FROST'S SUMMER CAMP SOURCEBOOK - THE DIRECTORY OF CAMP SUPPLIES AND SERVICES
HOW TO HELP CAMPERS & PARENTS DEAL WITH HOMESICKNESS
ANSWERS TO 10 IMPORTANT INSURANCE QUESTIONS
FROST'S SUMMER CAMP SOURCEBOOK COMPANY LISTING FORM
At Frost Publications, Inc., we're delighted to present our online Summer Camp Sourcebook. You'll find a mix of familiar companies and a variety of new firms that are dedicated to serving you and your campers. Please keep in mind that these companies provide the best and most appropriate supplies and services to the summer camp industry. They have chosen to be listed in order to keep you informed and make it as easy as possible for you to contact them whenever the need arises. We hardily encourage you and your staff to refer to this information repeatedly as the year progresses.
On behalf of our entire staff, have a great year!
Dear Myra, This past summer we had more cases of poison ivy than we have had in a long time. Many of our staff and campers had to be taken to the camp physician for extra treatment. Can you tell me how it spreads and how we can prevent such severe cases?
Answer: The poison ivy rash can make any staff member or
camper miserable! If the rash is severe, participation in camp
activities might be effected which would impact on the child's camp
experience. Your staff member with a severe case of poison ivy will
be unable to work to their full potential and put a strain on the
other employees of camp. Educating your campers and staff is the key
to prevention. As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure." This especially holds true with poison ivy. Everyone
in camp should be able to identify the plant, know how poison ivy is
spread, and know how to care for themselves after an exposure to the
plant. Last summer during our first session, we also had many cases
of poison ivy. Doing some risk management, second session we had the
health center staff visit every cabin, they took the campers
outdoors, pointed out poison ivy, discussed prevention, and the
number of cases decreased significantly. Education works!
Poison ivy and poison oak are variants of the Rhus plant family and differ mainly in the shape of their leaves. Both are woody perennial plants found along fences, paths and roadways, in the woods and is often partially hidden by other foliage. Poison ivy grows east of the Rockies while poison oak usually grows in the western United States. The plant may take the form of vines climbing up tree trunks to considerable height, shrubs standing by themselves, or vines trailing along the forest floor, sometimes also trailing out into meadows from the woods. Both varieties have regular groupings of three leaflets. The leaves may be notched or smooth and vary in length from one to five inches. They are shiny, dark green in summer and orange or red in the fall. In May and June, there are tiny white berries that cluster at the base of the leaves. People who learn to recognize poison ivy in one part of the country may not at first recognize it elsewhere. The one characteristic which makes it easy to recognize is the LEAVES ALWAYS GROW IN CLUSTERS OF THREE!
Poison sumac is a tall, smooth-stemmed shrub of swamps throughout the eastern US and Canada. It has stems of from seven to thirteen leaflets, including one at the tip. The fruits are white or yellowish berries in clusters similar to those of poison ivy. The leaves are dark green in the summer and turn red in the fall. It is very important to be able to recognize and avoid the poisonous plants that grow in and around your camp.
Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac contain a lacquer like resin in their sap. The resin is composed of active substances that provoke a sensitizing reaction in most, if not all, persons the first time effective contact occurs. The resin, present in all parts of the plant, is very resistant to breakdown and must contact the skin for the poison to take effect. Direct contact may be made by just bruising past the leaves as you walk next to the plant. In the winter after the leaves have fallen you can still get poison ivy from contact with the stem. Indirect contact may be from pets, contaminated clothing, or garden tools which have had contact, often much earlier, with the poison ivy plant. How the resin is spread is important to remember when instructing campers and staff about being in the woods. Smoke from burning ivy plants is particularly troublesome because the smoke particles can carry the resin and effect all uncovered parts of the body and also be inhaled. When instructing campers and staff about gathering wood for fires make sure to look for poison ivy that may be on the branches on the ground or climbing up the tree trunks.
