Thunderstorms are a common occurrence here on the Eastern Shore! We know parents may be nervous about how their campers will fair in bad weather, so here are a few common questions we get about our storm procedures.
What happens when a storm comes up?
We don’t take chances with storms! Our policy is that as soon as we see lightning or hear thunder all campers and staff are required to immediately seek shelter. Everyone stays inside until it has been at least 30 minutes since the last lightning or thunder.
Sure, this can mean interrupted activities, but “Safety First” is our rule. Our summer staff are prepared with fun ways to keep everyone entertained inside. Rainy Day Games are a memorable part of our Pecometh traditions.
How do the campers get to shelter?
In the case of thunder or lightning, staff calmly instruct campers to quickly walk to the nearest shelter. After that, any movement from place to place happens by van, so that no one is walking out in the open.
How much information do your staff get about the weather?
Checking the radar is a way of life when you run a camp on the Eastern Shore! Staff check the weather reports throughout the day and plan accordingly. This means that we often know a storm is coming well in advance and make arrangements.
When Storm Watches and Warnings are issued, that information is passed through our leadership team to frontline staff, and appropriate storm procedures are set in motion.
Can I check on my camper?
During storms, our staff are typically pretty busy making sure that everyone is safe and having fun. This means that answering phone calls and checking on individual campers is generally not feasible.
Not to worry though, our leadership team, year round staff, and on-site nurses are here to contact parents in the case of an emergency. In this case, no news is good news!
What’s the best way to get information about what’s happening?
After major weather events, we will do our best to post to our Twitter and Facebook page to let everyone know we're ok, but that's not feasible to do after every storm.
In the event of an emergency, our goal would be to reach out to the parents of affected campers individually before posting something publicly.
Still have questions? Reach out to us via our Contact Us page.
Topics: Camp