Summer Safety Tips for Kids’ Camp

Summer camps are as American as apple pie and ice cream but in today’s world, you have to take safety issues seriously when kids are involved – especially at church. If your church is sponsoring a week of VBS or a season-long camp, you should consider these important safety tips. Nobody wants accidents to happen but they can and sometimes these unhappy events are made worse when we don’t know how to respond. Don’t forget to incorporate these summer safety tips into your daily camp procedures.
Check and double-check those contact forms. Here’s the temptation – you know the child and his family. If something happens, you think, someone’s got the phone number, right? Don’t take a chance, make sure those contact forms are filled out completely. Ask for a second contact phone number in case you need it.
Avoid triggering those food allergies. Ask those important food allergy questions during the initial intake or registration process. If you have kids in your ministry that have any allergies (peanuts or dairy top my kids’ list), keep the list handy for people who serve food. Don’t let kids share or swap snacks.
Teach workers how to use a medical emergency checklist. You won’t have time to go looking for a checklist when an emergency occurs but you should train everyone ahead of time. Consider creating fire, tornado and earthquake procedures too. Just be sure that they are well trained because any parent who comes by and sees that a worker has done a wrong treatment, they can use uk medical negligence to file complains and sue the establishment.
Treat insect stings promptly. Wash the sting immediately with soap and water, then apply an antiseptic. If you see swelling or unusual redness, apply an ice pack and contact the child’s parents. If you have permission and the child is allergic to stings, you may have to administer an oral antihistamine to avoid serious problems.
Count little ones frequently, especially if you transport kids. Going to the movies, a park or anywhere? Tragedies can occur when kids get left behind in a hot vehicle, van or bus. Nobody wants to think about it, but it does happen, sadly.
Fill the first aid kit regularly. Show workers where you keep the supplies and encourage them to replace what they use weekly. Put first aid kits up and away from curious kids.
An extra ounce of caution can prevent ending your summer event on a sad note.