An initial exposure is necessary to "sensitize" the person to the poison ivy plant. A subsequent exposure will result in an allergic reaction if the resin remains in contact with the skin. The resulting rash forms from several hours to three later after exposure. First, the skin reddens and begins to itch. Small watery blisters soon appear, often in lines indicating the point of contact with the plant, and the itching becomes intense. The condition is self-limiting and recovery takes place in one to four weeks, even without treatment. Scratching slows healing, invites infection, and may spread the resin from one location to another. The watery fluid in the blisters does not spread the reaction. The resin from the plant that remains on the skin is what spreads the reaction. A physician should be consulted in severe cases or if sensitive parts of the body, such as around the eyes, become involved. Ask your camp physician what to use to relieve the itching of poison ivy. This information should be part of your camp's standing orders.
Now that we understand the poisonous plants and the allergic reaction rash from contact, we need to discuss prevention.
Poison Ivy Preventive Tips for Campers and Staff
If it has three leaves, let it be. Learn to recognize poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Show pictures of poison ivy as well as point out the plant to campers and staff at your camp. Avoid poison ivy's favorite places like the woods. Be prepared for hiking in the woods. Wear hats, long sleeve shirts, and long pants tucked into socks when hiking. Don't play games like "Capture The Flag" or "Frisbee" in areas where people might run into woods. Make the wooded areas off limits. Don't burn poison ivy!
If you are exposed, wash and scrub the area immediately with warm water and soap. Repeat the washing to try to remove all the resin. Remember to clean fingernails.
Wash all clothing that has possibly been contaminated with the resin of the plant.
Campers often only have a couple pairs of jeans and want to wear them again instead of putting them in the laundry. Touching clothing that has been contaminated with the resin, can cause a reaction, even several days later! You can spread poison ivy on yourself if the resin is on the skin. If the person scratches the area with the resin, then rubs his eyes there is a good chance the resin will spread to that area around his eyes.
Don't play with camp pets. The resin can stick to their coats and rub off on humans.
Try not to scratch when poison ivy itches. See the camp nurse for
treatments. Poison ivy is not contagious. It can not be spread once
the resin has been absorbed by the skin or removed.
Dear Myra, Last summer we had a staff member who wanted to remove ticks from campers with a lighted match. He said that holding a lighted match to the tick would make the tick back off the skin. I thought this was a dangerous practice. What is the best way to remove ticks?
Answer: I have learned during our health care staff training that staff members have all kinds of ways to remove ticks: burn the tick off with a hot match or burning cigarette, coating the tick with Vaseline, oil, acetone or pricking the tick with a pin! I agree with you that burning a tick is a dangerous and frightening way to remove ticks.
Know how to remove ticks: The most common way to remove a tick is with the use of tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, get near the mouth part - don't grasp the tick's body. Pull the tick away from the skin. Do not twist or jerk. Pull slowly with gentle pressure until the tick releases its hold. The tick bite should be washed with soap and water. Then apply an antiseptic to the bite. Save the tick in a small jar or plastic bag. Document the tick removal and inform the camp's health care worker that a tick was removed.
If
symptoms of tick-borne diseases occur, the camp has the tick and
documentation. In our camp, when we remove a tick we keep the "little
critter" on a piece of masking tape on the wall in the Health Center.
We cover the tick with scotch tape and label the tape with the
person's name and date the tick was removed. If the person should
come in with symptoms, we have the information and "the body."
Ticks measure from one fourth to three fourths of an inch when mature. The nymph tick is very small and often difficult to see on the skin. They can be the size of a poppy seed or the head of a pin. Ticks are gray or brown oval insects with four pairs of legs and small heads. They are found in all parts of the United States, on low shrubs, grass and trees. Ticks sometimes carry disease such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever which causes fever and rash, Lyme Disease which causes a red circular rash around the bite, headache, fatigue, pain in joints and muscles, and flu-like symptoms, and Tularemia which causes lymph nodes to become painful and swollen. Ticks pick up the bacteria that causes these illnesses when they feed on infected mice and deer. Diseases can be spread when ticks attach themselves to a warm blooded animals that brushes by it, including humans. A tick can attach to you without your knowledge. It does not hurt. If a tick is not removed immediately, it will adhere to the skin and is more difficult to detach.
