I'm not sure it's possible but can you somehow elevate the skimmer and bucket to be above the sump? So the skimmer still drains into your 5 gallon bucket if need be? Then plumb an emergency drain into the top of the bucket that leads back into your sump?
Sorry to hear of this mishaps. I am always able to help out as well during reg work hours.
I like this idea to elevate the bucket with an emergency drain to the sump, a simple solution that will give some peace of mind when travelling. Thanks Brett.
Thanks for the support everyone. Everything seems fine so I think I got lucky and dodged the bullet.