Health & Safety
At Harbor Haven, the safety and security of our campers is our number one priority.
Please familiarize yourself with our practices and protocols below.
Health & Safety
We have a full-time registered nurse on the premises. Our doctor of record is also local. The building, pool, and athletic fields are all equipped with AED units. Our full-time nurse as well as other staff members are certified to use it.
We put tremendous effort into keeping Harbor Haven risk-free however sometimes risks are unavoidable during games and activities at camp. When children follow the rules we instruct them so that they can be safe at camp it reduces risk. Please discuss with your child the importance of following camp safety rules at all times.
Occasionally children get a scrape or bump. Our nurse will call you in the unlikely event that your child sustains a more significant injury. Should your child become ill during the day, (i.e. fever, vomiting, sore throat, etc.) we will call you to discuss the situation and make a decision about sending the child home. Your child may also be sent home if the nurse and director determine that your child shows signs of something contagious.
Harbor Haven has a written set of emergency procedures. Our staff is aware of how to proceed in a number of different situations. The situations covered include evacuation of the building (fire drill), evacuation of the building (relocation to another safe building), clearing the fields and return to the building (weather-related conditions/other), and “lock-down” in the building. The safety of the children is our highest priority.
Should an emergency situation arise that interferes with children returning safely home at the regularly scheduled time, please know that we are prepared to care for your children for an extended period of time.
Security Protocols
Harbor Haven has dedicated security personnel monitoring the entrance/exit of all vehicles and individuals on the premises. Should the need arise for you to pick up /drop off your child at times other than arrival/dismissal, please be understanding when questioned by our security. We utilize a walkie-talkie system to immediately communicate any concerns.
Our staff wears Harbor Haven staff t-shirts so that they are instantly recognizable to all of us. All Harbor Haven staff members undergo thorough criminal background checks and are checked through the national sex offenders registry. The front door to the building is locked and monitored by security staff. The Harbor Haven children and staff enter and exit through a side door, at which a staff member is always present.
Harbor Haven will only release a child to a parent or legal guardian. If the staff member releasing the child, (typically the director, assistant director, supervisor) does not know the parent, we will ask for picture identification. Please do not feel insulted if we do this. If someone other than a parent will be picking up your child, please send a written note or email to the office. Please give a code word to that person and to us. We will then ask the person to show us proper identification (photo ID) as well as the code word, before releasing the child.
Summer camps are defined as mandated reporters by the state of NJ. If we reasonably suspect that a child has been abused or neglected in any environment, whether we hear it first, second or third hand, we are legally required to make a report. In the event that the suspected abuse or neglect involves a family member or friend from the child’s home or community, we are prohibited from informing you. This is so the authorities may properly assess the situation. Our goal is to protect children at all times.
The West Orange Police and Fire Departments have been notified of the dates of operation of Harbor Haven. Additionally, the emergency rescue squad of West Orange and St. Barnabas Hospital are also given notice of those dates. The response time of any of these emergency teams is under five minutes as we are very close to their locations. In addition we also have a gassed school vehicle with a certified CDL driver on site at all times for emergency purposes.