Wild Earth Year-Round and Summer Camp

Health & Safety Protocols & Policies

(last updated – 6/6/2024) 

Air Quality Guidelines:

When Wild Earth is conducting programs that are exclusively outdoors, and the air quality index for the program site is 151 or above, as determined by Airnow.gov, Wild Earth will cancel the program day. If conditions are between 101-151 we will run the program, but limit strenuous activities, avoid all fire related activities and provide masks to those in need. If air quality worsens throughout the day, we may arrange early pick up. We will contact families via text and email by 7:00 am of the program day with information about cancellations.

We understand that levels can and will fluctuate over the span of a day. We will do our best to make decisions with safety as our primary consideration. In situations when the morning AQI is below 151, but likely to worsen throughout the day, we may preemptively cancel camp. We may also decide to run a program and the conditions worsen, but we are unable to conduct a camp wide early dismissal. Each family and individual will need to make the best decision to protect their health and well being.

Home Health Safety and Precautions

Daily Home Health Screening: Before each program you must conduct your own daily health screening to ensure participant is in good health for the program. Please assess if participant has the following symptoms:

• Sore throat, cough, chills or sweats
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of smell
• If participant’s temperature is 100 degrees or over, participant may not attend the program.  Please be fever-free without the use of medication for at least 24 hours before attending a Wild Earth program.
• Rash or skin discoloration (make a physical inspection. This is also good to do for tick-borne diseases.)
• Stomach or digestive pain. 

Participant should not attend programs if there is any possibility that they may be ill in any manner. This is in the interest of your safety and other participants and staff.

Reporting Sickness:

Call or text the Program Coordinator (contact info can be found in your welcome letter) if the participant will not be attending the program for any reason. If you have trouble reaching the Program Coordinator, please email our Program Director at jessie@wildearth.org or call our office at 845-256-9830.

If we are required to close a program or an individual/group is unable to attend program(s), refunds or credits will not be available. Wild Earth has committed to compensate staff members for each program. We are all in this together, and so we ask you to partner with us in assuming the health as well as the financial risks.

Program Safety and Precautions

Daily Health Screening:

• Every day at drop off, a Wild Earth staff member will ask you:
  • Have you performed the required daily health screening?
  • How’s your participant feeling today? Do they have any symptoms we should know about?
  • Does the participant have their required medications (inhaler, EpiPen, etc.)?

Masks:

• CDC and state guidelines have approved no masks outdoors, regardless of vaccination status. We will follow these guidelines.
• Staff & participants may optionally continue to bring masks to the program.

Handwashing & Hygiene: 

• Wild Earth will prioritize personal hygiene by following established hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
• We have hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer (where hand washing stations are not practical) available for participants and staff.

Cancellations Due to Weather:

Wild Earth may cancel programs due to inclement weather, such as rain, snow, high wind, severe temperatures, poor air quality, etc., and families will be notified in the morning on the day of the program.