valid Maine Guide's license, then the educational trip leader permit is not required.

"Outdoor educational trip" means an educational or recreational outdoor trip conducted by an educational institution that includes non-motorized boating and/or camping at a primitive camping area but does not include fishing, hunting, trapping or the use of snowmobiles, motorboats or all-terrain vehicles.

A person can apply for an ETL permit if they meet the following criteria:

• are at least 18 years old
• have successfully completed the ETL training and testing
• hold a valid and updated Wilderness First Aid (or greater) and CPR certification

Note: Someone working under an ETL permit must be "an employee or student sponsored and certified by the educational institution in which they are enrolled, employed by or affiliated with, to lead outdoor recreational trips."

According to Maine statute, a "primitive camping area" means a camping location that does not have access to a water supply that is approved by the Department of Health and Human Services. 

As an example, all campsites in Baxter State Park would be considered primitive under this definition. However, campsites at any of Acadia National Park's campgrounds would not be considered primitive.

"Educational institution" means a public school or private school as defined in Title 20-A, section 1, a postsecondary education institution or any other education institution defined by the commissioner by rule.

The Educational Trip Leader Advisory Committee has created a process for the training and testing of Educational Trip Leaders, as well as the application process for folks who wish to become ETL Instructors and/or ETL Administrators. MDIFW is accepting and processing ETL permits, and the application can be found on the DIFW website, here. We now have multiple ETL Instructors around the state who can train and test ETL permit applicants, and sign their permit applications. More information on the ETL Instructor and Administrator roles can be found below.

ETL permit holders must be employees of or enrolled students in the schools for which they are leading trips. However, statute and rule allow a very narrow definition of "affiliated" individuals to hold an ETL permit, even if they are not employed by the school. The only allowable circumstance where an individual not employed by or a student of a school could hold and use an ETL permit would be if they are an officially approved volunteer by the school. Volunteers not receiving remuneration don't need to be registered Maine guides and thus wouldn't need to be ETL permit holders, however, a volunteer (such as a parent, or retired teacher) could hold an ETL permit and thus help with the required 12:1 ratios.

No. Municipal recreation departments are not educational institutions. Some recreation departments choose to run outdoor trips under the Camp Trip Leader program, if their programming is licensed as a camp under the Department of Health and Human Resources.

It depends on what the trips are. If the trips would normally require an registered Maine guide or ETL (as explained above) then, yes, each group would need an ETL that is abiding by the 12:1 ratio. However, if some trips don't require a guide/ETL (for example, a day hike or mountain bike outing), then those trips would not require ETLs.

The cost of training will depend on where you decide to take the training. If your educational institution has an approved ETL Instructor "in house" your training may even be free. 

An ETL permit application is $20, and the permit lasts 5 years.

The cost of a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course depends on where you take the course, but an average cost is around $250.

No. According to statute and rule, ETL permit holders must be employees of the educational institution for whom they are leading outdoor recreational trips. Some non-profit organizations opt to work under the Camp Trip Leader program if they run camps, others use registered Maine guides for the trips that need them.

No. Leading day trips that are not on water would not require a Maine guide, and so they would also not require an ETL.

Yes. If you are leading trips on water as part of your job, including day trips, a Maine guide's license is required. Therefore, you can make use of the ETL program if your situation meets the criteria outlined above.

Please see these links for more information:
ETL Instructor Approval Process
ETL Instructor application form

Please see these links for more information:
ETL Administrator Approval Process
ETL Administrator application form

Section One Topics: 

1. Group Development and Formation
2. Human and Individual Development
3. Communication and Debriefing
4. Outdoor Leadership
5. Experiential Learning
6. Diversity and Inclusion

Section One Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Set and meet specific program/trip goals established by the ETL and/or the sponsoring organization,
2. Explain the basics of group dynamics, and how to create a physically and emotionally safe environment for all participants in the outdoors, 
3. Demonstrate how to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with participants, including delivering a safety talk, and
4. Demonstrate basic skills of group facilitation. 

Section Two Topics:

1. Emergency Preparedness 
2. Decision Making 
3. Emergency Communication Methods
4. Environmental Hazards
5. Other Hazards (Point to WFA skills)

Section Two Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Accurately identify the variables of abilities, weather, and other hazards - known or potential - in order to make good decisions, 
2. Explain and identify risk management and group decision making strategies that will help a trip be as successful as possible for all participants, and
3. Explain the components of an emergency action plan, including methods of emergency communication. 

Section Three Topics:

1. Weather
2. Navigation
3. Trip Planning
4. Land-use, Permitting, and Landowner Relations 
5. Minimum Impact Travel & Wilderness Ethics

Section Three Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Create a safe and appropriate trip plan for their level of skill and the skill level of students,
2. Explain the key components of minimum impact travel and wilderness ethics, and
3. Demonstrate the basic use of a map and compass.

Section Four Topics:

1. Water Treatment
2. Fire Use & Safety
3. Stove Safety & Cooking
4. Campsite Selection & Shelter (Tarp/tent) Set Up
5. Health & Hygiene

Section Four Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Identify and explain basic camp set-up, and safe cooking, water treatment, and cleaning skills, and
2. Identify and explain stove and fire use and safety skills.

Section Five Required Topic (A) and Potential Topics (B-E):

1. Inland Water Activities
   At minimum, the training needs to cover the experience and skill level needed to facilitate group activities in higher risk water environments, including industry standards around swimming, and include basic water safety skills including proper PFD fit and RETHROG.
2. On-Trail Activities
3. On-Rock Activities
4. On-Snow and Ice Activities
5. Industry Related Certifications

Section Five Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Discuss the experience and skill level needed to facilitate group activities in higher risk environments, including industry standards around swimming, and
2. Demonstrate basic water safety skills including proper PFD fit and RETHROG.

Section Six Topics:

1. Educational Trip Leader Permit System
2. Becoming a Registered Maine Guide
3. Outdoor Recreation Workforce Opportunities
4. Current level of experience and knowledge
5. Next steps for training and education

Section Six Learning Objectives:
By the end of this training, the Educational Trip Leader should be able to...

1. Explain the responsibilities and limits of the ETL permit, including WFA certification,
2. Explain the differences between Registered Maine Guides and ETLs, 
3. Explain how to stay current as an ETL and how to get more training and experience as a trip leader, and,
4. Identify the importance of outdoor education for participants, how to pursue outdoor career opportunities, and how to become more involved in Maine's outdoor industry.