?Severe Weather Shelter Facilities?

[JCA1970]

I just happened to be thinking, as it thunderstormed last night(in MI no less!),about what FW does about severe weather safety for it's occupants. Do they consider the comfort stations shelters? Do they try to notify people in any way of a dangerous storm, especially the tent campers? We will be in a motor home, but I would think it would still be wise to be aware of ahead of time. Thanks in advance for your answers! Only 11 more days!

 

[bianca]

We've been there during storms before. Was there for the tornado in February of 97/98? They had everyone go to the comfort stations. If they have more advance notice (like hurricanes), they will sometimes evacuate the campground.

 

[auntie]

How is that they notify campers...if they need to take shelter. If they relocate you to hotels..I heard they place some people in POR during the hurricane last season. How is it that they notify folks though? Especially if you were out at parks? Is there a procedure that FW follows..are the campers to check in with a particular area to find out if they are being relocated or if they need to take shelter?

 

[Carrie Ellis]

We were there 2 years ago during the hurricanes. They just left a flyer on the door of our RV saying that we were to check out and to come to the outpost to find out were we would be staying. They put us up at All Star Music. We parked the RV in the parking lot. I don't think there is really any other way to notify campers when they are at the park! Unless they announced it over an intercom at the parks! "Ellis' come get your camper it is fixen to blow away!"

 

[JCA1970]

We were there 2 years ago during the hurricanes. They just left a flyer on the door of our RV saying that we were to check out and to come to the outpost to find out were we would be staying. They put us up at All Star Music. We parked the RV in the parking lot. I don't think there is really any other way to notify campers when they are at the park! Unless they announced it over an intercom at the parks! "Ellis' come get your camper it is fixen to blow away!"

I see your point, but I was thinking more along the lines of a tornado (we're going in Mar.) at night. ( esp. for the tent campers who may not have a TV)And wondering if there was some type of intercom system or something. I'm sure they have something in place. There have been storms for years, and people staying there for years, so obviously things must have been OK; I was just curious and thought it would be good to know. I could always ask when I arrive.

 

[jonimce]

I havn't heard of them having toronados, but we were there during Hurricane Charlie. This is the one that they evacuated Tampa into Orlando, then at the last couple of hours the storm turned and came straite through Orlando. We had left the fort the day before to spend a couple of nights at the wilderness lodge and DD went to ASM with her family. They empied the Fort into all the resorts. They used an empty parking lot to put all the campers in. (Minus the people) It was really something to see. Disney really knows how to handle an emergency.

 

[campingcorgi]

We have a weather alert radio at home and we just take it to the fort with us and set the station. It will go off if there is a concern in the night. We were there once when there was a tornado warning and I don't recall any alarms or anything.

 

[rbork]

When we camped at the Fort in a Pop Up. A pretty good storm rolled thru, 6 awnings in just our loop were lost with damage from the storm. FW had some company out assesing the damage the following day. They were on top of it...
Of course ours was fine, since we laid awake doing the "Do I roll in the awning or not dance?" I can't count the times we've rolled that awning in the middle of scary storms!

ps. I would probably consider the comfort station as my emergency anchored spot. I guess we just hang on to the toilet or something!