As a Hipcamp Host, being prepared for emergencies is essential to keeping Hipcampers, your property, your community, and yourself safe. While wildfires are a common concern, other emergencies—such as flooding, severe storms, medical incidents, and unexpected power outages—can also occur. Here’s how to ensure you are prepared.
Develop an emergency response plan
We recommend having procedures in place for various emergency situations that may occur on your property, including but not limited to wildfires. Consider establishing relationships with your local fire district, state and federal forest agencies, and law enforcement, and encourage an onsite visit with local first responders so they are familiar with your property ahead of time. You can also share information about your property with emergency services and with your Hipcampers—a map of your road system, water sources (ponds, for example), buildings, and potential hazards (power lines, for instance) could come in handy, including clearly marked evacuation routes. Identify flood-prone areas, high ground for evacuations, and safe shelters for storms. For medical emergencies, have a list of local hospitals, clinics, and emergency contacts available and ensure campers know where first aid supplies are located.
Make your property easy to find
To ensure folks are able to find your property in the event of an emergency, make sure your address and/or property name is marked and clearly visible from a main road. Consider reflective signs so your property is easy to find in dark or otherwise challenging conditions. Provide detailed and up-to-date directions on your Hipcamp account (these are automatically sent to Hipcampers ahead of their trip).
Keep your property accessible
You’ll want people to be able to get to you and your Hipcampers should something happen, so keep your road maintained and if you have a locked gate consider providing your gate code to emergency services. Clearing brush, debris, and other obstacles that might block access during an emergency will help ensure a quick response.
Inform your Hipcampers
Brief guests on who they should contact in the event of an emergency and what the response plan is on your property. Provide emergency contact numbers and the nearest hospital location. This information can be included in your written communications with them or posted somewhere on site.
Plan ahead
Monitor weather conditions to ensure you’re able to educate your Hipcampers on what fire safety best practices are during their stay. Consider closing your Hipcamp if the fire or flooding risk is high and/or accessing or leaving your property could become unsafe. Keeping a well-stocked first aid kit and training yourself in basic first aid and CPR can be lifesaving in medical emergencies.
Safety comes first
If conditions become unsafe, don’t hesitate to evacuate your property or close your Hipcamp temporarily. Communicate updates with your guests promptly and work with emergency services to ensure the best possible response in a crisis. Let’s work together to keep each other safe!
Further resources
Australia:
- Preparing for Natural Disasters | Services Australia (state & territory links at the foot of the page).
- Bureau of Meteorology
- emergencyprepare.com.au
Canada:
- Wildfire Safety | Canadian Red Cross
- Hazards & Emergencies | Government of Canada
- Get Prepared | Government of Canada
United Kingdom:
- Prepare for Emergencies | British Red Cross
- Prepare UK
- Flooding & Extreme Weather | GOV.UK
- Community Resilience | Met Office
United States: