Good morning 🐣

Here at Camp Crystal Lake, our motto is: “Take care of your equipment and it’ll take care of you.”

Safety is our number one priority. Whether it’s out on the lake or working with tools, we want to make sure our campers and staff are safe, healthy, and happy for the duration of their stay.

This camp has rifle and archery ranges, dangerous wildlife, and tools that can be lethal if used improperly. Besides the necessary training, survival skills, and first-aid certification, you will also want to ensure that your personal vehicle works in case of evacuation, especially when someone is pounding on your driver-side window, trying to break in and stab you to death.

Please note, prohibited items: Slingshots.

If you ever need clarification, your training manual has clearly labeled emergency procedures for some of the following safety issues:

Tools and Protective Gear

It can be very easy to misuse tools, so we will go over the best ways to avoid spearing clean through a couple that are minding their own business in bed, as well as how to grip your pitchforks when cornered by an assailant. Please, please make sure all chainsaws are properly maintained and stowed away when not in use. We don’t want anymore accidents. And lastly, in some cases you’ll need protective face coverings when handling certain tools and equipment. See above for proper attire.

Wheelchair Accessibility

At Camp Crystal Lake, we go above and beyond to make sure everything is ADA compliant. When in a wheelchair, you wouldn’t want to take a machete to the face and fall down a flight of stairs. That’s why we have ramps!

Fire Safety

When lighting candles or campfires, you must be aware of your surroundings at all times. Make sure there is nothing in the immediate vicinity that can catch fire and that you have resources at hand to immediately put out the fire in case of emergency.

Water Safety

Being directly on a lake, we take water safety very seriously. All of you are certified lifeguards, so we have the utmost confidence in your skills, but we will still assess and train throughout the week.

Now we did have one incident many years ago, when a young camper named Jason drowned in Crystal Lake, but our safety record since then has been as pristine as these waters.

I’m even happy to report that Jason is alive and well and has made a full recovery. He’s an adult now and you may even see him prowling around the edges of camp from time to time, testing you on your emergency preparedness and reflexes. Be sure to say hi if you see him. We love our alumni!

See you tomorrow! 🌲