10 Summer Camp Safety Tips for Parents
By Michelle Annese

1. Is the camp ACA (American Camp Association) accredited? Although accreditation does not assure safety, and some states, have more rigorous safety requirements, accreditation is a very good place to start. The ACA evaluates many standards concerning safety, health, program and camp operations, and provides support to over 2,200 camps.

2. "Staff Training" or "Counselor Orientation" programs are not all the same. To understand what the counselors are taught, and by whom, you may want to see the training curriculum and training materials. For instance, does the camp share with its counselors the general and activity specific safety requirements they say they DO? Is there a process to document training attendance? Is there a test that counselors need to pass? Is there a document counselors must sign affirming that they understand and will abide by all safety rules and procedures? Ask your camp directors these questions and see if your satisfied with their answers.

3. Your child's safety and well-being directly depends on the type of counselors the camp hires. Counselors are the individuals living and eating with, and supervising, your child 24 hours a day. Ask about the camp's screening process, and review the materials the camp has gathered concerning the counselors, including their biographical backgrounds (and ages), their swimming, driving and criminal records, and their prior employment histories (for example, has a counselor previously been fired elsewhere?). You may also want to know what percentage of the counselors are teachers and/or parents, and what percentage possess a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificate and/or are trained in first aid?