After months of quarantine requirements, stay-at-home orders, and social distancing regulations, the campground industry may finally be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. With many States giving the green light to reopen parks and campgrounds around the US, getting back to the “new normal” may be just around the corner.
But until then, it is important to safely prepare your campgrounds for life after COVID-19. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, campground operators are being put to the test to safely prepare their campground sites for their campers and employees immediately.
By planning ahead and following these essential steps to safely preparing your campgrounds, you’ll be ready to take on Memorial Day weekend and continue to help fight the spread of Coronavirus!
1. Prepare & Train Employees On Safety Procedures
Providing your employees with the proper training and tools to maintain campgrounds safety is not only essential, it is ethical.
All campground employees should be given personal protective equipment as listed below:
- Handwashing stations
- Eye protection
- EPA Approved Cleaning Supplies
- Masks
- Gloves
Employees should be following all the necessary procedures to clean and disinfect. Make sure employees are logging their cleaning times as soon as complete. Employees are expected to be regularly washing their hands for at least 20 seconds.
Employees should be trained to recognize symptoms of COVID-19. Your employees should also be trained on what to do if they develop any symptoms.
2. Frequently Disinfect Facilities
Maintaining regular cleaning and disinfecting schedules will help keep your campers and employees safe. Post cleaning schedules and logs at every commonly used area, like restrooms and showers, to show campers that these facilities are being cleaned regularly.
As cleaning throughout the campgrounds will be more frequent, make sure to keep soaps and recommended disinfectants fully stocked at all times. Last thing you want is to run out of soap with a campground full of people.
Also, be sure to wipe down and disinfect the following areas at least once an hour:
- Shower handles
- All door knobs
- Baby changing stations
- Sink faucets
- Lids of personal hygiene receptacles
- Toilet & urinal Handles
3. Check Your Local Government Restrictions & Requirements
For example, the state of Ohio imposed a limit of one family household per campsite that may not apply to campgrounds outside of Ohio. Make sure to check the state-specific updates as they become available.
Many states are enforcing limited capacity upon reopening. Also, non-essential buildings such as pavilions and recreation centers will not be reopening. Again, be sure to contact your local government for more information.
With each local government working independently, restrictions and requirements differ from state to state. While more lenient guidelines may apply to some campgrounds, more strict guidelines may apply to others.
4. Enforce Social Distancing Rules
To limit the number of people using restrooms and bathhouses, post a large sign noting the maximum occupancy at one time. Make sure to note on the sign that it is for social distancing purposes. If staff is available, during busy times of the day, have an employee monitor the number of people going in and out.
Many states are enforcing spacing restrictions to comply with social distancing. Make sure campers are well spaced apart throughout the grounds. RV’s should also be appropriately spaced out.
As for check-in and store areas, post signs throughout to remind guests to practice social distancing. Providing reminders and tape marks at 6-foot distances for customers in line will help promote social distancing.
5. Follow The Regulations Compliance Worksheet
A complete guide provided by the NARVC, the regulations compliance sheet is a checklist for campground operators to follow. It provides a complete analysis, fully in compliance with the CDC guidelines, to safely prepare RV parks and campgrounds for reopening.
We highly recommend following this regulations compliance sheet as it provides clear guidelines as well as best practices to consider upon reopening.
6. Limit Capacity
By setting a predetermined maximum amount of campers at each campsite and enforcing further spacing between RV’s, campers will be enjoying their experience at safe distances. Limiting capacity will also provide for less crowds at water filling stations, dump stations, and propane filling stations.
Limiting capacity will provide further spacing between campers to help enforce social distancing. This will also improve safety for your campers and employees.
Conclusion
There you have it! All the main steps to safely prepare your campgrounds for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Follow these steps and you will be well prepared and ready to go in no time. If you found this article helpful, comment below and follow us on social media!
Interested in how RoverPass can help your campground boost profits, save time, and increase occupancy all at no cost to you? Shoot us an email at sales@roverpass.com or schedule a demo here.
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