This week’s Question of the Week was, “Would you consider allowing your truck camper to be used as an emergency shelter for a friend or family member in need?”
“Yes, without a doubt.” – Billyard
“I agree with Mark Hellwig. I’d agree to letting someone use my fifth wheel, but my truck camper is usually busy. Reporting from our grandson’s driveway in Gloucester Point, Virginia!” – Allan and Gale Riley, New Hampshire
“Hi Angela and Gordon, We absolutely would give our camper to any friend or family member who needed it for emergency use. And we like to give away our own house and bedroom and then stay in the truck camper ourselves when we have visitors, or if friends have visitors with a need. We like the ability to share the camper and expose more friends to how easy it is to have fun with it.” – Nancy and Keith Rivers
“Angela, I would be very happy to let a close friend or family member use my camper for a FEV. Having been there and done that as you know, by traveling 200 miles to spend two weeks in a hospital parking lot to be near my sister. When you are living that close, you can respond almost instantly to what is going on with the patient. You just don’t know how important that can be unless you have been through it. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to let someone use their camper in an emergency situation to not hesitate. You will be rewarded in ways you just can’t imagine.” – John Bull
“Yes.” – Ken Neighbor
“Hi Angela. We absolutely would. We loaned our camper and truck to friends who had their parents visiting Fairbanks and they took it to Dawson City, Yukon, and back. We have also used it ourselves when we were forced to evacuate our home because of a forest fire. All turned out well. On occasion we have used our truck camper as a spare bedroom when we had more visitors than our place could accommodate. I guess we could call it our Multi Use Family Emergency Vehicle, MUFEV.” – Chuck Johnson
“I would absolutely allow friends to use my truck camper as emergency shelter. I’ve offered it to my brother when the electricity is out. He has no way to cook. The camper is self contained. I’ve often thought it would be a great escape if a storm were coming, or a place to move in if our electricity is out for an extended length, or in case of another house emergency (fire, I hope not!)” – Barbara Linsley
“Hi and happy holidays! As for the camper used as a FEV for other people, when I first saw the email earlier today I said to myself no, but after thinking about it and reading the article I have changed my mind. When my youngest daughter was very ill, I didn’t have the camper when she spent a week in Mission Hospital in Asheville North Carolina. She was very sick and was in the Billy Graham children’s wing. They let us stay in the room with her but having a place to get away for a while would have been nice. Also sleeping on those hospital pull-out beds wasn’t much for sleeping on. She is okay now and fourteen years old.
So, yes I would let someone else use it. I keep a full tank of gas and propane in it. I also have clean linens, a generator that can be used, and plenty of food that I restock with the house food. I also have installed a solar charging unit so it is always powered and ready.” – Jeff Hagberg
“It depends on the person and the need. My campers are very dear to me, but I would gladly share it with someone I know would take care of it.” – Bigfoot Dave
“While my heart goes out to those in need, my concern today is that people generally abuse things in this current throwaway society. So if keeping your camper for a long time is your personal desire, loaning it out maybe not be a good choice. Also liability for some camper failure could damage a friendship. A camper is not a home or a apartment building, although for full timers it is, but generally they know their limitations. Truck campers on their jacks and unattended children are a accident waiting to happen as they start to get carried away with their play time. Think twice is my opinion.” – Tom Bender
“Oh Yes! Actually, at this time, my parents are using our truck camper and truck. Here in Texas, our vehicle insurance covers us. Merry Christmas.” – Sylvie and Jake Mathis
“Absolutely, for family or a friend.” – Lloyd Thomure
“Absolutely. I regularly let family and friends stay in the camper when visiting so they can have some privacy. They also have the benefit of having their own bathroom and kitchen in the camper. I always keep the camper stocked with some food and other supplies so friends and family can snack, have coffee or whatever they wish at any time day or night.
As to the emergency shelter, not a problem. I had some friends lose their home in a bankruptcy and who were facing being homeless. At the time I also had a fifth wheel trailer and put it on a vacant piece of land which was already set up for RV service. My friends lived in the fifth wheel for two years as they were getting their lives straightened out. Had I only had the camper at the time I would have done the same. My friends got to have a place to live and I still had use of my truck camper. Now that my friends have their lives back in order, there is nothing they won’t do for me though I have never asked for anything in return and never will.” – Steve Cilenti, California
