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MUSKALLONGE STATE PARK -- For years, campers have ventured to Muskallonge State Park for its tranquility. But Labor Day visitors did not get the peace they came for.

Instead, they were slammed by a vicious wind storm. One that produced 78 MPH winds which took out more than 100 trees.

"Just one after another. For a little while there you didn't know which tree to watch," said camper Wayne Cox.

Those who set up camp in the thickly-wooded grounds were fortunate to have survived and they have its new EMNet warning system to thank.

"There's no doubt in my mind that the public alert system saved lives from this event," said Jim Dzelak, DNRE Park Supervisor.

When the storm hit, Dzelak was able to warn and evacuate campers through the system's loud speaker, which is also automated with the National Weather Service and local broadcast stations.

"The system will boradcast up to a mile in range and not only people in the park are hearing it but some of the local Deer Park community aslo," said Dzelak.

The advanced system was made possible through federal grants. It was purchased and installed collaboratively by the Michigan State Police, DNRE, National Weather Service, and the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB).

"This is really a great example of a public and private partnership between the MAB and other organizations to save lives," said former MAB Chair, Tom Mogush.

Muskallonge is one of three parks in the U-P that currently has the sysem, but its success has made it popular and other state parks may get it too.

After a week of clean-up, there's still plenty of debris lining the park, but campers are being optomistic, looking at the extra twigs on the ground as just a little extra firewood. The camp hopes to have most of the debris cleaned up by next weekend in time for their Agate Festival.