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Preparing for Disaster While Camping Slide 2 Agenda Preparation before camping Preparation at the campground Evacuation kit Storm Preparation Winter Storms Taking shelter away from your RV Packing and leaving WITH your RV Escaping your RV in case of fire After disaster strikes Slide 3 Slide 4 Preparation Before Camping Put together 2 evacuation kits one for the RV and one for the towing vehicle Purchase an NOAA weather radio Purchase cable snap ties for tying down your awning Know what your insurance covers on contents, lodging, car rental (homeowners and RV insurance) Make sure insurance documents are with you and leave a copy at home in an easy-to-find location Slide 5 Preparation Before Camping Write down or memorize your license plate number Inventory valuables in camper as well as anything in the camper (pots, hoses, etc) Verify your pets have tags with current address and phone information Slide 6 Preparation Before Camping Tell a friend, neighbor, or relative when and where you are going give them landline contact information if it is available Check your battery and ensure it is fully charged and functioning Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher Leave a spare set of keys to the RV in the tow vehicle and at home (if possible) Leave a spare house key with neighbors Slide 7 Preparation at every campout Monitor weather alerts (purchase an NOAA weather radio) After arriving at your site, find out where local shelters are located, including bathhouses, sturdy buildings Make a trip, finding the route to the nearest local shelter Back your tow vehicle into the campsite Ask the campground staff if they notify their campers about severe weather alerts and what they advise campers to do in stormy situations Slide 8 Evacuation Kit Content Ideas Personal identification Emergency and contact information Flashlights Battery-operated radio Spare batteries Bottled water Dehydrated foods Insurance papers First Aid Kit (bandages, antibiotic ointment, scissors, latex gloves, non-prescription painkillers, cold/heat compresses, and ace bandages) Slide 9 Evacuation Kit Contents cont. 2 Days of Clothing Sleeping bag or blanket Extra cash, credit cards Medicines needed Eyeglasses and/or hearing aids Jump drives with important files or photos Laptop computer Toiletry kit - Sanitation and personal hygiene items including small towel Pet food and supplies Slide 10 Residential Grade NOAA Radio Features Prices can vary from $20 to $200, depending on the model. Many receivers have an alarm feature, but some may not. Among the more useful features in a receiver are: Tone alarm: The National Weather Service will send a 1050 Hz tone alarm before most warning and many watch messages are broadcast. The tone will activate all the receivers which are equipped to receive it, even if the audio is turned off. This is especially useful for warnings which occur during the night when most people are asleep. (Public Alert - required) Slide 11 Residential Grade NOAA Radio Features SAME technology: Specific Alert Message Encoding allows you to specify the particular area for which you wish to receive alerts. Since most NWR transmitters are broadcasting for a number of counties, SAME receivers will respond only to alerts issued for the area (or areas) you have selected. This minimizes the number of false alarms for events which might be a few counties away from where you live. (Public Alert - required) Slide 12 Residential Grade NOAA Radio Features Selectable alerting of events: While SAME allows you to specify a particular area of interest, some receivers allow you to turn off alarms for certain events which might not be important to you. For example, if you live in a coastal county, but not right at the beach, you might not care about Coastal Flood Warnings. This feature may also be called "Event Blocking" or "Defeat Siren". (Public Alert - optional) Slide 13 Residential Grade NOAA Radio Features Battery backup: Since power outages often occur during storms, having a receiver with battery backup can be crucial. However, unless you have a portable unit which you will use away from other power sources, an AC power connection is recommended to preserve battery life. (Public Alert - required for radios, optional for other devices) Slide 14 Residential Grade NOAA Radio Features External antenna jack: While most receivers come with a whip antenna which can usually be extended out from the unit, depending on your location you may need an external antenna to get a good reception. Some receivers come with an external antenna jack (normally in the back of the unit) which will allow you to connect to a larger antenna (which can be indoors or outdoors). NWR broadcasts are in the Public Service VHF frequencies, just above FM radio and between the current TV channels 6 and 7 - so an antenna designed for analog VHF televisions or FM radios should work. (Public Alert - optional) Slide 15 Public Alert Standard The National Weather Service cannot recommend one brand of receiver over another, but they do suggest that people look at receivers which carry the Public Alert logo. The Public Alert Standard (CEA-2009-A) was developed by the Consumer