There is a wide variety in the level of training for camp health officers, ambulance response times to summer camps, and availability of on-site emergency medical equipment, such as automatic external defibrillators (AED).
A recently published study from the University of Michigan summarizes the results of a mail survey of Michigan camp health officers (CHO) during the summer of 2001. Licensed Michigan camps are required to have a Camp Health Officer. Fifty percent (n=129/258) of CHOs responded to the survey. A CHO must have at least first aid, CPR, and blood borne pathogens training.
The study reports that 45% of the CHOs were registered nurses. The remainder is trained as paramedics, EMTs, or first responders. Forty-seven percent (47%) of CHOs reported caring for campers with significant medical problems, such as asthma (70%), diabetes (54%), ADHD (36%), and seizure disorder (23%).
Forty percent (40%) of respondents reported an ambulance response time to camp of more than 10 minutes (10% did not know). Seventy-one (71%) percent of respondents reported transport time from camp to the nearest hospital of more than ten minutes. Forty-seven (47%) percent of respondents did not know if their local ambulance was staffed with paramedics or EMTs. At the time of the survey only 2 respondents owned an AED. While this has likely improved, an AED is most effective if applied with in 3-6 minutes of cardiac arrest. Given the reported response times, an EMS AED will likely arrive too late for most camp cardiac arrest victims. This study has several important reminders:
1) Get to know the capabilities of your local emergency medical service.
- How quickly can the nearest ambulance arrive?
- Is the ambulance staffed by volunteers or paid staff; EMTs or paramedics?
- Who is responsible for extricating patients from challenge courses, the swim areas, or climbing walls—you or the EMS crew?
- Does the ambulance contain a current map of your roads and buildings?
2) Choose an appropriate level of training for the CHO and other camp staff according to:
- Severity of clientele health problems
- Capabilities of local EMS
- Local licensing and industry accreditation requirements
- Time for EMS to reach Camp. (American Camp Association standard HW-1 First Aid and Emergency Care calls for trained adult on duty at all times with at least CPR and 2 nd level first aid if it takes EMS 20-60 minutes to reach the scene, and CPR and Wilderness First Aid if it takes EMS 60 or more minutes to arrive)
Ambulance response times and transport times to the hospital
| < 5 min | 5–10 min |
10–15 min | 15–20 min |
>20 min | Don’t know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response time to camp |
11%
|
39%
|
25%
|
11%
|
4%
|
10%
|
| Time from camp to hospital |
7%
|
24%
|
40%
|
29%
|
22%
|
7%
|
Camp health officer comfort with skills and backup
| Strongly agree |
Agree | Neither agree nor disagree |
Disagree | Strongly disagree |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I feel comfortable taking care of sick or ill campers at camp |
65%
|
31%
|
3%
|
1%
|
0%
|
| I have adequate medical backup if I feel uncomfortable with a sick or injured camper |
66%
|
29%
|
2%
|
2%
|
1%
|
| I have a local “camp doctor” who is responsive to my needs and concerns |
43%
|
32%
|
14%
|
7%
|
4%
|
| I feel comfortable with my local ambulance service |
50%
|
29%
|
17%
|
4%
|
0%
|
| I feel comfortable with my local emergency department |
46%
|
38%
|
10%
|
4%
|
2%
|
Reference
Walton EA, Maio RF, Hill EM. “ Camp Health Services in the State of Michigan.” Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. 2004. 15: 274-283 [view full research article at www.wms.org/pubs/i1080-6032-015-04-0274.pdf]
Greg Friese, MS, EMT-B, WEMT is president of Emergency Preparedness Systems LLC.
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