Going away to summer camp is a valuable experience for children – it allows them to socialize with other kids, try out new activities, learn outdoor survival skills and much more. On the other hand, camp can be a hazardous place full of injury risks if children are not properly supervised by trained staff and facilities are not well-maintained. Therefore, it’s important to take some time to do your research on a summer camp before sending your young ones there. To verify that a camp is reputable and safe for your children, here are the steps our Bucks County personal injury attorney suggests taking:
- Make sure the camp has accreditation from the American Camp Association (ACA) – In order for a summer camp to be accredited by the ACA, it must comply with more than 250 regulations and guidelines, most of which are made specifically to promote the safety and health of campers. In turn, ACA-approved camps will be the best for your children.
- Inquire about the camper-to-staff ratio – Once you’ve found an ACA-accredited camp, the next order of business is to make sure it has enough staff members to adequately supervise the campers. To maximize the safety of your children, you’ll want to look for a camp that has a camper-to-staff ratio of 5 to 1 or less. The fewer campers each staff member is in charge of watching, the less likely it is that your kids will get into an accident due to lack of supervision.
- Get details about the staff hiring and training process – When it comes to summer camp staff, quantity isn’t the only thing that matters – quality does, too! For the well-being of your children, be sure to choose a camp that conducts thorough background checks on its staff members and trains them to handle any situation.
- Go see the camp in person – To be totally sure that everything about the summer camp checks out, our personal injury attorney in Bucks County recommends stopping by the camp for a tour. This way, you’ll get to evaluate the safety of the facilities and the trustworthiness of the camp staff for yourself.
By following these tips to select a safe, suitable summer camp, you’ll be able to rest assured that your children are in good hands and are not at a high risk for injury while they’re away at camp.
Camp Accident? Consult Our Bucks County Personal Injury Lawyer
While choosing an accredited summer camp will lessen the chance of your children being hurt, the truth is accidents can happen even at the most modern, well-organized camps. If a summer camp accident affects one of your kids, turn to the Heslin Law Firm. We’ve been known as the personal injury attorney Bucks County can trust for over 30 years, and we have the experience needed to help you fight for the compensation you deserve for your child’s injuries.
To speak with us about your claim in a free, no-obligation consultation, call (215) 332-0300 today. And for more helpful summer safety tips, read our post on water park drowning hazards and how to avoid them. We look forward to assisting your family should you require the legal expertise of a personal injury lawyer in Bucks County this summer.