b'Disaster Firm Hytropy Adds Virus Plan to Disaster Hawk AppAs the CEO and founder of Hytropy, a minutes. plan and they can actually follow the plan.disaster preparedness firm that works in You can create custom disaster plans Owners can also create sections thatthe outdoor hospitality industry, Patrick for your families, for your small business, campers can access in an emergency.Hardy has been working some long days for your animals, anything, Hardy ex- Hardy said the concept of disaster pre-sincetheoutbreakofthecoronavirus plained. paredness in the RV park and campground(COVID-19). Since the outbreak of the pandemic, sectors is still new, but that the owners heIt has been crazy busy, he explained to Hytropy has focused on creating a COVID- works with are embracing it.WoodallsCampgroundManagement 19-specific plan for RV parks and camp- Our job is to help make sure that we ac-(WCM). I am working 14-16 hours a day grounds, which it released on the app in commodate everybody as much as possi-trying to keep everything going. late March. ble, he explained. Some park owners, forHardy isnt complaining, though. He has Park owners can utilize the app to cre- example, dont want to be too tech-savvy.spent most of his adult life helping individ- ateacustomCOVID-19planfortheir What we do is actually enter the plans in foruals and businesses get through disasters parks, Hardy said. We are always looking them and help them to develop them. Wesuch as Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane at ways to add to and improve the app. create the plan for them so they can actu-Sandy. Hardy told WCMthat park owners need ally just answer a series of questions on theI have been through hurricanes, torna- a plan for every kind of disaster. phone, and then we enter it directly intodoes, floods, massive lightning storms and The COVID-19 plan that we developed the app.earthquakes,henoted.WhenIfirst can also be converted into a general pan- Hytropy is also offering a discount onstarted in my career, I tried to find places demic plan down the road, he explained. written plans during the COVID-19 pan-where there were disasters. It gave me an Is it going to be perfect? No, because every demic. Usually, the plans are $500, butopportunity to get a lot of experience. virus is going to behave a little differently. Hytropy is charging a subscription fee ofHe eventually became a certified emer- But at least it gives you a starting point. $20 a month during the pandemic.gency manager, certified risk manager and He said that most plans could be done Assuming the crisis lasts five months,aFederalEmergencyManagement in 90 seconds. owners would only pay $100 for the plan,Agency (FEMA) Master of Exercise Practi- They are so easy to start and finish, Hardy explained.tioner. Hardy noted. We know park owners dont He told WCM that a written plan helpsHe now operates Hytropy out of two of- have a lot of time, so we created this app to direct people during an emergency.fices, one in Louisiana and another in Cal- make it fast and easy to create a plan. You have to lay out the policies, youifornia,withastaffoffivefull-time We have a mechanism in there where have to be clear, and you have to have aemployees and 70 contract employees. they can also share the plan with their em- uniform application, so everybody under-Originally, he worked with small busi- ployees, he added. They just need to have stands that you are not changing it, Hardynesses creating written disaster plans, but their email addresses, because they obvi- explained.in 2016 he shifted the companys focus ously have to register for the app. Then, He said that Hytropy is also working toand created an app, Disaster Hawk, which they can go in there and they will have ac- provide flyers that park owners can use inhelps anyone create a disaster plan in cess and will be able to view that entire an emergency as well.Ben QuiggleWCMOCOA Ties Record with 110 Attendees at Conference The Ohio Campground Owners Association voted in a numberof new board members during its annual conference. The 2020 Ohio Campground Owners AssociationsFirst Vice PresidentBrya Long, Longs Retreat(OCOA) Spring Conference and Trade Show, held Family ResortMarch 6 7 at the Embassy Suites Columbus AirportinTreasurerTammy Brainard, Countryside Camp-Columbus, Ohio, tied conference attendance records groundwith110attendeesrepresentingapproximately50Northeast TrusteesDavid Clounie, Akron/Can-campgrounds, according to Kristy Smith, executive di- ton YogiBearsJellystoneParkCamp-Resort, andrector of the OCOA. Mistina Koppes, Maple Lakes CampgroundThe conferences trade show also broke records withNortheast Alternate TrusteesDon Virgi, Chestnut46 booths displaying the latest products and services. Ridge Park and Campground; Fernando Lusvargi,Attendees enjoyed a weekend of networking with col- Lake Milton/ Berlin Lake KOA; and Samuel Hersh-leagues, taking in educational seminars and other ac- berger, Scenic Hills RV Parktivities, noted Smith. Southeast TrusteeRyan McPeek, Coshocton KOAThe board of trustees elections were also held, and SoutheastAlternateTrusteeSharrie Yarber,the following board members were elected: Rocky Fork Resort The date for the 2021 OCOA Spring Conference &PresidentJeffHoffman,SanduskyKamp-Central Alternate TrusteeTina Phillips, Lancaster Trade Showis March 5-6 at the Embassy Suites Colum-grounds of America(KOA) Campground. bus Airport. WCMSDCOA to Host E-Meeting in Lieu of In-Person MeetingThe South Dakota Campground Own-ers Association(SDCOA) has modified theformat of its annual conference, whichwas set to take place on April 28, accord-ing to SDCOAs Executive Director MaryArlington.Theexecutivecommitteechosetoarrange for a free e-meeting instead of anin-person meeting due to the coronavirus,giventheuncertainconditionsforlateApril, she explained. Actually, we hopethere will be more participation since weknow some members arent back from theirwinter homes in time to attend in person.Changing to an e-format allows ourmembers to still hear from our leadership,especially relating to the legislative ses-sion, and they can still share with one an-other, she added. SDCOA can also stillhold its election of board members.Those who register through SDCOA willlater be supplied with instructions for par-ticipating. WCM4 -May 2020Woodalls Campground Management'