By Evan
There is absolutely nothing we take more seriously at Camp W than safety. Having children ourselves, we understand that it’s natural for parents to worry. Rest assured that we take every precaution possible, including fire, lockdown, and active shooter drills. While we know that the odds of such occurrences are extraordinarily slim, we also know that it’s best to be prepared and plan for any emergency. After all, nothing is more valuable than our kids. And so we devote countless hours to practicing procedures for times of crisis.
We believe that we are one of the safest Long Island day camps. To begin with, we’re in an excellent area: Melville, New York, in a location that is isolated and away from traffic. We have security out front at all times, meeting every adult who arrives. Our security is equipped with walkie-talkies, so that they can immediately communicate any concerns to the office. No one gets past us, and everyone who comes in must receive clearance before entering.
But we certainly don’t stop there. Each week we run our practice drills, which I personally oversee. We make sure that every single staff member knows what to do in various situations: where to go, how to keep the kids safe, and how to remain calm and in control. If ever a fire was to break out, for one, we have designated safe areas and evacuation routes.
We also have police and firefighters just minutes away. And if a camper was to become suddenly ill, EMTs could arrive equally as quickly to take over from our registered nurse. All of these professionals are quite familiar with Camp W, as we maintain strong relationships with the surrounding community.
There are other safety concerns you have as a parent as well, I’m sure, much as I do. You want to make certain that injuries are prevented and that, if they occur, that they’re dealt with effectively. We train our staff to recognize when kids aren’t feeling well or may be hurt, teaching them how to ask kids questions to ensure that they’re all right. Every camper who might be hurt is taken directly to the nurse for evaluation, and we always call parents to let them know what’s going on.
Likewise, if there was some sort of major emergency at camp, our first step after making sure that all of the campers are safe and the authorities are on their way, we would contact parents and let them know what’s going on. We would also post on our website and send out an email, if possible, once the crisis has passed.
Of course, with the Covid pandemic, we now have to be particularly vigilant about any sort of viral or bacterial outbreak as well. Though recent news has been especially encouraging, indicating that we may have a vaccine distributed before the summer, at Camp W we’ll still be watching for any signs of trouble. This means not just keeping an eye out for Corona-related symptoms, but for any type of sickness that could spread between campers or staff.
We understand that there’s a lot to be worried over nowadays but at Camp W in Melville, we strive every day to make campers safe and put parents at ease.
I want every parent or guardian to know that they can reach out to me at any time should they have any concerns whatsoever about safety procedures. Our job – and my job in particular – is to do all we can to warrant the trust you’ve placed in us, and we will continue to go the extra mile and then some in order to do so.