Keeping campers and staff safe is at the heart of every great camp experience. While we can’t foresee every challenge, recent heartbreaking events remind us of the profound importance of being ready for life’s unexpected turns.
That’s why we’re sharing A Camp Leader Guide to Emergency Preparedness, with guidance from our very own Business Development Representative, Karla Schell. With her hands-on experience at camps and as a longtime volunteer with the American Camp Association, she knows what works in the real world and how crucial resources like these are for camp communities.
Ultimately, preparedness stretches far beyond simply having supplies on hand; it’s about crafting plans that empower camps to respond swiftly and with unwavering confidence when it truly matters. With robust preparedness woven into the fabric of their operations, camps can continue their most important mission: creating a nurturing environment children can grow, connect deeply, and truly thrive.
To get started, here are a few key areas camp organizers can focus on to prepare for any unforeseen circumstance:
1. The “Grab-and-Go” Emergency Folder: Your Lifeline in a Crisis
In an emergency, quick access to crucial information is vital. A dedicated “emergency situation” folder, serving as a rapid-reference guide, can be incredibly beneficial. For instance, this folder should house pre-configured reports that you can run instantly the current camp population, acting as your essential resource. Including these reports in emergency action plan drills ensures that they are an integral part of your preparedness strategy.
- Comprehensive Roster (Alphabetical and by Cabin/Division): An alphabetical list of all campers and staff is crucial. This should include names, assigned housing (if applicable), phone numbers and emergency contact names and numbers.
- Include critical medical conditions that emergency personnel must know immediately (e.g., diabetes, life-threatening allergies, autism) and a photo of each person for rapid identification.
- Have the same roster broken down by cabin or division for easier localized response.
- Offsite Communication Strategy: These reports aren’t just for those on-site. Designate a group of offsite individuals (e.g., a crisis communication team, agency contacts, or specific designees) to whom these reports can be immediately emailed to as attachments. This ensures vital information reaches key stakeholders even if camp communication systems are compromised.
- Ready-to-Go Health Forms: Keep health forms for all campers and staff readily accessible. You should prepare these to give directly to emergency services or hospitals and must include permission-to-treat waivers.
2. Pre-Scripted Communications: Speaking with Clarity in Chaos
Clear and timely communication is paramount to reassure parents and the wider community. Develop pre-written email, text, and social media templates that can be quickly edited and deployed. This forethought saves your team time from having to compose new messages when your full attention is needed for the emergency itself.
Your team can utilize these for major emergencies, but also will be helpful in more common situations. For example, this would include utility outages, injuries or communicable disease exposure, severe weather or incidents in the surrounding area.
3. Building Bridges with Local Emergency Services: Proactive Partnerships
Establish an annual or pre-season communication routine with local emergency services. This letter should clearly state:
- Anticipated On-Site Population: The maximum number of people you expect to have on camp at any given time.
- Key Emergency Contacts: Both on-site personnel and the designated off-site emergency contacts.
Consider connecting with local emergency responders to find out exactly what information they’d need.
Beyond the Checklist: Building a Culture of Safety
Beyond this robust framework, cultivating a camp-wide safety culture is paramount for true emergency preparedness. This includes conducting regular drills, providing comprehensive staff training, continually evaluating your emergency plan, and tracking staff clearances, training, and certifications. With the right planning and preparation, camp organizers can ensure camp runs smoothly, even when emergencies happen.
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