My Summer at a Sleepaway Camp from the perspective of a Quality Control Grown-Up
Quality Control, Sleepaway Camp and Post-Covid Communications
Horseback riding, water skiing, and hiking were some of the many fond memories I have of attending Sleepaway Camp as a child. As a parent, we always want our children to have the same opportunities as we had, if not better. Fast forward to my current ‘mommy’ stage of adulthood. A couple summers ago I opted to work at a camp so that my son could experience the fun, frolicking, freedom, and all the things that come with going away to summer camp. While my son had the times of his life, I was working my tail off. That’s ok, that is what moms do for their offspring. Being a grown-up, you have a whole different perspective, especially when you get to work in the epicenter of the camp and yup, I worked in the office. There was no honeymoon stage; I was thrown right into the fire on day one.
Change is the only constant
It’s hard work making sure that children from as young as seven to teenagers are happy, keeping staff organized, and making sure their parents have peace of mind. Behind the scenes are countless juggling acts required to keeping logistics in order as events change minute-by-minute all summer long.
Every day it could be so hot that you could fry an egg on the sidewalk, and an hour later the temperature would nosedive because of monsoon rains. There were daily medical needs, allergy breakouts, and injuries that you always hope are minor. Other camps would often change intermural game times or social times at a moment’s notice. Just to name a few things that would gum up the schedule at a moment’s notice. There were countless reasons for quick tweaks to the day’s original well-laid-out plan. Counselors and camp staff had to remain calm and cool at all times so that children stayed happy, and parents on the other end of the line were at peace. As I a mom, I got that.
I would observe this organized chaos occur and ponder strategies to help improve the workflow. I mean, much of my adult life has been in digital communications, and heck, I have facilitated a TL 9000 ISO Quality Audit for the past ten years. I just cannot help myself when I see systems in place that are not efficient. I love how people, policies, and technology can combine to avoid problems and mitigate risks, especially in dealing with the safety and wellbeing of our children.
I saw how the camp was run throughout the day, weeks, and summer. I was amazed at what transpired in a full 24 hours. Bright, energetic young people ran much of the camp logistics. They possess tremendous enthusiasm and the passion needed at a camp. However, they did lack the life experience that just comes with adulting and working over the years. Our lovely adult leadership team returned year after year; they were campers at one time themselves; now mostly teachers off for the summer. They are incredibly smart, nurturing, and committed to the children’s experience, and to the parents’ ROI. However, the majority did not come from corporate backgrounds and did not have knowledge of the latest workflow technologies. With my Quality Control background, I had a different perspective. I watched events unfold, and knew that by using smarter tools, the camp could be run so much more efficiently.
Bringing 2-way efficiency to summer camp
Camps have a low-tech, old-school tempo; that is the appeal, of course, of summer-camp. However, today’s expectations are higher than ever, especially this summer, post-pandemic. High-touch communications are expected today and are essential for running any business, especially a camp. Each stakeholder has totally different needs. Not one viewpoint is the same; parents pay big bucks so their child can have the adventure of a lifetime. Counselors, who are mostly millennials, are used to being connected via mobile devices, and often have to forgo those connections so that campers will not pine for theirs. For their part, owners need to run a tight ship so that the camp is efficient and profitable.
Two-way radio extended features can change the camp experience
The camp I worked at used walkie-talkies, which is a great choice over cell phones for reliability and durability. They used the Motorola CP200d two-way radios, and other models. Smart, steadfast, affordable options are exactly what you need in these environments. I could not help but think that had the camp added a few XPR7550e models with extended features, they could have avoided poor outcomes due to a million small changes.
I often thought that if they outfitted Team Leaders and Head Counselors with the upgraded models (especially the ones with digital screens) they could elevate the camper experience. The digital two-way radios with on-time text messaging can save hours of frustrations, keep your staff nimble and able to mobilize their campers on a moment’s notice, mitigate risks, and be quick to respond to emergencies. This single critical operational detail has the potential to change the trajectory of your response time instantly.
One example of a way that the upgraded model could have saved time and kept a camper happy was when Johnny had an appointment to call home, but his schedule changed. The counselor had to get word to the office so that they could tell a parent. Such a simple tweak to the schedule could often turn into a mini tsunami due to inefficient logistics and poor communication. Another example of using smarter two-way radio communications is with the dreaded injury. Having staff contact public safety and using the ‘man down’ feature could be lifesaving and keep things organized and calm when you need it most.
Thinking ahead, I hope that camps will consider adding some upgraded models to their communication radio-fleet over the summer. The XPR7000e Series is designed for folks who refuse to compromise on the safety and security of their campers and staff. It has high-performance integrated voice and data, and advanced features for efficient operation. These radios deliver complete connectivity throughout your organization, which is essential this summer, post-pandemic.
Operating a camp is like running a small city and a glamping resort at the same time. There are so many moving parts. My hat goes off to the owner and staff for what they could accomplish in a day. They could teach us, corporate folks, a thing or two. From opening day, everything—intermural games, socials, visiting day, catering services, medical response, security, and safety need to be seamless and simple. When your staff stays connected, everyone is a happy camper.
Now that our children can go to camp this summer, it is more essential than ever to ensure that your essential workers are armed with the best tools to perform their jobs. As a parent, past camper, and a grown-up who works with two-way radios, being smart and ready for incident management is a must. When Florida Governor Ron Desantis said camps are a go this summer, I felt compelled to share my experience as we go into the most unusual summer ever.
Our company, SEI Wireless Solutions, rents, sells and services wireless solutions that improve productivity and increase safety. Ensure peace of mind with reliable, hands-on, friendly support with our experienced team. Call SEI to get Camp-Ready today!
Chief Marketing Officer
Alison Regli leads Marketing at SEI Wireless Solutions, a Motorola Solutions Channel Partner. She turns complex safety tech into clear, concise messages for customers, vendors, and team members for results! She drives demand for SEI’s two-way radio solutions and security technology across multiple industries. Always staying Game Day Ready, delivering white-glove support, all in service of Solving for Safer for people, places, and property.
Off the clock, you’ll find her at yoga, in her organic garden, and savoring big ideas and simple moments.
