Hurricane Milton approaches: Florida RV dealers scramble to protect inventory

Earlier today, the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported that while Hurricane Milton’s intensity had earlier decreased, it has now “rebounded.” At present, the big blow is rated as a Category 4 hurricane, blasting with sustained winds of 155 mph. “Today is the last full day for Florida residents to get their families and homes ready and evacuate if told to do so,” the Center said. While northbound highways are packed with evacuees, what are RV dealers doing to protect their inventory? RV dealers prepare for Hurricane Milton in a variety of ways.

RV dealers prepare for Hurricane Milton

A few experiences come from the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA). Dave Kelly, FRTVA’s director, was interviewed by RVBusiness. The association counts dealerships in about 350 locations throughout Florida. Kelly told RVBusiness, “At this point, dealers and businesses are still prepping for the storm. We did reach out to a few of our local Tampa guys to see what their plans are, having avoided the worst impact of Hurricane Helene, which kind of scooted up the coast. But this one coming right at us is a lot more serious than just being skirted by one,” Kelly said.

Kelly pulled no punches in his advice to association members. “Well, I don’t think I have to say it, but I suggest that everyone take this very seriously. I know the dealers that I’ve talked to are putting the smaller units they can in service bays and trying to get them indoors.”

That’s all good for “smaller units.” But there’s only so much room in the shop. What to do with big RVs? Dealers, says Kelly, are “trying to get everything away from trees and any branches and that kind of thing. And they’re trying to put their motorhomes up against their rollup doors just to block the doors from the wind. So, it’s a very serious storm and we’re taking it extremely seriously.”

Concern about flooding

A similar tone was struck by one of the country’s RV chain dealers, Blue Compass. Speaking with RVBusiness, the company’s president and CEO, Joe Ferrando, reflected on the Blue Compass past experiences. “This is a very serious storm,” said Ferrando.

“Without question on the west coast of Florida, it’s definitely a significant event. We have a lot of experience with hurricanes in Florida and at Blue Compass, so we’re in the preparation mode to ensure that our associates are safe. We’ll probably lose a few days of business here without question and we’re also working hard to protect our inventory and make sure that it’s not on lower grounds more prone to flooding. So, we’re taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our associates and customers while protecting our assets.”

Ferrando has a right to be concerned. The Blue Compass operation has 104 stores. The company’s network base is in Milton’s crosshairs, right in Fort Lauderdale.

Employees given time to “Get out of Dodge”

Campers Inn RV has one dealership in Ocala. That spot is in Milton’s direct path, but Campers Inn has another dealership in Jacksonville. The company’s CEO Ben Hirsch told RV Business that this wasn’t the company’s first hurricane rodeo. The outfit has “standard operating procedures” it is following to ready for Hurricane Milton’s arrival.

“We’re getting ready with all of our preparations like corralling the units and putting all jacks down,” Hirsch told RVBusiness. “But, most important to us is the safety of our teammates so we’re making sure we give them some time off to evacuate if they want to evacuate and get out of Dodge.”

RV dealers prepare for Hurricane Milton. Motorhomes blocking bay doors. Small units hidden inside. Stabilizer jacks down. It almost sounds like Captain Kirk preparing to face the Klingons. Shields up, phasers ready. Let’s hope that the outcome for Florida RV dealers is as positive as most Trek episodes end up.

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