Camp tick infestation can vary from year to year. If ticks are present in and around your camp, campers and staff should do "tick checks" daily. A good time is when they shower or change clothes. They should check their hair, hairline, groin, underarms, back, and behind their ears. Look for something resembling a small black "freckle" or a new "mole." Have someone else check areas you can't see.
Since ticks hang onto leaves and blades of grass and attach themselves to animals and humans that pass by, consider these personal protection measures:
It is important to educate your staff about ticks, the diseases they might carry, how to do "tick checks," the proper removal of ticks and documentation.
Questions?? If you have a question on any aspect of Camp Health and Safety write to Myra at 9879 Zig Zag Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242-6310 or email pravda@tso.cin.ix.net or call/fax 513-791-4096.
Myra Pravda, RN, MSN is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in parent-child health. She has been a camp nurse for 18 years, working in day and resident camps, co-authored the children's book Off to Camp, and is Board Chair of the Association of Camp Nurses. Myra is a camp health consultant and educator, ACA presenter, and writes on camp health topics.
As a camp professional, you are often asked by parents, "What do you do if my child gets homesick?" Do you tell parents what they need to know--or merely tell them what they want to hear?
Many camp directors reassure parents by saying they have a well-qualified staff. They tell parents that homesick feelings are normal, and that their camp provides a safe and healthy environment. These general statements are effective, but you can offer parents--and your campers--much more by providing specific suggestions to help prevent homesickness and convey information on how your staff is trained to handle homesick children.
Camp directors need to be informed about homesickness and be comfortable discussing the topic with parents and children. For many children, going away to camp is the first and longest time they will be away from home on their own. Separation from parents is one of the strongest fears in childhood, but as children grow older, they show decreasing sensitivity to separation stressors, suggesting that separation anxiety is developmental in nature. Keep this in mind when talking to children.
A recent study by Christopher Thurber (Managing Homesickness at Residential Summer Camps, Compasspoint, 8 [4], 8-11, 1995) identified risk and protection factors related to homesickness:
Risk factors:
Protection factors:
Looking at this information, camp directors can begin to address the issue of homesickness when parents sign their child up for that first session. By asking some questions suggested by Thurber, the camp director can begin to assess how many risk and protective factors are present in the camper. This information will assist the director in offering advice and helpful hints to parents and develop a plan for the child at camp.
Camp directors can focus on homesickness in two ways: first, by aiding parents in preparing their child for camp; and secondly, by educating and training the camp staff to effectively manage homesick feelings at camp. (Pravda, 1995. "Homesickness: Dispelling the Myths, Camping Magazine, 67, 18-20.)
The camp director can make suggestions in person or through a written letter addressed to parents. All first-time campers and their parents would benefit from some advice about preparing for camp. The following are some helpful hints for parents to assist in preparing their children for an overnight camp experience:
Read books about going to overnight camp.
There are many books available for parents about camp, but there are not many books available for children to read that describe the overnight camp experience. That is one of the reasons I co-authored Off to Camp. Another helpful children's book is Pinky and Rex Go To Camp by J. Howe, which is about choosing a camp. Camp directors and parents should read these books before suggesting them to the child. This will enable them to discuss the camp experience with the child and refer to some of the issues raised in the books.
Talk with other parents to learn from their experiences.
Refer parents to others in their community who have attended your camp. Have them meet or talk on the phone. If the children can also meet, they might be able to get together. Even if they are not the same age, it is nice for them to know someone at camp. You might want to start a big brother/big sister program at your camp.
Encourage parents to help the child care for her/himself.
