When you run a campground, you know you must be constantly aware and prepared for danger. Some dangerous situations are brought about by mother nature, such as fire, flood, hurricanes and tornadoes, while others are unpredictable emergencies potentially involving your guests and employees.

(DENVER) When you run a campground, you know you must be constantly aware and prepared for danger. Some dangerous situations are brought about by mother nature, such as fire, flood, hurricanes and tornadoes, while others are unpredictable emergencies potentially involving your guests and employees.

When it comes to guest safety, you must be ready for anything. Making sure your emergency plans and training are up to par can be a monumental task, but you don’t have to tackle it alone. The National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (ARVC) and Hytropy, one of the most innovative companies in the disaster management industry, are partnering to help lessen your burden with a new CPR/Emergency Response Plan Workshop hosted at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE) this fall.

The purpose of this interactive workshop is to assist participating parks and campgrounds in developing, implementing and activating a successful disaster preparedness program. The workshop, led by Patrick Hardy of Hytropy, promises to provide an extensive and immersive educational experience for park owners and operators. Hardy teaches from a perspective of empowerment, creating an experience to allow attendees to prepare and be confident in their own emergency management plan, without devolving into scare tactics or doom and gloom.

“It’s a fully integrated day that provides attendees with CPR certification, a basic emergency response plan, a chance to see how a live training goes and to participate in a drill. There has never been anything like this,” said Hardy.

Through this workshop, attendees will:

    • Become certified in CPR (civilian rescuer);
    • Identify the elements of a successfully implemented disaster plan;
    • Determine the requirements to train staff to effectively implement the disaster plan;
    • Learn the dynamics of a disaster plan and training by participating in a full-scale exercise, featuring actual disaster personnel, and discover how to capture the lessons learned afterward.

This one-day event is an Add-on Experience at OHCE and will take place at ARVC member-park Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, owned by Heather Blankenship, OHM, on Nov. 4, to provide attendees with a first-hand relatable experience considering the unique elements and needs of an RV park or campground. It is sure to be a popular addition to the OHCE week of activities. Attendees can sign up for the CPR/Emergency Response Plan workshop along with their OHCE registration or can choose to attend the workshop on its own.

OHCE is a four-day event from Nov. 4-7 in Knoxville, Tenn. and includes more than 40 educational seminars, a trade show with more than 120 vendors, tours of local campgrounds, ARVC’s Awards of Excellence program and more.

For more information about OHCE or to register, visit arvc.org/OHCE.