By Dylan McDonough
Welcome to the first ever article in the new column: Cool Careers! Every edition, I will highlight someone who has a very unique job. For this first Cool Careers article, I had the privilege of interviewing James Vanden Heuvel. He works as a Camp Inspector for the state of Michigan.
So what exactly is a Camp Inspector? James explained that a Camp Inspector makes sure that camps are safe. If the camp is not safe, then no one will sign their kids up for that camp and that particular camp will have to shut down. The Camp Inspector inspects the camp, then reports any problems to the camp owners. Once a year the camp gets a check-up for their camp license.
James’ journey started as a camper at Camp Roger. When he was older he became a counselor. As a counselor he saw the Camp Inspector walking by every once in a while. That was the first time he learned about this career. Later in life, he was hired as a Camp Inspector in Lansing, Michigan by the Office of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. To become a Camp Inspector you need a Master’s Degree in Social Work. You also need experience, which James definitely has from being a counselor and a camper. This gives him the knowledge of thinking like a kid and what they would do at camp that might not be safe. Lastly, you must have a passion for the purpose of the camps themselves. Camp is a community and a mission, not just a job.
James sometimes deals with Special Investigations. This occurs when a complaint is lodged against a camp. The Camp Inspector comes in to find the problem. The camp is not very happy to see the Camp Inspector, because he has the ability to take away their license. Then they would have to shut down the camp. After inspecting, James writes a report on what to improve on. After receiving this, the camp writes out how they will change and do better. If they do not, then they cannot run the camp anymore.
One of the toughest parts of the job is that he drives a lot. Since he is one of the only inspectors in Michigan, he drives all over the state. The other difficult part of his job is when kids get hurt at camp. On the bright side, James does meet wonderful people who share the same passion as him. He also enjoys connecting with kids.
After our interview, James led me around Camp Roger to walk me through a mock inspection. First we went to the camp kitchen. He must inspect this part very carefully. We checked the garbage cans to make sure they had covers. Next we inspected to see if the kitchen and utensils were clean. We also checked the food to see if the freshness dates had not expired. The fire extinguishers should be freshly charged so they are ready to use.
After the kitchen, we went down to the waterfront. We checked the docks to see if they were sturdy. Another thing I learned was that the counselors need to be experienced with what they are teaching. For example, a horse riding instructor needs to have knowledge of horseback riding. In this case, so do the lifeguards. The lake needs to have clean water and the appropriate equipment.
As a Camp Inspector, you should not be too picky. For example, if there was one loose branch on a tree in the middle of the forest that you pointed out, that would be way too picky. Don’t you think? Also, I learned that it takes about 1-2 hours to inspect small camps and 3-4 hours to inspect big camps. James has to be thorough, but cannot spend a week on one camp. The Camp Inspector should also point out the good qualities in the camp when he gives his report to the camp owners.
This is a very interesting job that most people do not think about. If there were no Camp Inspectors, camps would be less safe. I am very thankful for people like James Vanden Heuvel. This is just one of the many career choices you may have not known ever existed, but might want to consider in the future.
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Bonus Bit – Try this career at home. Inspect your house and yard to see if it would pass a Camp Inspector’s approval.
House Check List:
· Safe food/Check freshness date
· Check batteries of smoke detectors
· Rehearse fire drill with your family
· Check first-aid kit/Know how to use supplies
· Hazardous materials safely put away
Outside Check List:
· No loose railings
· Clear away any objects that could become projectiles with the lawn mower
· (If you live near water), safety with water
· Check for ticks
· Be able to identify poisonous plants
Can you think of any others
