Health & Safety Of Your Camper
At Catalina Junior Sea Camp, the health and safety of our campers and staff is our top priority. We provide around-the-clock counselor supervision, the best and newest safety equipment, comprehensive staff-training and on-site medical personnel to ensure that your camper is safe and healthy, both physically and emotionally, throughout their stay at camp. We are accredited by both the American Camp Association (ACA) and the Western Association of Independent Camps (WAIC). Below are the specific programs and resources we utilize to promote the health and safety of everyone in our camp community.
Health Center/Camp Nurse A Registered Nurse or Physician lives on site and is always available to campers and staff for first aid, dispensing of medications, general care and TLC. All medications (both prescription and over-the-counter) are stored and dispensed through the Health Center. Additionally, all counselors and instructors are trained in general First Aid and many instructors are trained EMTs. All health-related issues will always be handled in a confidential and professional manner by our health care personnel. We are in a very isolated environment on Catalina Island. As such, to ensure that your camper has the best and safest possible experience at camp, it is imperative that we know your camper's entire health history. All campers must fill out a Health History Form, please be completely honest and do not withhold any information. Additionally, please feel free to call our Camp Nurse or Camp Directors at any time to discuss any health-related issues -- we want to work together to ensure the safety and well-being of your camper. We have rehearsed emergency procedures in place in case of illness, medical emergencies or situations requiring additional assistance. There is a pharmacy and a hospital on the island in the nearby city of Avalon -- about six miles by road or two miles by water from camp. In case of serious medical emergencies, Baywatch is always on-call and available and can arrange for Life-Flight transport to a mainland hospital if need be.
Wellness and Camper Orientation We know that campers who are healthy and well taken care of are much more likely to enjoy all activities and get the most out of camp! On the first day of camp in both formal and in-formal camper orientations, the camp directors and counselors set boundaries and offer guidelines to help campers prosper in the camp environment, to take care of themselves and to have fun. Camp rules, guidelines for living in a group situation and the necessity of respecting other campers are clearly presented and explained. The importance of adequate rest, food, liquids, cleanliness and plenty of sunscreen are stressed from the start. Campers are encouraged to shower often, to keep their rooms clean and to keep up with personal hygiene. Throughout the session, the cabin counselors will reinforce all of these things and help their campers to keep well while at camp. Additionally, the counselors, directors and medical personnel watch campers closely for indications of when a camper may need special attention. From the first day of camp on, campers are continually encouraged to talk to their counselor, the nurse, the head counselor or the Summer Camp Directors about any problems or special needs they might have, no matter how small. The camp staff wants to work with and help the campers to ensure they have a great experience at Catalina Junior Sea Camp!
Counselor Supervision Your camper will be supervised 24-hours-a-day while at Catalina Junior Sea Camp. Cabin counselors are each responsible for a group of 6-8 campers. Your camper's Cabin Counselor will live in a room adjacent to your camper's group's room and supervise the group during all non-program time. In addition, each cabin counselor is very attentive to their campers' day-to-day needs and strives to build their group into a team that can hang-out together and support each other. Counselor "Crew Chiefs", the Head Counselor, Assistant Summer Camp Director and Summer Camp Director all provide support and assistance to the Cabin Counselors and are always eager to provide additional assistance to individual campers. All Cabin Counselors attend an 8-day training session at the beginning of the summer before the campers arrive. Counselors are trained in emergency procedures, team-building, working with campers and understanding health and safety precautions.
Safety at Programs At Catalina Junior Sea Camp your camper will participate in a wide range of programs with their group and cabin counselor. All programs are conducted and supervised by instructors trained in their specific program area. Campers and staff are required to follow safety guidelines for each activity and relevant safety equipment such as helmets, PFDs, harnesses, etc. are always used. All instructors are trained in first-aid and CPR and all water activities are supervised by trained, certified lifeguards. Two-way radios are positioned at each program area and throughout camp for communication with the office, health center and camp directors.
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