Have you ever watched one of the CSI TV shows or Criminal Minds and wondered what it would be like to investigate a federal crime? This summer some of our patients were given that very opportunity. The 2nd annual Homeland Security Cadet Camp took place at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children earlier this summer. For one week, patients from our hospital, along with their siblings (eleven kids total), had the opportunity to experience the entire process of investigating a crime—from gathering evidence and following leads to tracking down and capturing the “bad guy!”
This program is entirely free for kids and is a huge community effort that includes Chester County SWAT, Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and many more, including Child Life here at the hospital.
The week included classroom instruction, field trips, and the final day at a training facility in Chester County, PA. Over 75 instructors from area law enforcement, SWAT, and Homeland Security gathered on a Saturday to give our cadets a day they’d never forget.
There was a helicopter, K-9 unit, mock explosives, SWAT team members repelling from rooftops, and so much more as the kids worked to solve the case and capture their “bad guy.”
A few weeks later, our camp cadets where honored at a special ceremony at duPont Hospital for Children to celebrate their achievements.
A huge thank you to all who helped make this Homeland Security Cadet Camp such a fantastic success. We’d love to start recruiting our next cadet class! Please email me at carrie.kelly@nemours.org. Can’t wait for next year!
