A camper’s worst fear is hurricane season. Luckily, these fears can be eased if a campground or RV park is prepared well ahead of time to weather the storms. Additionally, medical emergencies, reservation cancellations, and property damage can be reduced across the board. 

Since visitor safety is a core part of campground management, it’s crucial to make sure your outdoor property is ready for hurricane season. Below, we’ll discuss hurricane preparedness tips and how it relates to streamlined operations.

Have a Shareable Evacuation Plan

As a part of your Annual Operating Plan, an evacuation plan can be vital to the safety of not only your campers but to your staff as well. However, an evacuation route is only useful if it is well thought out and shared effectively. Keep in mind, your evacuation route should be accessible for all campers at every campsite so that no one is left behind in case of an emergency.

While having evacuation maps at your club house or front desk is a must, what if your campers are stuck at their campsite during a storm? It may be a good idea to have an evacuation plan on your website or as part of a welcome email for when your visitors first arrive. This can help instill confidence in your visitors even if the weather isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. 

You’ll also want to let your campers know that they should set up their tents strategically during the hurricane season — close to the exits, but not blocking the evacuation route. 

Campground and RV Inspections

For pre-hurricane season as well as after any storms, it’s crucial to have your staff inspect the campsites and public areas of your campground or RV park for large fallen branches, structural damage to your amenities, and dangerous debris. All structural damage should be repaired as soon as possible. Dangerous debris — like broken glass — should be safely removed to avoid injury.

RV Hurricane Inspection List

As a park owner, you can send your guests the following list to make sure their RV is ready for hurricane season:

• Inspect the roof and windows for cracks and leaks.
• Check that the gas tank is full.
• Inspect tires and tire pressure.
• Address any warning symbols on your RV’s dashboard.
• Ensure there is a disaster supplies kit on board.
• Park your RV close to the evacuation route.

Campground Emergency Supplies

While most veteran campers may have their own kits in case of a hurricane, it’s never safe to assume that every camper, especially first-time campers, will have access to food and water should a storm hit. You may be able to use your reservation management system to check how many campers and RVers will be staying at your property during the hurricane season.

With this knowledge, you can gather hurricane safety supplies such as food and water to store conveniently throughout your campground or RV park. Another key item to have stored throughout your outdoor property — for all seasons — are first aid kits. Campground management has a lot of moving parts, which is why it’s so important to have your campground emergency supplies ready at all times.

Safety measures for you, your staff, and your campers is something that should never be compromised.

Campground Management Through Guest Communication

During an emergency, such as a severe hurricane warning, you’ll want to communicate with your campers immediately. That’s why a direct messaging feature is so crucial to reservation management software. If your software has multiple communication lines, you can let your guests know about emergency weather conditions and advise them to cancel their reservation if the storm is severe. 

If your campers wish to proceed with their booking, you can email them a list of emergency measures, tips, and the evacuation plan to refer to when staying at your property. If the area is under an evacuation order, consider using your reservation software to offer your campers a later reservation date so that they won’t be tempted to take unnecessary risks. They may even be able to manage their own reservations depending on the capabilities of your software.

Note: In case your reservation software has sms capabilities, your staff can send urgent alerts to guests' phones, which would be a good way to reach current campers across the property in case of an emergency, without physically visiting each site.

Stay on Top of Your Operations by Always Being Prepared

Come prepared for hurricane season with a shareable evacuation plan, emergency supplies, and clear lines of communication. When your campground or RV park is ready for any weather, you can alert your staff and your visitors ahead of time to potentially save lives. 

While the safety of your visitors is key to a successful business, there is more you can do — with the right reservation system — to ensure a great experience for every camper. To get started, download your free Operational Excellence Guide today.