Severe Weather Season Is Now Year-Round — Be Prepared

Severe weather can occur during any time of the year. Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, wild fires, floods, etc. are in the news throughout the year.  In preparation, the American Camp Association reminds camps of the excellent resources available to assist you in developing your severe weather response plans:

Severe Weather Resources

• Preparing for Severe Weather – National Weather Service Resources
  • Drought
  • Earthquakes
  • Extreme Cold New 2013
  • Extreme Heat
  • Fire
  • Floods
  • Hurricanes
  • Tornadoes New 2013
  • Lightning Safety
  • Monsoons
  • Thunderstorms
  • Tsunami New 2013
  • Winter Storms New 2013
• Evacuation Resources
• Questions to Ask if You Are Considering Serving as an Evacuation Site
• American Red Cross — Disaster Online Newsroom
• Drinking Water — Locating safe drinking water after a disaster
• Environmental Protection Agency — preparation for and recovery from hurricanes.
• National Hurricane Center — tracking of all active hurricanes
• Ready America — for samples of readiness plans for all kinds of occurances
• TsunamiReady — awareness, preparation for an recovery from a tsunami.

In addition, some camps may be called upon to serve a variety of needs—including housing evacuees. The American Camp Association shares the lessons we learned over recent summers when camps served as evacuation centers for the victims of hurricanes in the Gulf region, and in other disasters. In preparation for future situations, we provide camps with a list of important questions they might consider prior to agreeing to serve as an evacuation center.

If you are interested in partnering with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to support evacuees in a disaster zone, find out more information on our FEMA partnership page.

For information about your local area, make sure you know your local weather service information including the services they provide, and their notification avenues. Find your local weather service at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov

American Camp Association Resources

• Wild Fire Evacuation Plans
• Severe Weather Impacts - Tips for Response and Prevention
• Talking With Children about Natural Disasters
• Questions to Consider Before Serving as an Evacuation Site
• Partnering with FEMA
• Crisis and Risk Management Strategies for Camps and Experiential Youth Programs - Recorded Webinar with Ann McCollum

Learn From Other Camps That Have Faced a Natural Disaster

• Forest Fire: A Crisis Reality for Camp, Camping Magazine
• Sanctuary From the Storm: Hurricane Evacuees Find Comfort at Camp, Camping Magazine