Camp safety is very important to know before embarking on your first trip. It will allow for a smooth trip and reduce many preventable accidents from ruining someone’s trip.
Campfire Safety
Prior to making your campfire make sure to educate yourself about the camping fire safety rules that have been set in the area where you plan on having a fire. Some places may have a fire ban or restrictions for wildfire safety. Most of the time the reason for a fire ban is weather related, this could be because of a drought, or windy conditions.
After researching the area and making sure you are able to have a fire follow these campfire safety tips and guidelines to ensure campfire safety and prevent possible accidents. First step is to make sure the area around your fire pit is cleared of all things that could possibly set fire. When (starting your campfire) keep it small and contained within your fire to ensure the fire doesn’t get out of hand and become dangerous.
When you are ready to light the fire make sure you have water handy and never use and flammable liquids like lighter fluid or gasoline. If using a match make sure to toss it in the fire to guarantee everything that has been lit remains in the fire pit along with lit sticks and logs.
After the campfire is lit never leave it unattended as you never if a breeze of wind could pick up. Always be vigilant around the fire and don’t let kids or pets play around the fire as there are many dangers and possibilities of accidents that could result in injuries. Once you are done with the fire ensure that the fire is fully put out until you leave. The coals should be cool to the touch which will let you know when it is safe to step away from your fire pit.
Wildlife Camping Safety
With one mistake you could have an unwanted visitor in your campsite which could ruin your entire trip. Use these safety measures to prevent any wildlife encounters when in the outdoors.
Researching the possible wildlife that you may encounter in the area you are staying will help you what to do if you come across them but these camp safety tips will help prevent that possibility.
One of the most important things is to get rid of all food and trash that might give off odors and attract animals to your campsite. This is one of the most important things to consider when thinking about bear camping safety and other wildlife. Most wildlife is attracted to a campsite because of the odors that people leave behind. Packing up your food and placing far away from where you will be sleeping and spending most of your time will significantly reduce the chances of any creatures stumbling across your campsite for food. Preferably place it in a sealed cooler or container that help reduce the odors. If you do not have something that you can seal your food in you will want to place it in a bag and tie about 6 feet up in a tree a good distance away from where you are. Every time you leave your campsite, clean up all the trash around your campsite and place your trash bag along with your food 6 feet up in a tree.
Protect Yourself When Camping
When out camping protect yourself from insects. Bug bites and ticks can ruin a camping trip fast and sometimes even cause unexpected diseases. Bug Spray/insect repellent is a very easy way to protect your body from any bugs and prevent bug bites. Wearing long sleeves and pants is also another great way to prevent bugs as they will have no contact to your skin. Lastly, a less effective way is to sit around a campfire. The smoke and heat that is given off from the fire is a great bug repellent.
Another very important thing to do when camping that can get overlooked is protect yourself from the sun. Not being careful outside in the sun can cause short and long term skin damage, but there are easy ways to prevent this. Sunscreen is a great and very effective way to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays produced by the sun. Another way is to wear popper clothing. This includes hats, sunglasses, long sleeves, and pants which all reduce the contact of sun on your skin. Staying in the shade when possible can also greatly reduce your sun intake.
Safety-Camping essential
When going on a camping trip it is very important to be prepared and have important safety tools just in case something unexpected happens. These are some of the essential safety items that you should have accessible when camping.
First Aid Kit
Having a first aid kit is very important for any injuries. A basic first aid car kit is all you need, with bandages, ointment, tape, disinfectants, and more. This will give you everything you need for the most common injuries when camping.
Flashlights/Lanterns
When it gets dark lanterns will allow you to light up your entire campsite making it easy to do everything you need when it gets dark. Flashlights are also very useful and will help you get around safely and see your surroundings. These will eliminate the chances of tripping over something in the dark and hurting your self in the outdoors.
Bear spray
If camping somewhere where there is a possibility of bear encounters you should have and keep bear spray with you at all times. This is a safety measure most people use and is a very effective way of getting out of a sticky situation with a danguriouse bear.
Camping Knife
There are many different ways in which a knife can be useful when camping. The infinite amount of basic uses like food prep,fire starter, rope cutting and more show it should be a no brainer to always have one when camping. If ever needed for self protection or first aid it can do the job.
Sunscreen/Bug Spray
As stated before taking care of your skin can go a long way in protecting yourself in the outdoors. Sunscreen and bug repellent will prevent little inconveniences like bug bites and sun burns which can later turn into bigger issues like infections and skin damage.
Conclusion
Following these camping safety tips and ensuring quality camp safety will give you reassurance that nothing bad will accrue on you camping tip. If on the off chance something bad does occur on your trip you will be prepared to deal with the most common problems people come across when in the wilderness. Common sense can go a long way in keeping you and others safe when outdoors, so if you think through your decisions when camping you should run across very few problems.