Summer camps adapt to more frequent heat waves

As the first heat wave of the season ripples across the U.S., summer camps are working to keep their children cool while still letting the kids enjoy being outside with nature. It's something they say they've been aware of for several years as climate change meant rising heat. Experts say children can be more vulnerable to extreme heat than adults, and it's important to monitor the children and train counselors to respond to problems. At Camp Kern in Oregonia, Ohio, campers and counselors could cool off with extra pool and lake time, air-conditioned cabins and a new splash pad. Camp administrators, counselors and experts say such camps are a great way for kids to develop social skills, learn outside of the classroom and connect with nature. But running them is getting harder and more expensive as camps look for ways to better provide access to water and cooling and better prepare staff to take care of young people. In 2011, for example, a dozen Girl Scouts were treated for heat-related illnesses at a camp in Connecticut. In 2015, two children were hospitalized with heat exhaustion in a Florida summer camp. The U.S. has over 20,000 unique camp operations that serve 26 million campers, according to a study funded by the American Camp Association (ACA) and conducted in partnership with the University of Michigan's Economic Growth Institute. The physical activities kids do at camp can involve a lot of exertion. After climbing an obstacle course or a rock wall, some of the kids at Camp Kern said they were ready to go inside. Many kids at Camp Kern have taken to carrying around handmade paper, folding fabric or electric fans. Some campers simply poured water on their heads. And nearly all eagerly rushed forward at the offer of brightly colored popsicles on a day reporters visited. Todd Brinkman, the executive director of Camp Kern, said their strategy has generally been to add breaks and indoor sessions, incorporate as many water-based activities as they can and give kids choices. In the past, the camp had set pool hours, but they've added more lifeguards and swim instructors to keep the pool open all day. This article was provided by The Associated Press.