SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP, OH (Toledo News Now) - It's a busy week for camps all over northwest Ohio, but are your kids truly safe when severe storms roll in? Every parent wants to make sure their kids are protected in a big storm. At Camp Miakonda in Sylvania Township, they have a brand new building built of concrete and solid walls. It provides life-saving protection.
Two storm cells blew into Camp Miakonda bringing heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. The storms came just as the cub scouts were leaving day camp. But it was a good chance for camp directors to dust off their emergency plan.
The parade ground is the largest open area at the camp.
"You don't want the kids out here during a storm? Well if you look, it's pretty open. We're pretty exposed to the elements, the weather. We have tall trees that help protect the kids from the wind and the rain, to get them to the cabin. But obviously we don't want to call everybody to here to meet," said Joel Moszkowicz, Cub Scout day camp director.
In just light rain, outdoor camp activities will continue. But lightning, thunder, and hail will bring the scouts and staff into cabins.
"Each guide that takes them along has a key to the particular cabin and they check in at the cabin to say 'hey we're all here in our group,'" said Moszkowicz.
If there's a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning, these scouts and staff are prepared. They'll be hustled into the new Leadership Center at the front of the camp. There is easy access for everyone to get into the building's basement.
"There's enough space for us to be totally enclosed into the building and away from windows. There are really no windows down there that we would run into," said Moszkowicz.
The camp also uses weather radios and commercial radios to let everyone know when they must take shelter.
