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Safety, Health & Wellness

Onaway prioritizes the safety of our campers, counselors, staff and participants above all else. Our best practices are rooted in prevention, preparation, and both in-camp and outside expertise.  

Camp Accreditation & Licensure

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Onaway is voluntarily accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), the only national accrediting body for camps of all types. ACA’s accreditation standards focus on health, safety, and risk management, and are used as benchmarks by government entities. For families, it is the clearest signal that a camp is not just well-intentioned but genuinely committed to the highest level of care for every child in its community.

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Onaway is licensed annually in New Hampshire by the NH Department of Health and Human Services.  This is a mandatory license for all camps, focused on the health and safety of campers participating in NH camp programs. Onaway is visited annually by the state as part of maintaining our annual license. 

Health & Wellness

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Learning to form deep friendships, navigate our different needs, and support each other is one of the most significant skills gained through 7 weeks living together. The cabin group counselors are there throughout the day and night to help their campers as they grow in these areas.  

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The Camp Director and Assistant Director, as well as all senior staff, are also deeply involved in guiding the community throughout the summer. We believe in making sure each camper is known and connected. 

Please read the Essential Eligibility Criteria for Onaway Campers. Your child may be ready for Onaway if they can do the following:  

  • Communicate needs and concerns verbally with others  

  • Understand and follow directions given by staff  

  • Refrain from unsafe and/or harmful behaviors toward self and others (including self-harm) 

  • Identify and avoid health/safety risks  

  • Feel comfortable living in a simple, rustic, outdoor environment (e.g. no air-conditioning, varying weather conditions, insects/animals, grass/dirt/mud)  

  • Follow a varied individual schedule. Even our youngest campers travel from one activity to another on their own. A counselor will always be waiting for them at the next location.  

  • Transition from one activity to the next throughout the day  

  • Assume responsibility for personal hygiene at a developmentally appropriate age level  

  • Independently manage activities of daily living including toileting and bathing.  

  • Maintain proper nutrition and hydration from the food offered at camp  

  • Adapt to a group living environment with some time alone  

  • Demonstrate age-appropriate social and emotional skills in managing personal boundaries, relationships, communication, stress, and conflict  

  • Manage the sensory stimulation of an at-times loud and energetic group environment (especially in the dining hall during meals) 

  • Participate fully in all scheduled activities and programs  

  • Behave in ways that contribute positively to the Onaway community  

  • Embrace and celebrate differences within the Onaway community  

 
Please note that we are unable to provide consistent one-on-one support for campers throughout the seven weeks and that our health center is equipped to help campers with their daily health needs such as medication administration and first aid. Families of campers with unique needs should be in touch with the director prior to registration to be sure our staff can fully care for each camper. 

Onaway partners with Plymouth Pediatric for weekday visits and Mid State Health for extended-hour needs. Speare Memorial Hospital, nine miles away, is a well-equipped, modern hospital with an excellent staff and Emergency Room. We work with local EMT services in Hebron and Bridgewater. 

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The Health Center is covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by an RN or LPN with nurse quarters in the health center. We also have health center assistants and med-techs supporting supporting her work. The full medical team is an integral part of our camp community.

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Families of campers with specific health needs should have a conversation with the Director prior to the summer. 

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The camp’s infirmary is comfortable and attractive with a four-bed and single-bed ward, two full baths, kitchen, dispensary, and nurse quarters. It has a large, sunny porch and is near the main kitchen. Campers can stay in the ward when they need rest or to stay separate from other campers to keep themselves and others healthy.

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We will partner with families in preparation for camp to discuss dietary concerns for campers.

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Onaway is noted for its good and ample table. Nutritious food is served, fresh fruits are always available, and a salad bar comes with every lunch and dinner. Our chef makes an effort to prepare food that appeals to young people and often fulfills requests. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options are available. Sunflower butter and apples are a favorite side for many campers and counselors. 

Staff Training & Hiring

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Onaway counselors come from all over the nation - and at times from all over the world! Many of our counselors have been former campers themselves and understand well the transformational experience of an Onaway summer.  

  

All counselors, aides, and staff members must come with several professional references and undergo a full background check before stepping on campus. In addition, we expect Onaway staff and council to hold themselves to our high Onaway standards in all they do. 

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The Onaway counselors arrive at camp each summer 10 days prior to the the start of camp. A significant part of their pre-camp experience involves extensive training in behavior management, safety protocols, Onaway’s emergency action plan, and mandated reporting. Prior to camp, all counselors receive mandatory training in First Aid/CPR/AED and waterfront counselors are trained in lifeguarding. In addition, trip counselors seek their Wilderness First Aid or First Responder.  

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With a low camper-to-staff ratio of one to three, there are multiple ways Onaway campers are supervised.  Each cabin group is assigned two primary counselors who live within the cabin group and those counselors see their campers multiple times throughout the day, along with an aide (junior counselor) who helps support the group during cabin duties, writing periods, and evenings before bed.  More senior counselors also oversee the groups with both the Assistant Director and Director's support.  

Emergency Protocols & Safety

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Onaway maintains and annually reviews and enhances its Emergency Action Plan (EAP).  We keep up-to-date our contingency plans for different scenarios, such as weather emergencies, bear alerts, and other safety issues. If necessary, we have plans for off-site gathering spaces. Counselor training covers these topics each year.

 

We also undergo annual visits from Hebron Police and Fire Department to ensure our best practices are continually refreshed. 

We are weather-aware in all situations.

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Daily,  the leadership staff  monitors our Perry Weather Station, which is on Onaway property, for real time data. In particular, it is used to monitor storms, lightening, heat index, and wind.  We also review live smoke maps https://fire.airnow.gov/. This data helps us make decisions about daily activities on campus, as well as keep an eye on the safety of our trips.

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We practice our systems of safety every day. Campers are not allowed in the water or on a boat without turning their tag. The tag station is monitored at all times to ensure every camper is accounted for. No one leaves the waterfront until tags are all accounted for. 

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Swimmers must wear white swim caps so we can see them in the deeper waters. Campers who have not mastered advanced swimming must wear life preservers outside of the buoy line where they can't touch the bottom of the lake. All campers in crafts wear life preservers at all time. Sailors additionally wear helmets. 

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Certified lifeguards supervise activities on the dock and on the floats. The motorboats are used for ensuring safety out on the lake outside of our cove. We constantly monitor the weather and move waterfront plans inside as needed. 

All of our counselors are certified in Red Cross First Aid and CPR and several trip counselors also have a Wilderness First Aid and/or First Responder certification. 

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Any trip where girls will be boating or swimming also has a Red Cross certified lifeguard present. Counselors on trips carry cell phones with them and trips are carefully planned and monitored by Onaway counselors and staff. We send Satellite phones with counselors on trips where campers have a chance of being beyond cell phone service. 

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