Nova ScotiaSummer camps in Nova Scotia are brushing up on their evacuation procedures in case of fire, say camp staff. ‘They’re trusting us with their children for the weekend. So camper safety is our priority’Summer camps in Nova Scotia are boning up on their emergency procedures amid the ongoing wildfire threat. (Kingswood Camp/Facebook)Summer camps in Nova Scotia are brushing up on their evacuation procedures in case of fire, say camp staff. Paige Bigelow, executive director at Kingswood Camp in Aylesford, says she has been receiving calls from parents who are concerned about fire risk at the camp.”They’re trusting us with their children for the weekend,” said Bigelow. “So camper safety is our priority. We’re trying to be as upfront and honest with them as the situation changes.”She said staff are being vigilant around the woods, especially following the two small fires nearby in Lake Paul.Alison Cook, a camp administrator at Camp Kidston in Middle Musquodoboit, said their property is surrounded by woods in an area that has been determined to have severe drought, according to the Canadian Drought Monitor. “If we have to evacuate, we have a plan in place, and the best way we can follow through with that is if we’re all here in one place at base camp,” she said, noting that activities in the woods have been suspended and kids are only allowed at base camp and the lake. In a statement to CBC, the Department of Emergency Management said it works with municipalities to help develop their emergency plans, and then “municipalities work with organizations in their area to support them” in creating evacuation plans. “Anyone facing an evacuation order would be contacted directly from authorities, whether that be RCMP, local police, or through the Department of Emergency Management. This would apply for residents, businesses or organizations running summer camps,” said the department. Bigelow says her camp is prepared to move its nearly 90 people on site to safety if a wildfire threatens, including staff and campers. “We have a few different areas we could evacuate to in either direction depending on where the fire is coming from,” she said. “We’d get all of our campers into the cars we have on site and drive them to one of those locations.”Cook says her camp does not have vehicles to transport children and would depend on emergency services. The camp is confident after a check with emergency services that it could get the campers a bus and get everyone out in case of an emergency. The camp also has a lake nearby, which could also help. “If there is a fire, everyone heads to the waterfront and puts on life-jackets in case we need to get in the water to protect ourselves,” she said. Changes in programmingSummer camps have also had to adapt some of their programming, such as stopping campfires. Bigelow said that Kingswood Camp has few trails in the woods, so there has been little need to change programming.”Since then, we have been in contact with the Department of Natural Resources, and they’ve advised us that we can continue on as we normally would,” she said.ABOUT THE AUTHORGiuliana is a journalist originally from Lima, Peru. She is interested in stories about rural Nova Scotia, science, the environment and more. If you have any story tips, you can reach her at giuliana.grillo.de.lambarri@cbc.ca.
Summer camps in Nova Scotia take precautions amid wildfire threat
