Notes
from 7-8-2025
Zoom for Parents Re: Risk Management
On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, Eagle’s Nest Foundation hosted a virtual session with parents and caregivers of 2025 camp season participants After waking Saturday, July 5th to the news from the Guadalupe Valley in Texas, the goal was to offer an opportunity for parents to talk with Eagle’s Nest leaders about our approach to risk management, handling tough circumstances in the past year, and how to talk to children of different ages about safety at camp We know not everyone who wanted to join was able to, so to support you in your curiosities and concerns, here are many of the points that were addressed
● Eagle’s Nest Foundation has a Risk Management Committee that includes all leadership and staff from all programs We discussed regular actions we take related to risk management like tracking accidents and “near misses,” regular meetings throughout the year to reflect on and refine our policies, and how we share this information Foundation-wide in our Policy Manual
● We shared information about resources we rely upon daily, as well as resources we use circumstantially to stay current with information needed to manage risk and wellbeing tailored to our specific environment This included an overview of the private weather service we use, Perry Weather.
● Perry Weather is both the bane of campers’ need for freedom and critical for their safety. It shows a local radar, and sends us push notifications when large storms are moving in the path of campus, and sends specific, detailed emails to us days before major weather events An alarm rings on campus if lightning strikes within 0-3 miles When that happens, staff are trained to move to a shelter with a roof and four walls, and wait until they are retrieved/moved by Admin or they hear the “all’s safe” alarm We train young people within their first few hours on campus to expect thunderstorms and how to respond when they hear the alarms.
With The Outdoor Academy, we have students on campus year round. Jesse, our Outdoor Academy Director, and Beth, our Executive Director, shared examples of how we applied our policies during Hurricane Helene and Spring wildfires in the region.
● We acknowledge that policies only get you about 75% of the way before the subjectivity of judgement comes into play for exceptional circumstances.
● Jesse described the additional resource we leverage of our local community and authorities, as well as the extended community of our peer camps and schools in the region These include the American Camp Association (ACA) and a local affiliate for
Western North Carolina Camps, The North Carolina Association of Independent Schools, and the Association of Experiential Education.
● Unfortunately, Eagle’s Nest has seen what severe flooding looks like on our campus All of our cabins remain above the waterline, and we have parts of campus that are even more elevated should we need to move campers and staff.
Lastly, we shared our tips for talking with young people of different ages about events in Texas and being safe at camp We know campers and caregivers alike are likely getting a variety of information about the tragedy, ranging in volume, detail, and sources. This could potentially (and understandably) foster feelings of unease, worry, anxiety, or fear We know you know your kids best, but in case you’d like some support in how to talk to them about coming to camp, here are a few suggestions:
● JPAs (youngest campers) - Young campers are already juggling a lot of information. Recommended not specifically referencing Texas events and instead focusing on what to do when uncertain, uncomfortable, and unsafe Sounds like: "In the Ordinary World, you tell parent/teacher/grownup, in the Camp World we will tell a counselor/adult!"
● PAs (middle grade campers) - By this age there is more awareness that bad things sometimes happen. Help campers distinguish between possibility and probability. Emphasize that Eagle's Nest has excellent planning for when things go wrong If they have experience with camp, ask them to reference what safety measures they have observed in past experiences. Sounds like: "At Eagle's Nest, there is a high probability of rain - it's a rainforest! These storms often come in during the afternoons, and we have PerryWeather that sends a loud alert of when campers need to stay in shelter Adults run around and make sure everyone is accounted for, and we can watch on our Camp Technology to see when it's over" - - MAYBE, "The possibility is there - there was a hurricane last year - and everyone was able to stay safe because our campus is on elevated ground."
● CITs (older campers) & Hante participants - Assuming there is already some awareness of the events in Texas, lead with open ended questions. Sounds like, "What do you know already about what happened? What do you want to know? What worries do you have (if any)? What safety measures have you observed in past camp experiences?" Emphasize the legitimacy of questions and encourage asking them. You can email us ahead of time and we will do our best to answer quickly Again, answers can range from Lifeguards, Buddy Checks, Head Counts, the OD board, Perry Weather.
● Junior Counselors - Beth and Camp Director, Ellen Fox, will meet with JCs within the first couple of days of sessions 3 and 4, along with Merritt and Teddy, the JC coordinators. This will be more of a discussion about what questions and concerns naturally come up as they transition into this role We will also clarify the limits of their responsibility and remind them the adults are still in charge.
The events in Texas continue to make our hearts ache for those directly affected and the extended Camp Community While we can’t change those events, we welcome questions from campers, students, and families about how we create the safest possible circumstances, both
physically and emotionally, here at Eagle’s Nest Please reach out to us with any questions you may have and we will do our best to answer them quickly and thoroughly.