Campground Weather-Ready Checklist

SUMMARY

Plan

Practice

Monitor

Act

Worksheet

The first four elements provide an effective, comprehensive approach to severe weather preparedness. Each element is a part of the whole. If any piece is missing, you don't have a complete pie, and you won't have the same result. The final element provides tool to help you develop your plan.

PLAN

Identify and clearly mark storm shelters

1. Lightning Shelters: https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/lightning_safety
2. Severe Thunderstorms/Tornadoes Shelters:

Know Where to Get Weather Information

Have multiple ways of receiving weather forecasts and warnings which can include any of the following:

1. Operational NOAA Weather Radio in a staffed location
2. Subscribe to have weather alerts delivered to your cell phone: www.weather.gov/subscribe
3. Smartphone applications
4. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your cell phone: https://www.weather.gov/wrn/wea
5. Bookmarked list of weather Internet sites which should include www.weather.gov/rnk (have available multiple ways to access the internet in the event of power loss)
6. Battery powered AM/FM radio
7. Register for alerts through your local government

Communication Abilities to Disseminate Weather Warnings

Demonstrate multiple ways of communicating / disseminating important weather information through your facility which can include any of the following:

1. Public Announcement (PA)
2. Text Alerting System
3. Sirens
4. Phone calls/Phone tree
5. Email lists
6. Electronic signs
7. Setup a weather hotline for campers to call in to reach a recorded message highlighting daily threats

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PRACTICE

1. Practice your plan at least once a year
2. Participate in annual statewide tornado drills: https://www.weather.gov/safety/events_calendar
3. Practice moving to your identified shelters
4. Consider taking an NWS SKYWRARN Spotter Training class online: www.weather.gov/rnk/skywarn
5. Develop outdoor signs raising awareness to daily hazardous weather threats
6. Provide campers with weather preparedness handouts for thunderstorms, flash flooding, heat and wildfires
7. Ensure all new staff is trained in hazardous weather threats and plans
8. Review all weather threat plans, and update as needed
9. Update your list & bookmarks of weather web sites
10. Update all contact lists, phone number and email lists
11. Reach out to your city or county emergency manager to maintain awareness of your organizational response, preparation and communication plan

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MONITOR

Always designate a weather watcher who is responsible for monitoring weather conditions and have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Check the forecast at least once a day.

DO NOT rely on sirens!

Resources

1. www.weather.gov/rnk and https://www.weather.gov/rnk/emer
2. NOAA Weather Radio
3. Local TV and Radio stations
4. Social Media: @NWSBlacksburg of fb.com/NWSBlacksburg
5. Smartphone weather apps
6. Subscribe to have weather alerts delivered: www.weather.gov/subscribe

Self-briefing sources (consider bookmarking these sites):

Resources for 3-7 days in advance of the event:

1. NWS hazardous weather outlook: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=rnk
2. Severe Weather: https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/exper/day4-8/
3. Flash Flooding/Rainfall: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/#page=qpf
4. Heat Index: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index.shtml

Resources for 1-3 days in advance of the event:

1. NWS website: www.weather.gov/rnk
2. Hourly Weather Forecast: https://forecast.weather.gov/gridpoint.php?site=rnk&TypeDefault=graphical
3. Severe Weather: : https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/
4. Flash Flooding: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/#page=ero
5. Heat Index: https://go.usa.gov/xtGTA

Resources for the Winter Forecast: www.weather.gov/rnk/winter

Resources for Situational Awareness (day of the event)

1. https://go.usa.gov/xtGTF
2. https://weather.im/iembot/ (select "rnkchat Blacksburg")

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ACT

Act IMMEDIATELY when a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued, as you may only have a few minutes of lead time

• GET IN: Move to your pre-designated storm shelters
• GET DOWN: To the lowest floor
• COVER UP: Falling and flying debris causes the most injuries and fatalities during storms

Establish sheltering/response criteria

1. Based on watches, warnings, reports, other?
2. Consider how much time you need for people to reach shelter

How will action be initiated

1. Means of communication -- How will campers be notified?
2. Backup plan

Appropriate Sheltering

1. Interior of a building
2. Rooms without windows
3. Roof tied to walls: walls tied to foundation
4. Protection from "missiles" (flying objects)

Enough Space?

1. Consider number of visitors
2. Enough time to reach shelter
3. How will you communicate an "All-Clear" message?

Questions? Call the National Weather Service in Blacksburg at 540-553-8900 or email: rnk.skywarn@noaa.gov

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EFFECTIVE SEVERE WEATHER PLAN WORKSHEET

1. Who is the designated weather watcher? _____________________________________

2. Identify thresholds and actions:

3. Communication: How will the threat be communicated and with whom?

List methods of communicating with staff and visitors (should be at least three methods)

1._______________________________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________________________

3._______________________________________________________________________________________

4. Sheltering: Identify shelter areas:

5. Training: Train all staff and their roles:

           a. Training Completed:_____________________________

6. Sheltering Drills:

           a. Drill Completed:_____________________________

           b. Time to shelter:_____________________________

7. Leaving the shelter area:

           a. Who decides?:_____________________________

           b. How is this communicated?:_____________________________

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Downloadable .pdfs

Click the link to download a .pdf version of this page - Hazardous Weather Plan for Camping_Hiking.pdf

Click the link to download a .pdf version of the Effective Severe Weather Plan Worksheet - severeweatherworksheet.pdf

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