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Campers hit hard by Arthur storm in Atlantic provinces

Campers hit hard by Arthur storm in Atlantic provinces

The chaos that struck Atlantic Canada when post-tropical storm Arthur hit land last weekend tested all aspects of the region's emergency management strategy.

Power companies continue to face mass outages, road crews still work to clean up debris-covered highways and those responsible for the security of those caught in the storm face tough questions about whether more could be done.

In Prince Edward Island, many of those questions swirl around the Cavendish Beach Music Festival, where thousands of campers were forced to seek shelter when powerful gusting winds cancelled an entire day of the event, ripped apart tents and send visitors scrambling.

Some of the best stories about the strength of community, charity and human decency come out when nature strikes.

Neighbours reach out to one another, the able bodied risk the elements to check up on the elderly and infirm. Sometimes shops and restaurants open their doors as a refuge for those who find themselves in need.

But tourists and travellers, those both unfamiliar with the area and the resources available as well as lacking a local support base to fill in the cracks, can be left in the proverbial cold.

The Guardian reports that many of those festival campers caught unprepared by Arthur's strong winds could not find a safe place to wait out the storm. At least one person visiting Prince Edward Island when Arthur hit felt abandoned as the powerful storm struck.

Angela Veness told the newspaper she was visiting from New Brunswick when the post-tropical storm hammered the island. When the camp site became untenable, she and her friends sought out shelter. But their inability to find quick access to shelter forced them to spend the night in their car.

"We were looking for nothing other than a roof over our heads, not for communities to come and feed us. We were prepared with food. We weren’t looking for blankets, we brought that stuff with us. We just wanted shelter," she told the newspaper.

The complaint comes after the head of a local tourism agency said more help should be offered to those vulnerable campers.

Camping brings with is a unique risk for tourists and other visitors. Most travellers would, after all, have access to the protection of a hotel or some other form of permanent shelter. But those without have no guarantee that hotel rooms will be available, or temporary hospitality will be found.

It is perhaps a very specific concern, but it is one that has become an issue in the past. During Alberta's 2013 flooding, at least one woman was killed after her camper was swept away.

Environment Canada specifically warns campers not to seek shelter from a tornado in a car or camper. It also says "to avoid situations where appropriate shelter would be difficult to find" when a thunderstorm is possible.

While the responsibility is on individuals to ensure their own safety, provinces usually have plans about on how to help. Prince Edward Island's Office of Public Safety told the Guardian individuals are encouraged to be ready to "sustain themselves and their families."

Still, permanent campgrounds are alerted to all weather warnings and provincial information centres are able to offer advice and guidance to those seeking accommodations.

Other Atlantic provinces have similar policies in place.

In the wake of Arthur, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick each opened about 30 "comfort shelters," located in community halls and fire stations across the province. Those shelters offered temporary reprieve for those caught in the storm.

Considering Cavendish Beach Music Festival released several weather warnings and eventually cancelled a full day of events, it is fair to suggest campers were given ample warning that trouble was brewing. Many found shelter at a nearby racetrack, others through the rare vacancies at nearby hotels.

Could more have been done to help the rest of those campers? Probably, something more can always be done.

But travelling brings with it risks. And those risks are compounded when travelling into the potential path of a tropical storm. The responsibility is on the individual first and foremost.