Camping Safety

• Use your common sense when participating in outdoor activities.
• Always be prepared for the unexpected.
• Do not take unnecessary chances. Do not be careless.
• Think before you act.

Be prepared to administer basic first aid and CPR.

• Take a First Aid class and a CPR class -- keep current on this information
• Keep supplies in a well marked, durable, waterproof container
• Keep the contents organized
• Know how to use everything in your first aid kit
• Inspect content often, re-supply as needed
• Keep readily available at all times

Simple Safety Tips Around The Camp Site

• Never approach wild animals. They may look cute and harmless enough but they are very unpredictable and can be very territorial and protective. Always be alert and aware of your surroundings. In most cases, the animals are more afraid of us and will run away. Do not attempt to feed wild animals. Most injuries occur when people try to feed them. Keep your food safely stored away or hang it from a tree. Do not keep food in your tent.
• Look out for snakes, spiders and other insectds. Watch where you are walking, be careful when picking up sticks or rocks and look around before taking a seat. Again, snakes are usually more afraid of us, but if they feel threatened or if you make sudden movements they may strike. Stay calm and slowly move away from them.
• Other insects such as bees, ants, ticks, mosquitoes, flies etc should not be taken lightly. Not only can they be annoying but they can cause quite a bit of pain and discomfort. Many people have severe allergic reactions to their bites and need to carry necessary medical supplies or seek medical attention. Again be aware of your surroundings.
• Wear sunscreen and sunglasses. You can get sunburn in a very short period of time even on overcast days. Protect your eyes from the strong ultraviolet rays of the sun and reduce glare from off the water or off the snow. Sunburn can ruin any vacation.
• Never hike alone, always go with a friend. Tell someone else of your plans. Always take plenty of water, snacks, matches and a flashlight. Don't forget your compass and trail maps. Maybe a GPS. Be aware of the weather.
• Be prepared with a water purification system if you may need to use a natural water resource.
• Supervise your children. Instruct them to stay within your sight and don't allow them to wonder off. Give them each a whistle to wear around their neck to be used only in an emergency. Agree on a location to meet. Consider ID bracelets. Keep a picture of your children with you in case they get lost.
• Be careful around water. Watch your step and don't take chances. Watch your children closely. Everyone should know how to swim.
• Pay attention to weather conditions. It can change very quickly. Be prepared and act in anticipation of severe weather. In the winter, watch out for extended exposure to cold temperatures. Frostbite and hypothermia are very dangerous. Keep an eye on each other.
• Be very careful with gas canisters. Keep upright at all times. Keep outside in well ventilated area. Check for leakage by putting soap liquid on all connections. Turn off when not in use. Never install or remove propane cylinders while stove is lit, near flames, pilot lights, other ignition sources or while stove is hot to the touch.
• Be careful not to spill fuel. Use funnel to fill tank.
• Do not operate stove or store fuel containers around another heat source such as a campfire. Only operate the stove in open, well ventilated areas. Never use the stove in a tent or a confined area.
• Replenish your ice often. Keep your food cold at all times to avoid food spoilage and food poisoning.
• Practice good fire safety.
• Check with campground about their security policies.

Purifying Your Drinking Water

Having a water purifier is essential if you will be spending any amount of time outdoors. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ninety percent of the earth's water is contaminated. Even that clean, clear-looking mountain stream may harbor nasty bacteria and viruses that will make you very sick; or worse. So, what are the best ways to purify water while you are in the great outdoors?

Unsafe Water

With more and more people opting to escape today's fast-paced lifestyle by spending some quiet time camping in the outdoors; it is increasingly common to find evidence of human society everywhere you go. Even in the woods, high mountains or sprawling deserts people always seem to leave some type of "footprint". How often have you made your way to a secluded spot that you were sure no one had yet discovered, only to find evidence of a campfire or, worse yet, trash left behind by previous visitors? Mankind has also left a less visible footprint in the wild areas of the country. Runoff from pesticides and industry has made its way into the water systems that previously were pure and clean. Even water that looks sparkling and refreshing is likely contaminated with human or animal waste or toxic chemicals. Drinking water that has not been treated with a purifier is taking a big risk with your health.

Biological contaminants in the water include microorganisms like Giardia, which is a cause of diarrhea and other intestinal problems, as well as bacteria and viruses. These contaminants can be removed to make the water safe to drink. Several methods of water purification are available; you will need to decide which water purifier will most effectively meet your needs.

