Hurricane Dorian Preparedness

On Sunday, Governor Henry McMaster called for a Mandatory Evacuation of Horry County, Zone A, beginning Monday, September 2^nd at Noon. OLFC is in Zone A. He also noted Lane Reversals of I-26 from Charleston to Columbia beginning at Noon Monday, September 2^nd.

Campground Closing | We do not like to see so many guests leave, but we must abide by the Governor's orders. We cannot fully implement all of our Emergency Preparedness Plan with guests still in the campground. Our team needs time to shut down buildings and amenities. Please understand an evacuation takes time, it is important that guests depart so our team can secure the campground, then have time to secure their homes and families.

Currently, our plan is to shut everything down completely at Ocean Lakes and have everybody out, including our teammates, by the end of the day on Tuesday, September 3^rd. Since we are closing our campground at Noon on Tuesday to guests, all camping guests must depart by Noon on Monday. If you plan on coming to secure your site or storage camper, you need to do so ASAP. We are advising storage owners that want to remove their storage camper, to do so by 2 PM on Tuesday. We are following the Governor’s orders to evacuate, and if Annual Lease Site Holders need to board up or secure their property, they should do so today or early tomorrow to be completed by 2 PM on Tuesday. Once we shut down all operations, teammates will be asked to monitor the storm and then return to the property as soon as possible after the storm has passed and it is safe to do so. We remain in hopes that the center of the storm remains off-shore and the impacts to our area will be minimal.

Our team continues to monitor Hurricane Dorian and its potential impact. The next 24 hours will be important. At this point we are in a “watch and prep” phase. Ocean Lakes Family Campground, located in Zone A, has a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Plan and our team has already begun preliminary preparation.

Double Red Flag | The Myrtle Beach Fire & Rescue issued a Double Red Flag on Sunday due to strong currents and rip currents. Basically, beachgoers can splash their toes, and not much more. If you see a Double Red Flag posted, do not swim in the ocean. Look for the Lifeguard Flags signaling beach-goers about current water conditions. A double red flag means the water is closed to the public; no swimming is allowed. A single red flag indicates hazardous conditions, such as strong waves or currents.

Caution | You will see a lot of information on national channels, perhaps causing undue alarm and worry, please know that the best source of information regarding the impact to the Grand Strand is local news. Our local Meteorologists are the best resource for information about the storm’s projected impact to the Myrtle Beach area.

Will Ocean Lakes Notify me of Damage to my Property? | Short answer, yes, when we can. Our team has a lot of experience with storms and hurricanes. Our Emergency Preparedness Plan is updated annually and outlines step by step how to prepare our oceanfront campground for an impending storm. This plan includes communications (web, social, email, app push, etc.), securing our buildings, structures and operations as deemed necessary, preparing post storm resources, staging equipment, working with Storm Water Management, our power companies, and other local authorities. We organize and mobilize our team before and after the storm. 

Some Camper & Golf Car Storage guests choose to remove their property from our storage facilities, that is not necessary; however, that is the owner’s decision. 

When an evacuation is declared by the Governor, our team works to help guests depart the property. We complete all tasks according to our Emergency Preparedness Plan and finally begin to shut down utilities and secure all park access – Including the Main Gate. 

Campsite and OLP Rental Reservations | Excited to start your vacation on Friday? Or next weekend? Just hold on to the reservation. Our storm policies are user-friendly. Right now, Dorian is forecast to be near the coastline on Thursday afternoon. Each storm is different. Sometimes we can admit guests the next day (after the Governor lifts Evacuation Orders). Sometimes it takes a day or more (power, water, sewer, remove debris, etc.). Our team is super-fast! However, we need to make sure our team is okay, and that Ocean Lakes is safe for guests. We want you here as soon as possible!

We understand guests are trying to decide about their Ocean Lakes' reservations in light of a named storm in the Atlantic.  Please review our Cancellation Policies regarding storms below (see all of our reservation policies here: Campsites and Ocean Lakes Properties Rentals).

·    There is a named storm in the Atlantic and you have a reservation to camp or rent: If you have a reservation and choose not to come, you must call our Campsite Reservation line at 877-510-1413 or Rental Reservation at 800-845-2229 to cancel your reservation (prior to your arrival date) to see if there is a special exception regarding your applicable deposit.* 

·    Normally we retain the applicable reservation deposit unless there has been a warning issued for a named storm. *

·    Myrtle Beach is under a named storm warning: If there has been a storm/hurricane warning for our area, we refund the deposit. *

* Please Note | The reservation arrival date must be within the named storm dates and before we resume business operations. If you are canceling a reservation farther out then those dates, you will be subject to our normal cancellation fees.

During a Storm | The safety of our team and guests is the priority. Generally, during a storm we have Security on site in a secure structure and location to monitor the park during the storm (depending on the severity of the hurricane – safety first). Our Marketing Team works (from wherever they are) to keep everyone updated as much as possible as long as power and internet/cell is operable. 

Post Storm & Damage | Once it is safe to move around the park, Security begins to assess our property for damage, while our teammates return to help repair and clean up the park. Necessary equipment is utilized. Our team surveys the entire property and notes damage from wind, debris, trees, objects, rising water, etc. to all annual lease sites (2,566), storage campers (2,600+), and storage golf cars (300+). We understand you are anxious to learn about your property/recreational vehicles, but this takes teammates and time. We do not enter the structures or campers – It is more of a “drive by” assessment of the exterior. It generally will not determine a leak in a roof, window, door, etc. or other potential internal damage. We work to contact owners as soon as possible.

Travel Resources | Road Links, Apps, Gas:

·      South Carolina Department of Transportation 

o   Download SCDOT 511 App and enable location

o   SCDOT Facebook Page

o   SCDOT Storm Resource Page

·      North Carolina Department of Transportation 

·       Virginia Department of Transportation

·      Horry County Road Closures 

Other Tips for Travel:

1.    Download the free WAZE app – user reported road conditions and navigation

2.    Gas Supply Info Download free Gas Buddy App

3.    Gas Buddy Web Page - Gas Buddy is user reported info/geographic. It changes real-time (like the Waze navigation app). The App shows gas station status: has fuel and power, has no power, limited fuel options, has no fuel and power.

Remember | Please remember that this is our home. We understand that guests and lease holders are concerned about their property, but we would appreciate the consideration of our teammates and their families who may be dealing with damage to their homes. We do our best to provide outstanding customer service, but Grand Strand is our primary residence and our place of employment. We appreciate everyone’s patience, understanding, and prayers as our team juggles their families’ needs with our guests’ needs. This includes the inevitable barrage of phone calls, emails, and the constant social media requests.

Stay Tuned | We will update you as often as possible via our web page, our social media channels, and even utilize Starfish Radio Online, which launched July 4^th.