For those of us sticking around this summer in sunny Florida and are Full-Time RVers we have to be prepared to bug out at a moments notice from any public land areas we happen to be volunteering in or just camping in. County, State and National Parks, Forests and Wildlife Refuges are required to evacuate any guests and personnel staying in the area during a major weather event. Now our normal summer storms don’t count and really only those “Named” storms are really required by some authorities as worthy of closing down services within the public lands themselves. Of course, once someone declares the on-coming storm as any level of a Hurricane you are going to relocate elsewhere anyway. Heavy Class A RVs are okay to stay in during a storm so long as you not under a canopy of trees. Both those thin walls travel trailers not so much.
It is very good to have a plan for evacuation no matter where you are these days. It is also a very good idea to have an emergency fund on a credit card and some cash stashed away in case you have to stay in a hotel or buy some groceries and supplies. Keeping yourself and your traveling companion safe is all that counts in these situations. You may not have the funds to replace your camper but at least you will be alive and go home once the storm has passed and you are able to book transportation out of the area should you be caught in it.
As with most severe storms we always lose electricity and even though our utility workers are on the scene as soon as they are able they can only do so much. You will need to be able to take care of yourself for a couple of days to a week. You may not be able to use your credit cards as there will be no internet either. We have a back-up battery charger for our phones that can charge them for a little while. So use your cellphones sparingly and every chance you get to recharge them and your battery back-up we suggest that you do that too. As soon as one of these things are announced we put the battery back-up on charge and keep it there until the lights go out.
Currently we are in a semi-permanent park host position and our engine has been taken out until we can afford to put in a new one so we stock up on supplies, charge all our batteries, make sure we have a couple of working flashlights and pack a bag with a couple days worth of clothes for each of us. Another thing we look for is a shelter in the area that will allow us to bring our dog in his crate. Those are very difficult to find in most counties so knowing where they are in advance is a big help when the time comes. We also have copies of our important papers in ziplock bags inside our packs to keep them dry.
Finally, we suggest that you check out the local cities/county websites. They have emergency information for travelers, shelter information, and much more that you can use to help yourself out before all the lights go out.
Till next time, keep safe, remember our fallen soldiers from the past and enjoy your weekend!
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