Lewisville hosts extreme response camp for teens

Teens looking for an extreme summer experience don't have to look further than their backyard. Once again, Lewisville will host its Xtreme Response Camp from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 25-29. The camp also offers drop-off beginning at 7:30 a.m. and pick-up until 5:30 p.m. The cost is $140 per camper. Campers just need to bring a lunch. Once they register, parents will receive a packet detailing camp activities and schedules. To register visit www.cityoflewisville.com or the Frederick P. Herring or Memorial Park recreation centers.

"The camp began in 2009. I got the idea from the emergency manager in Lake Dallas; he wanted to put on teen a CERT camp. I talked to him a little about that idea and then tried to expand to all areas of public safety," said Summer Wilhelm, emergency management coordinator. "Every year we've been just about full for the camps. The max we can take is 30. Right now we're only about halfway there, and we really need the camp to fill up."

The camp provides a hands-on look at public safety and disaster preparedness. It is open to youth ages 12-16 in any city. The camp covers dive operations at Lewisville Lake, SWAT operations, live fire demonstration, K-9 search and rescue and campers will be able to help with vehicle extrication.

"The theme this year is team building and communication and how that translates to emergency response," Wilhelm said. "We have new team building challenges this year and many other new activities."

The new activities include a ropes course, which will hone in on team work and communication and what goes into responding to a scene. The camp will also have new types of demonstrations including a SWAT team demonstration of its new robots and a new dive demonstration to include spinal injury patients. The final day of the camp will include another new activity: an amazing race-type event that will give campers the chance to practice skills learned during the camp.

"We try to fill the day with as many activities as possible. We're mindful of the heat, so we do outdoor activities in the morning and indoor in the afternoon," Wilhelm said. "We have several returning campers, so we try to change up the camp every year."

The weekly activities will include CPR and AED certification and hands-on first aid lessons. During the dive operations at the lake campers will learn about fighting fires on the water and how to search for people on the water. During a demonstration of room searches, campers will learn how firefighters enter smoke-filled rooms and find their way around to victims and the fire. Campers will also get to do hose drills and live fire operations. Campers will also get to go through fire and police vehicles and try on equipment. There will also be a crime scene reconstruction, and a detective who will walk through how they work crime scenes. Campers will do finger printing, watch a disaster movie, learn about disaster preparedness and how to use thermal energies.

"We work with different departments and see what needs to be done for the camp. The subject matter experts will teach the classes that deal with their expertise," Wilhelm said.

Parents have two opportunities to watch the camp. They may attend the day campers go to the ropes course June 27. Parents must pay the fee to enter the ropes course. They may also attend the final day and participate in the amazing race portion. Parents are also invited to the graduation and pizza/pool party the final day. Graduates are given a packet with disaster preparedness information, medal for graduating and awards are presented to the extreme responders of the week. The campers of the week are those who excel at the spirit of public safety or are especially skilled at challenges and lessons. At the end of the week campers are also given a DVD of photos from the camp.

For information contact Wilhelm at 972-219-5012 or swilhelm@cityoflewisville.com.

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