Your Camping Trip Safety by John Edmond

While you're away from home on your camping vacation, remember that safety and first aid becomes even more important. Accidents can happen during your camping trip that you may have to deal and being prepared for cuts, scrapes and injuries is very important, as well as knowing what to do in case of an emergency.

Every camper should have a first aid kit and survival aids packed alongside their tents and coolers, and it's a wise thing to know something about handling injuries and the people that are suffering from them.

To increase your camping safety and keep your grounds as accident-free as possible, begin by walking the area and looking for hazards such as broken glass, sticks jammed into the ground at dangerous angles, slippery spots to avoid or rocky areas that could be dangerous in a fall. If there is deadfall on the ground, remove as much as possible and clear the area.

Accidents such as being jabbed by a branch during a fall could be avoided by a little prevention. During your stay, always try to keep safety in the forefront by making sure you're handling your equipment carefully and clearly marking ropes that can be a trip hazard with colored fly tape. Another good way of ensuring safety around your campsite is putting things away once you're done using them. A cluttered camping area has plenty of potential for small accidents that can cause a lot of grief.

If you're planning on building camp fires for warmth, enjoyment or cooking, be smart, wary and safe. Find out if there are any restrictions for the time of year or dryness in the region - many areas don't permit fires when there has been a recent dry spell and the spread of fires is a concern. Avoid building fires on a windy day, as the breeze can transport smouldering ashes and start them burning elsewhere.

If you know it's safe to build a fire and it's not a windy day, do make sure you have a proper fire pit dug out and ringed with stones. Containing and controlling your flame is extremely important. Always have a bucket of water handy, as fires can get out of control very quickly - and you'll need to extinguish your fire properly before turning in. Letting a fire die down unsupervised is asking for trouble.

Wilderness camping can be one that holds a lot of risk for injuries. Accidents are never expected to happen but even the most cautious camper can end up in an emergency situation and needing quick help.

First aid courses can provide you with the know-how to deal with concussion or severe cuts, and the amount of time it takes from your schedule usually isn't more than a weekend. The advantages to being able to provide quick, proper emergency care out in the woods, where qualified help and sometimes hospital resources aren't available, is a must for anyone planning a camping trip.

While there are a lot of things you can do to keep your camping trip safe and pleasant for everyone, staying aware of potential hazards can mean the difference between needing stitches and bringing back good memories.

Learning good first aid skills and getting into the good habit of keeping your campsite clean and safe is never a wasted effort. No one wants to have accidents or emergency situations happen and avoiding them is the best prevention of all.

Author Resource: John Edmond runs and writes regularly for Living And Camping Outdoors where you can find more articles on mountain safety and outdoor survival. Also go to Well Spoken Audio for a range of entertaining audiobooks on camping and much more.

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