The child should be able to pick out her/his clothes, help pack, learn to make a bed with clean sheets, set the table, and, if on medication, be responsible to take it at the appropriate time.
Discuss communication at camp.
Our society is very telephone oriented. If your camp has a policy of no telephone calls home, inform parents and discuss how they can communicate with their child at camp. Many camps accept faxes and e-mail. Inform parents if you offer this.
Children should communicate via the mail. Parents should prepare children for letter writing by providing their camper with addressed, stamped envelopes and postcards. Suggest that parents write about the weather, the garden, their work, and local sports teams. They can send the comics or sports pages from local papers, a sibling's drawing, a cute postcard, or an activity book. Reinforce the idea that receiving mail lets the child know the parent is thinking about them and loves them.
Inform parents that the letters they receive from the camper might be brief. Remind them of the camp routine. Other letters may give mixed signals. Remind parents about the normal adjustment to camp, and that mail is often received several days after it is written.
Homesick feelings are normal in adjusting to a new environment.
Parents should encourage the child to sleep over several different friends' home and then spend a week-end with a friend. When the child returns home, the parents would discuss the child's adjustment and feelings.
Parents need to prepare themselves for the separation.
Reassure anxious parents they have chosen a safe camp and their child will be well cared for. Discuss your staff orientation program. Parents need to know they will also go through a separation process.
The second step in addressing homesickness is preparing the camp staff. The staff should be taught growth and development characteristics of the age group in which they are working, to enable them to help the child in an age-appropriate manner. At staff orientation, offer some of the following interventions:
Help all campers adapt to the camp environment and routine.
Remember that homesick feelings don't just happen to the first time camper. New Campers and staff have more of an adjustment to camp than returning campers and staff, but remember that each year is different. Returning staff many have new roles, different units, different responsibilities. Returning campers envision camp as it was the previous year. Their counselor may be different; perhaps not all their friends returned. Camp is an adjustment for everyone.
Review daily camp schedules.
Always tell campers what is going to happen next. Go over camp and cabin rules, schedules, and programs several times. Camp is new and often, children don't hear what is being said. Repeat important information. Children thrive on routine.
Acknowledge and validate campers' feelings.
Children need permission to express their feelings. It's okay to talk about home, Mom, Dad, family. Often, staff think if the subject of home is not addressed, the camper will not think about it, leaving the child to internalize feelings. This often makes the situation worse.
Have staff call bunk meetings to discuss feelings.
Counselors can read books about going to camp to their campers, and discuss how their camp is different from or similar to the camp in the book. Use the book as a lead-in to discuss homesick feelings.
Encourage campers to take one day at a time.
Predict success, even if it is short term. Review the progress the camper is making.
Advise the campers to write home.
Encourage them to tell their family how they are feeling and what progress they are making.
Homesick feelings vary at different times of day.
Homesick feelings are more prevalent during meals, free time, rest period, and at night. These are the most important times for staff to be available to campers.
Do not ignore a child's physical complaints.
When anxious, upset, or feeling stress, a child's body reacts in a variety of ways. Increased stomach acid can cause stomach aches. Muscle tightness might cause body aches. Crying can cause headaches. Somatic complaints should be evaluated by the camp nurse.
For the camper who has a more difficult adjustment to camp, the next step is to work out an individualized plan. Encourage counselors to ask for help from other camp personnel (e.g., unit head, camp nurse, assistant director, director) and problem-solve. Acquire information about the camper, such as the child's behavior at camp, new and old friends, likes and dislikes, and the home situation. It may be necessary to contact parents for suggestions. The plan might involve the intervention of one person who takes a special interest in the camper, or it could involve many other staff members. Special care must be given not to alienate the child from other campers or camp activities.
The final area to address in helping a child adjust to camp is follow-up. At the end of the session, the camp director, counselor, or unit head should praise the child for being at camp, learning new skills, and being able to take care of themselves. This will enable the child to grow, gain new insights, successfully cope with the separation from home and family, and benefit from this very special and positive experience called camp.
