Technologically Savvy Risk Management

Innovations can help keep a camp safe

By Tracy Schmeltzer

Traditionally, camps have provided a refuge from technology—a place where campers can unplug and enjoy the outdoors. In today’s world, however, some camps use technology as part of their programming and all camps can benefit from using it behind the scenes to protect campers and the camp itself.

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Regardless the type of camp you operate, your overarching goal is to offer a fun and safe experience for campers. That means controlling inherent risks.

The main risk areas for camps are those related to staffing, programming, and the property and facilities.

Staffing Concerns

In today’s job market, finding adequate staff to run your camp can be a challenge. Today’s job seekers have different expectations when it comes to flexibility and the intangibles that can make a job more enjoyable. To attract quality applicants, you may need to be innovative in training and scheduling policies, hire more staff to cover the season and be prepared for late-hire training.

The American Camp Association, Expert Online Training, Go Camp Pro and other sources offer online training platforms that can be customized for your needs. Ensure staff members are properly trained for any risky activities they may be supervising, such as horseback riding, water sports or ATVing.

Because staff members are working with children, you need to be diligent in the employment-screening process. Vendors such as Trusted Employees provide a screening program that goes deeper than just a criminal background check. While background checks are helpful, they should not serve as the sole means of applicant screening. A comprehensive system helps reduce the risk of sexual abuse through preventative measures tailored to an organization’s unique needs.

If staff members will be operating camp-owned vehicles, make sure they are properly licensed and trained on policies. Run checks on drivers through your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Consider installing safety trackers on vehicles. These devices, also known as auto telematics, track speeds, driving behaviors and location for vehicles. Knowing vehicles are equipped with safety trackers will help deter employees from reckless driving.  

Programming

To remain competitive, a camp may have added new activities such as ATV riding, go karts, slides, watercraft or drones. Be aware of the risks that come with any new offerings and have policies in place to help ensure safety.

Challenge ropes courses are one area where new technology can provide peace of mind. When you imagine something going wrong on a challenge course, you might picture a fraying rope, a compromised carabiner or a buckling support post. But human error, rather than equipment failure, is the greater cause for concern.

Many camps are going to auto belay and continuous belay systems to alleviate those risks. Such systems cut down on the number of staff members needed to operate and supervise the ropes course, meaning you can focus training efforts on fewer staff members.

Auto-belay devices are used on climbing walls to take up slack as climbers ascend and catch them if they fall. One staff member is needed to instruct climbers and ensure the device is properly attached and detached.

Continuous belay systems are becoming more popular for high-ropes courses and zip lines because they eliminate the risk of user error. Once the participant is attached to the cable with the device, there’s no possibility of them becoming accidentally detached while on the course. The participant stays connected to the cable throughout every station. The continuous belay device can only be removed by a staff member with a special tool once the participant is safely back on the ground.

To help reduce risk within a food-service program and protect campers who may have certain allergies, use color-coded wristbands to easily identify campers with allergies to anything from bee stings to nuts or seafood. You don’t want snack or mealtime to become an emergency situation, and allergy bands can mitigate that risk.

Property And Facilities

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is being used in ever-evolving ways to protect against a multitude of risks to buildings and properties. Insurers are partnering with or acquiring “risktech” firms to add more protection services meant to mitigate risks.

Risktech pioneers initially set their sights on a perennial source of small but frequent claims that plague both personal and commercial lines: water damage. A myriad of manufacturers, developers and integrators now provide sensor systems that can help detect water leaks as well as freezing temperatures that could lead to frozen and burst pipes. Both technologies are especially useful for camp buildings, which may be empty for certain parts of the year. Instead of returning to an unwelcome surprise, building owners or staff members can be alerted to a leak or freezing temperatures right away, and can take steps to prevent or minimize damage and outages.

In addition, IoT devices can alert the police to an armed intruder situation at a facility, saving precious time spent making a 911 call. Other devices can alert you via a cellphone app when a smoke detector goes off in a building. This can be crucial in buildings that are frequently unoccupied and rely on residential-type smoke detectors that are not centrally monitored.

Advancements in computer vision and artificial intelligence will continue to spawn new risktech offerings to mitigate all forms of visibly identifiable risks. Camera technology has advanced remarkably over the past decade and devices now have the capability to do far more than simply capture images. Using these new capabilities, programmers are training computers to recognize potential threats based on images.

The combination of computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) can help minimize the risk for crime at facilities:

·         Armed intruders. A number of firms have developed software that can “see” a weapon in someone’s hand, recognize it as a potential threat and alert security personnel.

·         Arson. In similar fashion, computers could be trained to recognize items and activities that might indicate a threat of arson, such as carrying fuel cans and stacking combustible materials near a building. Alerting staff and security personnel to such activities could allow them to either prevent the crime or react to the fire quickly.

The cost of IoT devices and associated programs continue to decline as the availability of 5G connectivity continues to rise, making the incorporation of this technology attainable and possible for more camps. This will lead to a growing wave of adoption that will ultimately serve to inspire even greater innovation and refinement.

Whether your camp is high-tech or high-touch, investments in technology and innovation can help keep people and property safe while you focus on providing memorable experiences for campers.

Tracy Schmeltzer is the Assistant Vice President for Camps, Agency and Groups for Church Mutual. For more information, visit https://www.churchmutual.com/.