Hello fellow Sojourners. I'm your host Dave Laton. Welcome to Travel With a Purpose, a podcast designed to keep sojourners and friends informed, entertained, and inspired.
In today's episode, we will be talking a bit about some things to keep in mind to prepare for, and some things to do in the event of severe weather events. This is not an exhaustive list, but there are some things to keep in mind. No matter how well we prepare and plan, whether has a mind of its own and we have little control when we find ourselves in our RV during a storm.
It's an obvious understatement to say that being in an RV or camper is not the best place to be in any severe weather event. And we can all share stories of being in a storm while traveling with a purpose. Also, it's quite a thrill ride to be driving or pulling a rig during a storm.
Probably none of us want to wake up to a severe thunderstorm in the middle of the night, with the rig rocking from all the high winds. Oh, and don't forget periods of heavy snow and sleet. We'll certainly Before any trip, make sure your RV and systems are working as they should be. Keeping proper maintenance on the rig will remove a lot of potentially dangerous situations.
Well, let's begin. First, be prepared by knowing the weather patterns and different types of storms coming in the area where you're traveling or where you're located. I make it a habit to look at the weather forecast for where we'll be traveling to and where we're staying. This helps us prepare for any storms in areas to avoid. Think about things like crosswinds, tornado activity, hurricanes, flash floods, and snowstorms. This gives us valuable information to prepare a plan.
Being prepared before an event increases survivability. I also recommend checking The Weather Channel or other weather information sources to learn how to deal with various weather events. In any emergency, protecting yourself and your loved ones is the highest priority. Keep this in mind as you prepare. Property and stuff can be replaced if not lives. A good order to keep in mind is to protect people, then pets, and then protect property.
Here are some quick things to do before a weather event hits. The before storm hits, seek shelter. This might mean leaving the rig to seek personal shelter. The rig is not a place to be in a severe weather event, especially if it involves high winds. If you have time, relocate away from the severe weather. If necessary, move to higher ground or lower ground depending on the situation. Higher ground is safer during possible floods and lower ground is safer during high winds.
Make sure there's adequate food and supplies. If you need medications, make sure you have enough to last through the event and that they are in something to keep them protected and dry. Also don't forget to protect any valuable documents. Keep valuable documents and medications and some sort of a wet-proof container. Even something like a simple zip-lock bag helps.
As part of preparing for a trip, check emergency supplies like batteries, flashlights, and communication equipment. If you have one, check the condition of the generator to ensure it works and has adequate fuel. By the way, if you have a gasoline-powered generator, be aware that gas can go bad if it's not treated. This will make it very difficult to start your generator or even keep it running. If gas has been stored for more than six months, consider replacing it with fresh fuel. You can also extend the life of gasoline if you use additives that are designed to extend the life of the gas.
You should have an emergency battery-powered weather radio. There are some inexpensive but very good ones available that are multifunctional. Many even have a USB plug so you can recharge phones. You might consider getting a weather radio that has a crank generator that you can use to recharge the battery. It's also a good idea to have an emergency battery backup system. These could be quite expensive, but there are some available for a few hundred dollars and there are some that are rechargeable with solar panels. Make sure batteries and backup systems are fully charged.
You also want to have sufficient food, water, and propane in your rig. It's also a good idea to fill the freshwater tank on the rig if there is not a severe freeze warning. I mentioned this again when we talked about cold weather events. Even if the water in the tank is not used for drinking, it will help for flushing toilets. You might also consider disposable plates and utensils to conserve water and fuel. Before the storm hits, unhook the outside panel.
Be aware that sometimes when power is restored after a storm, there could be a surge in electricity, and this could damage the rig. Also, unplug items in your rig that are easily damaged by a power surge, like computers and phones. You might also think about closing the valve on propane tanks until after the storm. Also, remember to make sure pets are secure and that you have supplies for their needs.
Well, that's just a few things to keep in mind to prepare for an oncoming storm. Let's talk a bit about some specific information. First let's talk about tornadoes. Tornadoes are possible in all parts of the United States. There seems to be some areas that are affected more often than others. For example, the central and southern parts of the United States are prone to tornadoes, especially in spring and summer. Although usually unpredictable, there are times when tornado watches go out ahead of time and you can prepare. So pay close attention to these and act before the storm gets close. Remember a tornado warning means there is tornadic activity in the area. Funnel cloud or actual tornado has been spotted and to take immediate shelter. If watches or warnings go out, tune into a weather station to keep notified of what is going on.
Before the storm hits, secure outside items like owning chairs, mats and such don't leave anything laying around loose flying debris in a major cause of personal property damage. Some folks also recommend pulling in any of your slide outs if you have slide out toppers. Severe wind can damage those as well.
If you're driving your RV or pulling your camper, remember your rig is not a safe place to be to ride out a tornado or other high-wind events. Neither is sheltering under an overpass. The wind becomes channeled and can significantly increase its velocity. The best thing to do is to get off the road as quickly as possible. Don't try to outrun the tornado. Drive at a 90° angle away from the storm. If you can't get away from the storm, leave the rig and seek shelter in a low-lying area.
Let's talk a bit now about winter storms. Winter storms involve severe drops in temperature and snow or ice events. Avoid areas where a winter storm is headed. Don't try driving through snow or ice storms. Find shelter as soon as possible.
If you're caught in a snow or ice storm, the important thing is to keep warm. Use propane fuel sparingly. The furnace in an RV goes through propane very quickly, so use it sparingly. You can supplement your furnaces with electric space heaters. You could bundle up with extra clothing and blankets. Turn down the heater. A critical point about furnaces is to remember to allow for ventilation. A furnace or heater burns fuel and generates carbon monoxide. Make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working.
If you're traveling in an area prone to freezing weather, consider purchasing a heated water hose. You can also purchase heated wraps from water lines or wrap them in insulation. These work some, but not as well as a heated water hose. If you don't have a heated water hose or insulation materials for the water line under the rig, drain the water lines. Also, if you're fresh water tank is not heated or insulated, it's a good idea to not have water in. You can quickly freeze and damage the tenant, so it's a good idea if it's not insulated or heated to go ahead and drain the water tank as well.
You should also think about draining your sewer lines so there's no excess water in the gray or black water tanks. It's advisable to leave your internal faucets on. Especially during the night if the temperatures drop. Moving water is less likely to freeze. We usually leave both the kitchen sink and bathroom sinks. You should also open the cabinet doors under your sink to allow warm air around the pipes. Don't forget to unhook and drain external water filters as well. We have a water filter in the basement of our fifth wheel. I kept it from freezing during one winter storm by plugging in a small incandescent lamp. The heat from the light bulb was enough to keep it from freezing but remember it can get quite hours, so make sure it isn't close to anything flammable or anything that can melt, like electric or water lines.
Well, that's not everything to keep in mind for RV during severe weather, but hopefully, it's some information you can use and perhaps it'll get you interested in learning more and being prepared.
If you have other information and tips to share about surviving during winter weather with severe weather, please let me know when. Included in future episodes. If you're interested in being a guest on our podcast or know someone we should have as a guest, or if you want to recommend a topic for us to talk about, please e-mail me at sojournersevangelize@gmail.com. Also, please continue to follow our podcast to keep updated as new episodes are published.
I'm your host, Dave Layton, and thank you for joining me. And remember, we glorify God and together we travel with a purpose.