Myra Pravda, a camp nurse and clinical nurse specializing in
parent-child health, co-authored Off to Camp (JSP Publishing,
Cincinnati.) She is chair of the Association of Camp Nurses and
speaks on camp health issues at local, state, and national
meetings.
Ask any camp director and chances are, they'll agree with us when we say that insurance premiums are in the same category as death and taxes: they're inevitable. And, like taxes, they have a tendency to go up, with no promise of relief on the horizon. A random survey of camp directors listed insurance premiums as one of their major expenses; but unlike most other expenses, insurance is one line item that directors hope to never use. So why spend so much money on an item that, hopefully, won't be utilized? State regulations usually mandate auto insurance for any vehicles used in the operation of the camp, and workmen's compensation for all employees. Mortgage provisions often require mortgagees to provide adequate property insurance. Common and good business sense dictate purchasing other types of insurance, such as camper medical and injury (primary or secondary), umbrella, multi-peril, and interruption of business. During the process of conducting our random survey, a pattern of issues and questions arose. We compiled a list of the ten most important issues facing camp directors today. The answers were provided by a panel of camp directors and insurers.
1. WHAT TYPES OF INSURANCE SHOULD CAMPS HAVE? Ed Schirick, Senior Vice President of Markel Rhulen Underwriters and Brokers, recommends the following types of insurance: property damage, liability, umbrella, camper and staff medical/accident coverage, and workmen's compensation. Schirick points out that business interruption insurance, to cover loss of income as well as extra expenses incurred due to interruption, is written into all of his company's property damage/fire policies. Under the heading of liability, Schirick recommends coverage for all employees and volunteers, as well as insuring the camp infirmary against allegations of malpractice, and malpractice insurance for the camp doctor and infirmary employees. He also recommends that liability policies include coverage for incidents involving sex abuse/molestation. Schirick sees employment practice liability insurance as a developing area of concern in order to comply with the Americans with Disability Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
2. HOW MUCH INSURANCE IS ADEQUATE? Steve Libbing, AAI, Account Executive at K & K Insurance, sees this as a wide open scenario. . . and his toughest challenge. For property damage/fire insurance, he recommends insuring for physical property value-with an eye towards replacement costs. For liability policies, he won't sell under $1 million, with an in-house binder. He generally recommends $25 million umbrella coverage, stating that umbrellas are often overlooked, but very useful. All other types of insurance are subject to individual circumstances. For example, business interruption or time element insurance to cover a camp if it had to interrupt part or all of its activities due to fire or weather damage would be quite different for an overnight camp with a capacity of three hundred than it would be for a day camp with a one hundred camper capacity. Similarly, automobile coverage would be different for a day camp that provided daily bus transportation for all campers, as opposed to the overnight camp that contracts with a bus company to provide transportation to and from the camp, and only relies on its own buses and vans for emergencies and/or limited inter-camp activities. Marine floaters, which he recommends to insure transportable assets of value (e.g., boats, computers, tack equipment) will vary widely, depending on the type of activities camps offer. He says that it's not his job to tell clients how much insurance they need, but to make sure that if a claim is filed, the coverage is there. Judy Bunchuk, owner/director of Le Camp in Spring Valley, New York, sums it up by saying, "You hope you have enough for the one time you might need it."
3. SHOULD YOU PROVIDE PRIMARY OR SECONDARY MEDICAL COVERAGE? Bunchuk used to provide primary health/accident insurance for her campers, but found that "one claim could really blow you away!" Her premiums rose, so now she provides secondary coverage, going to the camper's parents' policy first, and then using the camp policy to cover anything the parents' policy doesn't cover. While many camp directors and insurers agree with her, Bob Gentile, director of Wilbur Herrlick Camp in Patterson, New York, points out that before going to a secondary policy, you have to look at who your campers are. Gentile's camping population is mostly inner-city youths, whose families often don't have health insurance. Consequently, he provides both his campers and counselors with primary coverage. Similarly, Ken Dilling, Director, Special Risk Division of the American Income Life Insurance Company, points out that his company provides primary health and accident insurance for camps and campers all over the country. However, he suggests that camp literature clearly state that the coverage provided is a "limited medical reimbursement" policy, covering emergency and first aid services.