Electronics Association in conjunction with the National Weather Service. Devices which carry the Public Alert logo meet certain technical standards and come with many (if not all) of the features mentioned in the previous slides. For more information from the NWS: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm Slide 16 Where to buy an NOAA Radio You can buy receivers at many retail outlets, including electronics, department, sporting goods, and boat and marine accessory stores and their catalogs. They can also be purchased via the Internet from online retailers or directly from manufacturers. Slide 17 Storm Preparation Slide 18 Preparation should be taken as soon as weather advisories go into effect. Monitor weather alerts (purchase an NOAA weather radio) Contact campground personnel and other campers so that everyone is advised Discuss emergency shelter locations and evacuation routes Speak to other campers about leaving as a group for the shelter if the storm worsens before hitting your area Slide 19 Storm Preparation Tie down any furniture or obstacles that could damage other campers Put your awning up and secure it with cable snap ties, do not rely on standard awning latches Fill all your propane and extra fuel tanks Check the condition of your camper battery, ensure it is fully charged Test your generator for several minutes Slide 20 Storm Preparation Empty your holding tanks and insulate your water tank and hoses if needed Gather appropriate items and a shelter bag if you do need to evacuate Prepare non-perishable foods that can be fixed quickly and not waste propane when the power goes out Slide 21 Winter Storms Plug in ceramic heater(s) to save propane in anticipation that the electricity will be going out Help hold your inside temperature by banking heat (close blinds, cover windows and, if necessary, pull in slides) If you decide to ride out the storm, begin layering your clothing and turn down your heat. After the storm has passed and it is clear to go outside, check on your fellow campers. Remember only to call 911 if there is a life threatening emergency, as local lines will be busy. Slide 22 Taking Shelter If your area is under a severe thunderstorm warning then conditions are favorable for tornados and you should prepare to seek shelter. If your area is under any tornado alert, then you must seek shelter quickly. If the authorities at the campground tell you to seek shelter, do it immediately Grab your evacuation kit to take to the shelter Do not attempt to ride out strong winds in your camper Slide 23 Packing up the RV in a hurry Start preparing for a storm upon hearing any warnings Retract the awning Pick up and put away anything that is outside the RV (bikes, rugs, grills, etc.) Keep an evacuation kit in the tow vehicle in case you have to leave the RV behind Make sure each family member knows how to help pack up and has an assigned role Slide 24 Packing the RV in a hurry Put things away where they normally go to avoid confusion if you have to pack more hurriedly Keep an inventory checklist of everything you normally have when you camp and where it should be stored This will help you when you are in a hurry Someone else may be able to help you pack up if they are finished with their own packing Slide 25 Evacuation The authorities at the campground know more about the situation than you do if they ask you to evacuate, do it immediately Grab your evacuation kit Follow the evacuation route and rules set forth by the authorities Evacuate your RV in case of a lightening storm or tornado your RV is not a safe place to take shelter in these situations Slide 26 Fires Slide 27 RV fires can start when your RV is moving or when it is parked. Some common causes of RV fires are: leaking fuel lines and connections shorts in the 12-volt electrical system refrigerator fires pinhole fuel-line leaks in diesel-pusher engine compartments dry wheel bearings in 5th wheels and trailers Slide 28 Fire Escape Route Just as at home, you should have an escape route to get out of your RV in case of fire Identify windows in the RV that are emergency exits Identify the escape route from any room in the RV Discuss the escape plan with everyone in the family, especially the children Discuss the escape plan with fellow campers when they visit your RV! Slide 29 Fire Escape Route Do you know where your escape hatches are in the event your door is blocked? Do you know how to open them? Do your children? Can you fit through them? Can you open the escape window or vent in the dark? If you can see flames, you could have less than 20 seconds to get everyone out of the RV. Slide 30 Fire Escape Route Practice an evacuation! Slide 31 Motor home remains after a fire You dont want to be left in your RV if this is all that remains after a fire. Slide 32 If disaster strikes Locate insurance papers and call the insurance company; you will need proof of insurance You will need the license plate number Immediately make a list of everything that was in the camper (even the number of hoses, pots, clothes, etc) Notify family Slide 33 Summary Campers are like boy scouts we must Always Be Prepared! Planning ahead for potential storms and evacuations will ensure your safety and minimize your losses