Health & Safety
At AstroCamp, the safety and well-being of our participants is paramount.
In all of our classes and activities, we provide exceptional teaching and supervision by instructors who have been trained in the specific program areas. All children and adults are required to follow safety guidelines for each activity and properly utilize relevant safety equipment.
All of our instructors are trained in CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid, and Emergency Oxygen Administration, and certified Lifeguards supervise all of our water activities. Staff also utilize two-way radios for constant contact with the office and camp directors.
For school trips, chaperones may utilize our centrally located self-serve First Aid room where they can find basic medical supplies (i.e. adhesive bandages, ice packs) and over-the-counter medication. The attending school chaperones are responsible for administering all prescription and over-the-counter medication. AstroCamp staff are not permitted to administer any medication.
In the case of illness, medical emergency or a situation requiring additional assistance, we follow all appropriate EMS procedures. There is a pharmacy and clinic in the nearby town of Idyllwild. For any medical emergencies we contact the local paramedics who will travel to camp to provide necessary care and arrange transport to the local clinic or hospital if needed. The typical EMS response time to our facility is 6-10 minutes.
During summer camp, a registered nurse lives on site to manage camper medications and attend to medical needs 24-hours-a-day.
Guided Discoveries requires campers and staff to be FULLY immunized (using state guidelines for school) before camp begins.
California State Immunization Requirements are:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, or Td) — 5 doses
(4 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday. 3 doses OK if one was given on or after 7th birthday.)
For 7th-12th graders, at least 1 dose of pertussis-containing vaccine is required on or after 7th birthday. - Polio (OPV or IPV) — 4 doses
(3 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday) - Hepatitis B — 3 doses
(not required for 7th grade entry) - Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses
(Both given on or after 1st birthday) - Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses
Exemptions:
- Medical Exemptions – Guided Discoveries will only accept medical exemptions for required vaccines if provided with proper documentation from a licensed and qualified physician.
- Personal and religious exemptions will not be accepted.
COVID-19:
At this time*, Guided Discoveries is not requiring campers to be vaccinated for COVID-19, but strongly recommends that campers are up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine and appropriate boosters prior to the start of camp.
*If the state of CA officially adds the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccines for school children, then we may amend our position and require the vaccine prior to the start of camp. Additionally, if conditions arise that dictate a greater likelihood for us to operate at capacity by requiring the COVID-19 vaccine, then we may also amend our position.
We encourage you to contact our team with any questions:
School Program: schools@gdi.org
Summer Program: Diana@astrocamp.org
Accredited Summer Camp by the American Camp Association
Our health and safety practices are developed by following strict guidelines provided by the American Camp Association (ACA). All Guided Discoveries programs, including AstroCamp, have current accreditations from the ACA and undergo a thorough reaccreditation process every 5 years.