4. IS IT BETTER TO PURCHASE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE PRIVATELY, OR USE STATE INSURANCE POOLS? Libbing states that he will provide whatever kind of insurance a client wants, but notes that private workmen's compensation policies are generally more expensive than contributing to the state pool. The states dictate what percentage of an employee's wages must be allocated for compensation, with most falling between 4% and 11%, but often going higher. However, since camp counselors fall into higher risk categories and are usually seasonal workers, insuring them is a losing process for most carriers. As a result, private workmen's compensation insurance is expensive, and most camps go into a state pool, which is highly regulated, and far less expensive than private coverage.
5. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO LOWER PREMIUM PAYMENTS? Bunchuk advises camp directors to look for the company that will give you the most at the least expense-comparison shopping is the key here, with the informed consumer benefiting the most. She also refers to her switch-over from relying on her camp to provide primary health/accident insurance. Since going to the parent's policy first, and the camp's accident insurance policy second (or if parents don't have insurance), her premiums have gone down dramatically. Schirick adds that by providing-and using-camper and staff medical/accident insurance, a camp director can avoid using liability insurance as a primary source of funds. By insulating the liability pool, a camp director can demonstrate stability in liability claims. This stability is key in keeping premiums in check. Gentile points out that it is important for camp directors to work closely-as partners-with their insurance agents to keep lines of communication open, and premiums down. He points to an incident that occurred several years ago. Like most camp directors and insurers, Gentile finds that, regardless of the level of supervision and other precautions, accidents happen. This was the case when a child, playing on a supervised swing set, fell off and broke his wrist. The counselor followed camp policy and filed a thorough written report. The parents of the injured child cited lack of supervision on the part of the camp and considered legal action. Shortly thereafter, Gentile met with his insurance agent. The agent and his supervisor visited the camp to review various policies and procedures that were in place, verifying that the counselor and the camp had not been negligent. As a result of this partnership-between Gentile and his agent-and the proper execution of emergency policies and procedures, the following year, instead of seeing his premiums rise, they were, in fact, lowered. Libbing would undoubtedly agree with Gentile. He advises that camp directors talk to their carrier, and ask specifically what would assist them in lowering insurance premiums. He urges directors to give their insurance agent or company "reason to credit you. The more information you provide, the better chance you have of getting credit. Don't leave anything to the benefit of the doubt," he cautions. "Show safety plans, signage, evacuation plans, evidence that you have well-trained counselors, hiring guidelines, plans for going over everyday routines, information regarding sprinklers, extinguishers, and so on."
Failure to provide this information can lead to higher premiums. Libbing also suggests that you insure only those buildings you need to; for example, don't insure a shed that wouldn't be replaced if damaged or burned down. Finally, he says to be as specific as possible. "Don't just say 'miscellaneous boats'. Describe the model, make, serial number." Keep lines of communication open and be as clear and precise as possible in order to lower premiums. Brother Thomas Lee of Camp Marist in Center Ossipee, New Hampshire, feels that using mature, experienced staff is a way of keeping premiums in check. All of his staff are over 21, and for specialized activities-e.g., riflery, horseback riding-he only hires trained, experienced people who are often certified in their area of expertise. The use of mature staff is a definite "plus factor" in Schirick's eyes: the judgment and breadth of life experience of a 25 or 30 year old individual would far outweigh that available to the average, younger counselor.
6. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CREATING A SAFER CAMP ENVIRONMENT? In addition to providing a mature, qualified staff, Lee fosters a safe camp environment by assuring that adequate numbers of staffers are there to work with the campers. Camp Marist has a 3:1 camper/staff ratio. But beyond that, Lee assures that the people who work with the campers during the day will be well rested. Consequently, CIT's, counselors, and special activity people do not spend nights with boys in cabins, but are housed separately. A brother is assigned to each cabin to supervise the campers at night, and the people who work with the children during the day are housed in dormitories, with one or two people in each room. Following up on Gentile's and Libbing's suggestions outlined above, it is important to have policies and procedures in place, showing routine inspections for all equipment-and then following through on those inspections to assure that the procedures and routines are implemented. Libbing also speaks of having adequate supervision; accidents are more likely to happen when kids are just standing around. The better the supervision, the less likely a child will wander off or fool around with other children.
7. DOES ACCREDITATION COUNT? "Absolutely," says Libbing. "Accreditation is very, very important." He goes on to say that, if a camp has ACA accreditation, then three-fourths of his homework is done. Libbing places tremendous weight on a camp's accreditation status, saying that it streamlines his paperwork process and assures that standards are being met and monitored on a regular basis. Although Schirick will insure camps that do not have ACA accreditation, he says that meeting ACA standards is "a great educational process," insofar as business and risk factors are concerned. He finds that ACA provides a disciplined approach to risk management; for those camps who have evaluated and acted on their risks (per ACA guidelines), he has seen a direct impact on the outcome of losses experienced. Dilling doesn't require accreditation, but in assigning risk (he uses an experience type rating on the basis of losses), the insurer "definitely knows that accredited camps are tip-top." He cites ACA's requirement for security guard rails on top bunks as being a simple safety requirement "that's worth something!" One of the camps interviewed said that their insurer rarely looks at their camp because he is not a camp specialist. However, the insurer trusts the guidelines of ACA; as long as the camp keeps being accredited, they'll be insured. Similarly, Gentile, who is insured by a company that specializes in camp insurance, states that his insurance agent takes into account if the camp director is certified.
8. WHAT ARE THE HIGH RISK AREAS? There seems to be a consensus that horseback riding is the number one area of concern, with confidence courses running second, and water activities ranking third. The assignment of such high risk to horseback riding is a topic that generates heated discussion among camp directors. Mike Baer, director of French Woods in Hancock, New York, is particularly rankled by this. His camp has not had a major claim in over 25 years, yet his premiums have not been lowered. Because of this, he thinks insurance is based more on potential than actual loss. Gentile agrees with this assessment. "Horseback riding seems to be considered a separate entity," he says. "No matter how safe it is, no matter what precautions you take, the insurance company considers it a risk." Many of the precautions he takes involve common sense and experience, and he also follows ACA mandates and regulations set forth by his local Health Department. Among other safety precautions, Gentile employs a mature, qualified program director. He also has a sufficient number of horses, usually twelve, so that several horses can be resting while others are out on the trail. The typical procedure at his camp is for five or six children to go out horseback riding with two counselors. One counselor leads the way, and the other counselor rides at the rear. While they are out, the remaining horses are able to rest in their stables. Gentile also makes sure that he follows ACA guidelines to have proper, safe equipment. This includes having certified helmets, and making sure that children wear heeled shoes-no sneakers! And before the children mount, they receive a lot of training. (Generally, the children at his camp are beginners.) There are rules and specific procedures for how the children mount the horses, where they mount, and where they go. There are clearly marked safe trails which the counselors check out before going out each day. The tack room is organized so each horse's equipment is specified and clearly marked so that the horse will be as comfortable as possible. Gentile tries to predetermine his risks and minimize them to the extent possible. Nonetheless, despite the precautions and lack of claims, lowering premiums has been an uphill battle. He says the insurance company argues that a horse is an animal and an animal can do anything-regardless of precautions taken-without warning. Bunchuk's experience has been similar, but she has chosen to keep insurance for horseback riding activities separate by purchasing a multi-peril policy which covers