Information for Camp Operators about Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
Since 2022, avian influenza has been found in domestic poultry, wild birds, and a few species of wild mammals in New York. To date, there have been no human cases of avian influenza and no detections in cattle in New York.
The risk to the public from avian influenza is low. People with exposure to infected animals, especially domestic birds and dairy cattle, are at higher risk.
The following recommendations are intended to reduce potential exposures at children’s camps. Many are common sense best practices which will also reduce illness risk from other diseases spread by animals and people.
- Currently there are no recommended changes to programming or activities at children’s camps.
- Avoid contact with wildlife.
- Avoid contact with any animals that appear to be sick or are dead, including birds.
- Instruct campers to let an adult know right away if they see a sick or dead animal, including birds, or if they have any contact with a wild animal.
- Ask staff to notify camp health and maintenance staff of any animal exposure or the presence of a sick or dead animal.
- Avoid contact with animal droppings.
- Wash hands with soap and water frequently, always after contact with animals or animal droppings, and always before eating. If soap and water are not immediately available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid swallowing water while swimming and consider keeping your head and face out of the water.
- Do not feed wild animals, including ducks, geese, or other waterfowl.
- It is safest to assume any dead wild bird is infected with avian influenza. Avoid contact with the bird and keep campers away too. To dispose of a dead bird safely:
- Wear disposable gloves, a mask, and eye protection, like safety glasses or goggles.
- Avoid direct contact with the carcass or carcass fluids by using a shovel or a garbage bag to pick up the bird.
- Carcasses should be triple bagged (garbage or contractor bags) and placed in an outdoor trash receptacle.
- Remove and throw away your gloves. Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after removing gloves.
- Change your clothes and wash them after disposing of the bird.
- If you used a shovel, clean it with hot, soapy water and disinfect it with diluted bleach.
- Report observations of dead birds to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on their website: Animal Diseases.
- If your camp has poultry or dairy cattle, know the signs of avian influenza in poultry and cows.
Learn more about avian influenza and New York State’s Response.
Permitted children's camps must be inspected twice yearly, including at least once before opening and during the time the camp is operating. Each camp is checked to make sure that the physical facilities are safe and that supervision is adequate.
Regulations
Children's camps must operate in compliance with Subpart 7-2 of the New York State Sanitary Code. Some jurisdictions may have local regulations in addition to the Subparts below. Please contact the local health department that has jurisdiction in the county or city where the camp is located for regulation and permit questions.
Staff Certification Fact Sheets (First Aid, CPR, Lifeguarding)
Safety Plan Templates
Children’s camp operators are required to develop, review annually, update, and implement a written safety plan. This plan must be submitted to the local health department that has jurisdiction in the county or city where the camp is located for their review and approval. Camp operators may complete the applicable templates below to fulfill safety plan requirements.
Activity-Specific Plans:
Swimming and Boating Guidance
Swimming and boating at children’s camps are popular camp activities. The following documents describe the requirements and guidance for these activities.
Health, Illness Management, and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Illness can quickly change a pleasant camp visit into a difficult experience for campers and staff. The following information is provided to help prevent and limit illnesses.
Individual camp policy may choose to recommend or require specific immunizations of their campers or staff. For the optimal health and safety of all campers and camp staff, the NYSDOH strongly recommends that all campers and staff meet the age appropriate immunization schedule as set forth by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Learn more about recommended immunizations.
Facility Operations and Maintenance
Children’s camp facilities must comply with all state and local building code regulations, as well as specific requirements in the children’s camp regulations. The New York State Department of Health has developed guidance for camp operators on various topics. Please contact the local health department that has jurisdiction in the county or city where the camp is located for more information.
The operator of a children's camp with an off-site or on-site potable water system that is not subject to continuous water use must ensure that an acceptable annual start-up procedure is completed. Start-up procedures, including required sampling, must be completed at least 15 days prior to opening for the season.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission provides recommendations focused on playground-related injuries in its Public Playground Safety Handbook.
Public Health Law § 1396(2) prohibits, with some exceptions, the application of pesticides to any playground, turf or athletic or playing field at children's camps. The following guidance was developed in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to help children’s camp operators comply with outdoor pesticide application restrictions.
Camps are usually located in areas that are prime habitat for bats and other wildlife, and the type of construction in camp buildings is often conducive to roosting bats. Bats are frequently encountered in the camp setting. If people are sleeping in cabins with bats, or children are handling bats found on the ground, rabies exposures can occur. Bats that are infected with rabies are often mistaken for injured animals when they are found flopping around on the ground. Abnormal behavior seen in rabid bats includes being on the ground, landing on someone, and flying during the day. Occasionally, there is no obvious abnormal behavior, so all contact with bats and other wild animals should be reported to the camp nurse.
Campers with Developmental Disabilities
There are additional requirements for camps enrolling one or more children with a developmental disability.
- See Requirements for Campers with Disabilities at Children’s Camps Frequently Asked Questions for guidance that applies to all camps enrolling one or more campers with a physical or developmental disability.
- Camps for Children with Developmental Disabilities are camps with 20% or more enrollment of campers with a developmental disability as defined in section 7-2.2(d) of Subpart 7-2 of the State Sanitary Code any time during the season. Requirements include staff screening and training and incident reporting/management.
Forms
The following forms may be needed for operators of children's camps. Please contact the local health department that has jurisdiction in the county or city where the camp is located for more information.
Sex Offender Registry Checks
Sections 1392-a, 1394-a, and 1394-b of Public Health Law require children's camp operators to determine whether an employee or volunteer at the camp is listed on the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Sex Offender Registry and the national sex offender registry. These checks must be completed prior to the day the employee or volunteer starts work at the camp and annually thereafter prior to their arrival at camp. These laws apply to all children's camps (day, traveling day and overnight) and to all prospective employees and volunteers at the camp regardless of their job title/responsibilities or employment status (full or part time).
New York State Sex Offender Registry
Refer to NYS Sex Offender Registry Search Procedures for Children’s Camps for instructions on conducting and documenting a search of the state sex offender registry.
National Sex Offender Registry
To search the national sex offender registry:
- Go to the United States Department of Justice’s National Sex Offender Public Website.
- Enter the individual’s first and last name in the “Search by Name” field, then click on “Name Search.”
- After agreeing to the conditions of use, the search results will display. The results will indicate that a national search including all states, territories, and Indian Country was performed.
- If the search identifies records for the name that was searched, review all the records and verify that the camp employee/volunteer is not any of the individuals identified by the search.
Print and save a record of the search for the local health department to review during inspections.
- If the records contain several pages, you may print only the first page (including the individual's name and date and time of search) and include a notation that all pages of the records were reviewed (record the total number of pages).
- A local health department may accept other ways to document that a search was performed and records were reviewed.
State Camp Safety Advisory Council
The State Camp Safety Advisory Council was established in accordance with Public Health Law Article 13-A, Section 1390. The State Camp Safety Advisory Council consists of nine members representing New York State for-profit camps, not-for-profit camps, municipal camps, consumer interests, and children's interests. The Council meets at least twice a year to advise and consult the Department of Health on policy matters relating to youth camp safety.
Incident Surveillance System
An incident surveillance system is maintained to assess the health and safety at children's camps. Camp operators are required to report serious injuries, illnesses, potential rabies exposures, administrations of epinephrine, and allegations of camper abuse to local health departments. View the 2024 Incident Summary Report.