Outdoor Water Purifiers

When you are hiking or camping in the outdoors, it is a good idea to bring water with you. However, if you are planning an extended stay it is difficult to carry enough water with you to meet your hydration requirements. You lose a great deal of water while hiking, especially at high elevations and dehydration is dangerous. You can avoid a potentially unsafe situation by planning for a water purification method that you can use in the wilderness. Following are the best ways to provide safe water for you to drink.

Boiling

Boiling water is definitely the most effective way of destroying contaminants in water. By bringing water to a rolling boil and continuing to heat it for about 10 minutes, your water will be clean and safe to drink. Ideally, you will avoid water with scum or other visible debris. Filtering water through a cloth first will remove larger pollutants and is recommended before you begin boiling your water.

The problem with boiling water for purification is that it requires a great deal of fuel, especially if there are several people in your camping party. It is also time consuming to wait for water to boil and then cool enough to drink. An additional problem is that boiled water tends to taste flat. A simple solution for this problem is to aerate the water by pouring it from one container to another several times.

Chemical Purification

There are many products on the market that will purify water using iodine or chlorine. As with boiling, it is best for you to strain the water first, and then add the chemical purifier. Allow the chemical (which may be a tablet or a liquid) to work for about 10 minutes before considering the water safe. It is important to pay attention to the expiration date on chemical purification products. If the product has expired it will not be effective, so check the date before your outing and purchase new if necessary.

Chemical purifiers have a downside, too. For one thing, if the water is very cold the purifier is less effective. In addition, these types of products leave a bad taste in the water. A remedy for this is, again, aeration, or you can add a flavoring like tea. Vitamin C tablets added to the water will also improve flavor.

One word of warning: if you are sensitive to iodine or have a thyroid problem, do not choose a product that uses iodine to purify water.

Filtration

Another good way to provide safe water is to have a filtration system available to use. Methods of filtering can vary from a water bottle with a built in filter, an ultraviolet pen light that purifies up to 16 ounces of water at a time or a larger, camp-sized system that can filter larger amounts of water at a time.

When deciding on an appropriate system for your needs there are a few things to consider. Filtering systems are most effective when combined with a chemical purification product. In addition, ordinary filters will not remove viruses. Some systems combine filtering and purification techniques to effectively remove viruses along with other contaminants.

Some things to look at when selecting the right filter are:

• Pore size - smaller is better
• Ease of cleaning or changing of filters
• Weight of the unit - you will be carrying this around with you so you will want a light unit
• Cost - but cheaper isn't necessarily better

Please, when you are hiking, or camping in the outdoors do not ever drink water that hasn't been treated. Always have some sort of water purifier. While it is possible that you will only suffer mild intestinal problems that will spoil your trip, it is also possible to become so ill that the result is death. It just isn't worth the risk, especially considering the ease and low cost of many water purifiers.

First Aid Checklist for Campers

What to take to remedy camping mishaps.

You've arrived at the campground and sent the kids off to the playground while you set up camp. It's during these early moments at the campground that we tend to get excited and somewhat prone to those little mishaps, like scrapes and minor cuts, while moving all the gear and setting up equipment. So be prepared for camping accidents with a well-stocked first aid kit.

The well-stocked first aid kit contains:

• bandages and gauze of various sizes
• antiseptic creams and ointments
• sterile wipes and rinse solutions
• pain medicine
• tweezers, scissors, and knife
• sunburn relief spray
• anti-diarrhea medicine

So what kind of accidents should one anticipate while camping? Well, there are always the occasional cuts, scrapes, and scratches. We're playing outdoors now, and common camping chores can be hazardous. Hiking through brush, thorn bushes, or cactus; cooking outdoors or around campfires; and exposing ourselves to the elements and insects are just some examples of the outdoor activities that require our attention. Be prepared!

To remedy cuts, scrapes, and scratches, include a variety of bandages, and also have some antiseptic swipes and antibiotic cream on hand. Hydrogen peroxide comes in handy for washing out cuts, and a saline solution is a great relief for washing out eyes should you happen to sit too close to a campfire and get ashes or cinders in them. Q-tips and liquid pain relief solution come in handy for bug bites or small cuts and scratches. Tweezers come in handy for removing thorns and splinters, and scissors or a knife will help to cut tape and bindings. Don't forget Tylenol and aspirin for headaches and internal pain relief, and for intestinal problems include some Imodium or other anti-diarrhea medicine. Other items to consider might be sunburn relief spray, preferably an Aloe Vera solution, Chapstick for the lips, zinc oxide for skin protection, burn cream, and where appropriate, a snakebite kit.

As a final tip, be sure to check your first aid kit annually and replenish any exhausted or outdated medicines and supplies. And don't forget to always take a well-stocked first aid kit whenever you go camping.