saddle animals, and areas that may not fall under general liability and property policies (e.g., picnic area and out-buildings). Libbing agrees that you open yourself up to greater exposure when animals are introduced to a situation. No matter what precautions are taken and what controls are in place, children sometimes forget that they aren't supposed to touch the animals, and that is where many problems arise. Where proper barriers are in place, equipment is checked to assure that it isn't brittle and is well maintained, and rules and regulations are in place and followed, there is usually no problem. It is not the horses, but horseplay that is more likely to cause accidents. Once again, proper supervision is key. Dilling's concerns center around the trust/fall aspect of confidence courses. He sees this area as one that is open to charges of negligence; he points out that it is not unusual to have two hundred pound campers going on confidence courses. It doesn't matter if the camp or activity director has taken the precaution of hiring an expert to run the course, and properly maintains all of the ropes and special equipment used. If you wind up having a one hundred-thirty pound person catching a two hundred pound camper, you've got a problem. In this situation, there is no need to look to charts to determine statistical probability. This type of risk management demands that the camp director exercise common sense and good judgment. For this and other high risk activities, Dilling endorses Bunchuk's practice of obtaining special policies. Beyond his misgivings about confidence courses, Dilling, like Libbing and Schirick, says that accidents don't necessarily occur where you might expect them to, or in areas where an inherent risk may exist. He points to the area of rifle ranges, where you may expect claims. Nonetheless, in the last five years, he hasn't had a single claim involving a rifle-but he has had plenty of claims where campers have tripped and fallen on their way to the rifle range, or tripping over a horse tackle, or the ropes used for confidence courses! This has also been the situation at French Woods. Mike Baer says that his camp's circus activities, where you might expect to find great risk, is probably the safest area because the greatest precautions are taken here. "You're more prepared for problems," he says. He points out that all circus acts at his camp use guide lines and wires. This includes the single and double flying trapeze, the high wire (that's 20 feet off the ground), and the Lyra Act (which is a huge silver ring to hang from), among others. Baer points out that, when he and his partner were setting up the circus program, they were among the first to teach circus skills, and had to demonstrate the safety precautions they were instituting to insurance companies. They relied on common sense, rather than charts and statistics to determine what to use to be safe. Insofar as waterfront activities are concerned, insurers seem to find that precautions can be made to minimize risk. The use of PFD's, properly maintained boats, and employment of a sufficient number of lifeguards go a long way in keeping swimming from being a high risk area. Still, many camp directors agree with Bunchuk when she says that the pool area is her number one concern, and Schirick maintains that due to the frequency of exposure-most camps have hundreds of campers who swim at least once a day-aquatics and horseback riding are on a par as far as risk is concerned. Both, he says, offer the opportunity for unexpected events.
9. WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO LOWER PREMIUMS? Like any other company, insurers are facing increases in health and legal costs as well as feeling the inflationary pinch. Today's litigious society produces more claims to defend. The severity of claims and damages sought are both on the rise. Finally, one area that was traditionally not an issue, but is given more weight recently, is insuring against charges of child abuse. If good hiring and supervisory procedures and controls are in place, the operator of a camp involved in a child abuse situation would be covered under their liability policy or umbrella policy. (However, since the perpetrator's actions were intentional, he/she would not be covered.)
10. SHOULD CAMPS CONTRACT OUT FOR SOME HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES? Schirick and Libbing suggest that camps subcontract any high risk activity area they do not have expertise in. No one will insure you if there is a lack of proper training. In order to assure that adequate safeguards are in place, Libbing's company sends out loss control surveyors to assess competence. Typical areas where camps contract out are wilderness training, white water rafting, mountaineering, confidence courses, and horseback riding. The bottom line is that camping, like insurance, is a business-and in order to run it profitably, camp directors must explore every avenue to lower insurance costs while covering all bases. Working in tandem, camp directors and insurance agents can assure that camps can be safe, fun,-and profitable. Please be sure to discuss any issues, ideas or suggestions presented in this article with your insurance agent in order to determine how they might impact on your facility.