Camps ‘R’ Us prioritizes the safety, health, and security of our campers as if they were our own. We emphasize safety and health from our hiring all the way through to the last day of camp and at every step in between. Explore our summer camp safety protocols and camp health policies below to learn more.
Safety Starts With Hiring and Training
Our Camp Staff have the greatest impact on your child’s summer camp experience because they interact with them day in and day out. Before camp season begins, we make every effort to ensure all our camp staff have the qualifications and skills required to provide an unmatched summer camp experience for your family.
A Window Into Our Hiring Philosophy
Who we choose to hire and why plays an important role in your child’s summer experience so we take this responsibility seriously. Whether we’re hiring a Campus Director or Counselor, we choose the most qualified, experienced, and child-focused professionals in our area.
- Qualifications: Our staff are either pursuing or have completed education in child development or care. They must pass a thorough background check.
- Experience: Our candidates have extensive prior experience working with children.
- Dedication: Only after an in-depth discussion with our Directors are candidates brought into the Camps ‘R’ Us family.
Enroll with confidence, our top priority is your child’s safety and well-being. Register today!
Annual Training Ensures Responsive Policies
Staff receive annual training to ensure our policies remain fresh and responsive to our families’needs. Staff safety training includes risk management and emergency preparedness to provide for the safety and security of the campus. Before the camp season begins, our staff members receive training for fire evacuations, active shooters, lockouts, and lockdowns.
During this annual training staff are also taught how to plan for allergies through the Safe4Kids curriculum and what strategies best reduce the risk of allergic reactions. They also learn how to respond to allergic reactions, including life-threatening ones. Our staff learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, prepare for food allergy emergencies and reduce the likelihood of food allergen exposure.
Each Campus has a Designated Health Officer
In addition to the routine training in health and safety that all our staff receive, we provide a health-trained staff member operating a designated health office. For enhanced safety, only this certified health designee may provide care to our campers. The health designee is certified in American Red Cross CPR/AED for Professionals, Responding to Emergencies First Aid, and Anaphylaxis Response.
We Incorporate Health Into Our Enrollment Process
Parents play an important role in helping us prevent communicable diseases before camp begins by completing and submitting health forms by April 1st or within 10 days of enrollment after April 1st. For convenience and efficiency, these forms are available 24/7 online at our CampinTouch and Campanion App.
Download our Parent Guide for complete safety and health protocol details!
Our Camp Medical Guidelines
Before camp kicks off each year, families can communicate vital health information about their campers to our Health and Wellness Director and Campus Directors. Sharing information about medication, allergies, and chronic health conditions allows our staff to plan ahead and implement proper camp medical guidelines.
Medication Policy at Camp
To ensure all campers are safe and those that require medication receive it, we ask an authorized adult to deliver all medication in its original packaging to the campus health designee. For additional safety we keep the medication in a locked container accessible only to health staff.
Allergy Awareness Policies
Similarly, we request that automatic injectors such as EpiPens are provided on the first day of camp with the physician’s complete written orders. Our health staff can assist children if there’s suspected anaphylaxis. Our staff also clean and maintain allergy free tables at all meal and snack times.
Camp Health Policies
Once camp begins, we implement policies aimed at communicable disease prevention. Below are just some of our policies regarding the health of campers.
- Campus health offices have a designated sick camper area and dedicated quarantine space for campers with communicable diseases to prevent their spread.
- If children have symptoms of communicable illnesses, we will contact parents to notify them and have them pick up their child.
- Children with communicable illnesses must be symptom free for 24 hours and have a doctor’s note before returning to camp.
- We notify parents if their child has been exposed to a communicable disease along with instructions on what to do next.
Summer Camp Safety Protocols
Each campus has in place various measures to promote the safety and security of campers, staff, and family whether at camp, in the pool, or on a trip.
These include:
- A single point of entry and egress at the main building that is staffed whenever the door is open.
- Campers remain supervised during all activities by a combination of counselors, group leaders, and directors.
- Our Health and Wellness Director notifies local police, fire, and the nearest trauma center hospital before every camp season begins so they understand that any subsequent 9-1-1 response may have children present.
- When weather reports indicate a risk of extreme heat we modify our programming, particularly the scope and duration of outdoor activities.
- We may decide to close the camp for the safety of staff and campers when severe weather is forecasted. These decisions are made before the camp day begins.
- Campers are only allowed in less than chest height water, under constant supervision, with counselors in the water, and the buddy system. Campers must pass a swim test before camp to go into less than chin height water.
- On field trips, our low child-to-counselor ratio and additional chaperones help us keep our group together and our campers secure.
Camps ‘R’ Us: Safety Is Our Highest Priority
We understand that the best summer camp is the one that brings your child home safe and healthy each day. If you have any questions about our camp health policies, contact us today for answers and clarification. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for real-time camp updates and safety highlights.