Camping is a refreshing way to spend your time with family and friends. It also allows you to experience life from a different light than you would typically see it from your day-to-day life. Despite its many benefits, camping can be dangerous if certain precautions are not taken.
Safety should be a priority in all your plans during camping because it takes only one mishap to ruin all the fun. When considering steps to take to stay safe, one should consider some essential tips and guidance. The area, weather, campfires, foods, what to carry, and what to do, should be guided by safety precautions.
Keeping everyone in your group safe is not easy, but with some training (especially for the children) and planning, you can all enjoy a safe and happy experience. You all need to be aware of potential dangers to avoid mistakes that can be silly but very costly.
This blog post will give you some tips on how you can stay safe while camping.
Let’s dig in!
Table of Contents
Site Research
Before you think of what to carry, you must first do good research on the camping site or area you want to go to. Whether on the beach, in the forest, or just outside the house, you should thoroughly check and survey the area to be sure of the equipment you need to carry.
A person camping in the desert should carry different equipment from a person camping in the forest.
If you are camping with children, you need to know if the site has dangerous cliffs, close streams, and even the type of wildlife that roams that area. Being prepared for what you will find is very important for you and your groups’ safety.
What will the weather be like?
An unexpected heavy downpour will ruin all the party. The rain should not ruin your happiness at all. To be safe when camping, find out what the weather will be like during your stay at camp. You can use several weather-predicting applications and analyze.
Will it be raining in the next few days? Make sure to carry raincoats and tent tarps to keep off the rain. However, rain should not dampen your joy at camp. It’s best to change your travel date if there is an expected storm.
Carry a fully equipped first aid kit.
Since you don’t have control over nature and the happenings, a first aid kit is a must to bring along with you. You can purchase a first aid kit or make one of your own. Collect some of the essential first aid equipment in your homemade kit.
A first aid kit should have the following items;
- Bandages
- Antibacterial ointment
- Antiseptic wipes
- Snakebite kit
- Safety pins
- Small pair of scissors
- Scalpel or razor blade
- Antibacterial tablets
- Aspirin or ibuprofen
- Eye drops
- Sterile compress
Keep it close by when at camp in case of any incidences.
Choose between tent camping and cabin camping.
This may not seem like a safety measure, but it’s is. Consider camping with an elderly person or a person with health problems. An elderly person will need a lot of comforts thus, tent camping is not recommended.
The cabin brings with it some comfort as it’s gives the house comforts away from the house. The tent may be more adventurous but not safe for elderly people.
Practice fire safety
What will a camp be without fire? Boring! Cold! Yes, it will be the most boring camp ever. Campfires are part of the magic of camping, and you can get to cook s’mores on them.
But a live fire can be hazardous if not carefully monitored. Thus some safety fire handling practices should be put in place and observed not only by you but also the people your camping with.
These safety tips are:
- Know the directionof the wind- when the wind is blowing away from the tent or cabin, you can lit the fire.
- Completely put off the fire before leaving it to avoid any accidents at night.
- Make sure your tents and amenities are at least 20 feet away from the fire.
- Always make sure you put a water bucket near the fire.
Store your food well
Carry with you plenty of food to your camping site. You should carry food that doesn’t require refrigeration since you might not have an icebox.
Store your food correctly to avoid contamination and food spoilage. Also, make sure you store your food off the ground to prevent crawling insects and humidity.
Ensure you also dispose of food away from the tent, as this will invite insects and wild animals.
Also, make sure you carry a lot of drinking water. If you found a source of water example, stream, river or pond, please don’t drink directly from it. Use your drinking water only.
Know what services are available.
Make sure you know the services available in case of an emergency. Help should be readily available coz there are things you may not have control of. Know if a hospital is close by and learn how to reach the campsite watch both day and night.
Have a look at your mobile phone networks as most forests and national parks don’t have a network. Make sure at least you can reach your friends and relatives.
Make sure also you carry a small map of the area to avoid getting lost in the woods.
Be aware of wildlife
It’s not the big animals that will cause a direct threat but the small insects. The mosquitoes, ants, ticks and bugs are also a danger to campers.
During the warm weather times, you will come across snakes. Snakes are generally shy and will only attack when they feel cornered. For you to be safe just stay away from them. Make some noise while walking, wear long sleeves and safety boots will help you avoid snake bites.
Stay hydrated
Hydration doesn’t mean you drink a lot of water.
Staying hydrated means drinking water frequently throughout the day. You should at least have water which will take you up to a week. If you feel thirsty, there are chances that you are already hydrated. You want to know how to stay safe while camping, then drink! Drink! Drink! Remember, water is life.
Remember your sunscreen and bug spray
Sunny weather and bugs are very common during camping In the warm weather camping season. Make sure you carry several bottles of these when you are camping.
Use mosquito repellent, wear long sleeves shirt and trousers. This will help prevent bites from mosquitoes. Make sure you cover your water as this may attract mosquitoes.
The bug spray will help protect you from bug bites. Always check for ticks and bugs even in the areas you might think won’t be there.
Always apply sunscreen on your skin whenever you are walking around the bush. Direct sun can cause sunburns. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you move out of the tent.
Conclusion
Camping can be very funny when proper safety measures are taken. Camp safety is the most important thing whenever one thinks of camping. Using my safety tips, you will be safe from all the hazards.
