2012 Safety Camp dates:  June 13 & 14

Every June, children who have completed grades 2 -3 have the opportunity to participate in Fridley's annual Safety Camp. Safety Camp, which was first held in June, 1995, is a two day event sponsored by the Fridley Police, Fire, and Recreation Departments. The main goal of Safety Camp is to help reduce the number of accidents and injuries among our young children by giving them the skills necessary to cope with emergency situations. The children may be taught safety in the following areas: water, fire, drugs, personal safety, first aid, electricity, gun awareness, railroads, seat belts, campgrounds, burns, and more. The instructors are from State and City Departments and also Regional Organizations. 

The children are divided into teams with counselors consisting of police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, recreation staff, and senior volunteers. The camp is run from 8:30 - 4:30 pm, at Commons Park - rain or shine. 

Graduation and Awards Ceremony - 6:00 pm on second day

At the end of the second day, the campers and their parents are invited to come back to the Fridley High School for the Graduation and Award's Ceremony. The ceremony starts at 6:00 pm with an ice cream social and emergency vehicle display. At 6:30 pm the campers march into the auditorium, following their counselors who are, at that time, dressed in their work uniform, whether it is a uniform from the police department, fire department, or an Allina paramedic.

During the two-day camp, the counselors are dressed in shorts and their Safety Camp t-shirt, so the children don't have any idea what their counselors do for a living. When the campers arrive for the Award's Ceremony and look for their counselors, they are totally surprised and shocked to discover who their counselor really was! The look of surprise and awe on their face is priceless! Each camper has the opportunity to be on stage and receive their certificate of participation and be recognized as a successful student of that year's camp.

The camp is dependent on private and corporate donations so registration fees can be kept at a minimum. The registration fee for Safety Camp is $30.00, which includes lunch both days, snacks, leadership, bike helmet, Safety Camp t-shirt, tote bag and miscellaneous supplies. Scholarships are available and can be obtained through the Recreation Department, who handles all registrations.

Safety Camp is a fun learning experience that enables our children to make better decisions in their lives and develop an awareness of the importance of living safely! For more information about Safety Camp, please contact the Fridley Police Department Crime Prevention/Youth Specialist.

To register, contact the Recreation Department at 763-572-3570.