Staff Orientation

Search & Rescue training happens every summer during Staff Orientation

Birch Rock's staff will gather at camp about 7-10 days prior to Opening Day to prepare the campus, get to know each other better and receive lots of training. For many years Orientation involved mostly maintenance work; cleaning brush, setting up docks, etc. When Birch Rock rejoined the American Camping Association in 1997, Staff Orientation changed a little bit with twice as many staff meetings and the staff receiving much more training in certain. With a larger staff in recent years the general set-up of the camp seems to be easier.

Staff Training Week Includes

• Introductions
• A Review of the Staff Manual & Camp Policies
• First Aid and CPR Training
• Driver Training
• Programming
• Waterfront & Water Safety
• Fire Drills & Camp Safety
• Legal Matters (Child Abuse, Sexual Harrassment, etc)
• Behavior Modification & Roleplay
• Motor Boat Training
• Review of the Fire & Knife Rights policies
• Review of the Counselor-in-Training Program
• And So Much More

The staff will also try to gather for games on the field, bowling in town, or a trip to the movies during the week as a way of staff bonding.