Health department inspections of children's summer camps in Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties turned up hundreds of violations last year, infractions that could put the camp's charges - your kids - in harm's way.

For the roughly 400 camps in the Catskills and Hudson Valley getting ready to open this week, the citations usually were mundane: inoperable smoke detectors, wrong doorknobs, mold and torn screens.

But then there were extreme examples: An August 2005 inspection of Camp Bnos Skwere in Fallsburg found that a medical director who was not qualified for invasive procedures was assisting a camper in administering an enema. The camp was also cited for trash strewn throughout the grounds, raw fish improperly stored and an unapproved trip to Lake Superior.

These were some of the scores of violations the Times Herald-Record discovered in a review of health department reports from May 2005 to May 2006.

Other surprising violations:

- Ohel Elozen Be'er Hatorah in Bethel was cited for operating last year without a valid permit. The camp was also written up for sewage discharging onto the ground, a leaky chlorine pump, and for having two fly strips hanging over work tables in a canteen area.

- At Camp Michikamau in Tuxedo, a minor violation was handed down for failure to train staff for archery.

- Camp Deerpark in Westbrookville was cited last year for failing to have proper certifications for its aquatics director, a major violation. And several barrels of chemicals weren't labeled in the camp's filter room, considered a minor violation by the state.

Not accounted for in the inspection reports was one of the worst summer camp incidents in recent memory: Five campers and a counselor from the Atlanta Dance Camp in South Fallsburg died in a horrific crash with a Sullivan County dump truck last July.

The camp had passed inspection in April 2005 and overall had a clean operating record, officials said. Following the crash, the state Health Department launched an investigation into the camp's lack of supervision and was prepared to cite it. The camp owner, though, fled the country.

Health inspectors say the violations they find are seldom so life-threatening. And, they add, almost every camp has at least a handful of violations to address before a permit is issued each summer.

"It's very rare, if not impossible, for a camp to get a 100 percent on a pre-operational inspection," said Laura Burt, an environmental health aide for the Ulster County Department of Health.

Sullivan County faces the biggest challenge, with more than 170 camps, roughly 100 of them overnight camps. Most of those are housed in antiquated facilities, like old bungalow colonies or hotels. In contrast, Orange and Ulster counties have fewer than 100 camps each.

State and county health inspectors go through every summer camp in April and May to conduct pre-operational inspections. Another inspection is conducted once the camp opens. The fine-toothed review takes into account everything from water and sewage systems to freezer temperatures and shower curtains.

For example, the Woodstock Day School was cited in August 2005 for not properly identifying a non-swimmer and for failing to have someone monitoring the pool gate. Those problems were solved immediately by the camp, according to the report.

Other camps were cited for missing bed rails on top bunks or for not maintaining enough distance between kids' heads while in their bunks - a precaution against the possible spread of lice.

Other illnesses and infections can be a problem as well. Last year, Camp Echo in Burlingham isolated 26 campers after an outbreak of mumps, a viral illness passed through direct contact with the saliva or mucus of an infected person.

The mumps probably originated with an international counselor or camper who was not immunized properly against the illness, said Mark Knudsen, district director of the state Department of Health in Monticello.

"The camp really did respond appropriately and quickly to the outbreak," Knudsen said.

That's what makes immunization records so important. Still, camps struggle with getting all the appropriate paperwork before welcoming campers.

"The immunization records are probably one of our biggest challenges," said Dave Fermoile, associate executive director of the Frost Valley YMCA in Denning. "Parents forget or leave it until the last minute."

Another common area of concern is the kitchen. At Camp Chipenow in Bethel, a baker was seen dripping sweat on a sheet cake last summer. The baker, the report stated, wasn't wearing an apron over his T-shirt (which had holes in it) and was not wearing gloves. In fact, the report continued, the baker "seemed very uncooperative to wear gloves."

It's very rare for a camp to be shut down once the season begins, despite repeat violations. In fact, health officials in Ulster and Orange can't remember the last time it happened.

In Sullivan, it's been several years since a forced shutdown was required. Instead, inspectors will close portions of a camp, like a pool or a building, or require that water be boiled.

"There are instances that we will not leave the premises without a problem being fixed," said Dean Palen, Ulster County's public health director.

The most common injuries at camps occur during sporting activities, while the most serious originate with water, whether at a pool or a beach area, officials said.

Supervision also seems to be an issue for camps. New York regulations require camp counselors to maintain visual or verbal contact with campers at all times. Still, camps are repeatedly cited for unsupervised campers, considered a major infraction.

At Camp Hernberg Anna Heller in Tusten, two campers were alone in their bunks all day when the rest of their group left for a day trip. Counselors, according to the inspection, didn't realize the two campers had been left behind.

Camp Bais Yaakov in Ferndale was fined after a July 27 inspection discovered several campers unsupervised. A second fine was issued for the same thing a few weeks later.