“Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth.”
- Walt Whitman
Health and Safety
Because safety is our first consideration in every camp activity, we take every precaution to protect the health and safety of our campers. All staff members undergo a thorough background check and are required to participate in a week of staff training and to become certified in American Red Cross first aid prior to the opening of camp. Staff members who work in the highly technical areas of canoeing, swimming instruc- tion, and lifesaving must have extensive background in their specialty before they are considered for employment.
Counselors live in the tipis with the campers (one to each tipi of four campers) and keep parents informed of their child’s experiences through a weekly card or letter.
We have a well-equipped health station where Trudy, our registered nurse who has been with us since we opened in 2000, is on duty each day to attend to the physical and emotional needs of campers. At the beginning of each session, she will complete a health screening for every camper and interview him and his parents to inquire about any individual health issues, allergies, etc.
Throughout the camper's stay, Nurse Trudy is available each day to monitor any cuts, bruises, bites or rashes that may need attention. Illnesses and emergencies are cared for at Pediatric Associates or The Rutland Regional Medical Center, both in nearby Rutland, Vermont. If a camper has to be taken out of camp for medical treatment, Nurse Trudy or the camp director will call the camper's parents to inform them why the camper had to be treated outside of camp.
Since we are interested not only in caring for injuries and illnesses, but also in preventing them, campers and counselors are required to have a physical exam within twelve months of camp, and to complete a medical form to ensure our records are up to date and that the family doctor’s instructions are carried out.
In 2020, Markel Insurance Company announced that Night Eagle is once again included in a group of 59 boys' and girls' camps in America that received their company's prestigious Safety 1st designation, which recognizes an exceptional commitment to the safety of their employees and campers. We are proud of the fact that this is Night Eagle's sixth consecutive year to be recognized!
