Indeed, camping is a rewarding experience that you can cherish for a lifetime. This is a great way to get together with friends and loved ones while bonding with nature.
Meanwhile, there are various tips to try to be safe during your adventurous long trip. This is true for first-time campers. A kit with food, clothes, and medications is a good start, but other things to think about. Check this article to learn more about how to make the most out of your next camping trip by ensuring everyone is comfortable and safe:
Take Note of Medical Issues
As you prepare for your next camping adventure, consider the health issues of the campers in your group. See to it that you bring with you the prescribed medicines. Have a copy of your prescriptions in case you lose your medications.
Have a list of allergies, medications, and doctor’s phone numbers. If you met an accident or serious illness, you would need to have this information. Bring with you your first-aid kit. Make sure it includes bandages, safety pins, antacids, and other medications.
Select the Right Site and Shelter
To select the right campground site and shelter, you can consider your physical limitations, age, and medical needs. This is also true for everyone else in the camp. There are various amenities available if you wish to stay in a tent versus in RV or a cabin. As such, you must plan what type of gears are needed accordingly based on your site choice.
For example, if you wish to camp in a cabin, you can have bunk beds or full beds. Meanwhile, if you sleep in a tent, you must have a sleeping bag, air mattress, and other accommodations.
Cabins and RVs can be safe and offer more amenities versus the tents. However, many campers still opt for tent camping. You can check different websites before camping. Check venues with tents, picnic tables, nearby restrooms, fire rings, and spacious areas for the whole campers. With this, you can have a relaxed time together.
Be Updated With the Weather
See to it that you are updated with the weather forecast before your camping. We all know that the weather can change within one hour. It is best to pack your things that are good for any weather, whether it be snow, rain, high humidity, or heat. Experienced campers plan their trips one month ahead of time to be proactive.
Safely Pack and Store the Food
If you leave food and drinks out on the tables or other places which are not secured, you can increase your chances of attracting animals. To prevent this from happening, you must pack and store your food in a tight and waterproof storage glass. You can also put them in insulated coolers.
To prevent having food-borne diseases, wash your hands before eating. If soap and water are not available, you can use hand sanitizers instead. Separate raw foods away from cooked meals. Moreover, it is best to cook your foods at the proper temperature. For example, the ground beef must be cooked at least 160 degrees internal temperature. If you are not yet cooking your food, then you must chill it promptly.
According to studies, one in every five Americans gets sick due to contaminated food each year. As such, it is best to be strict on following food safety practices now.
Be Safe on Campfire
The campfire must be at least 15 feet away from the trees, tent walls, and shrubs. Keep it away from your camp chairs, tables, clothing, or other flammable materials. See to it that you keep your fire small. Contain it in one area only, like the fire pit.
Check with the park rangers or campground managers if they permit building fires within the vicinity. During the dry season, campfires are not allowed because this can increase the risk of having wildfires.
Be active in protecting the environment. Do not bring wood from one locality to another because this can carry insects and diseases. Buy campfire wood within your campsite.
Moreover, you must not leave the fire unattended. Always have a water bucket near you. Put out the fire before sleeping in the night. Finally, put out all the embers and not only the red ones.
Protect your Skin from Insect Bites
Use an insect repellant product with DEET that will not easily dissolve in water to protect yourself from insects. Follow the instructions of the product application on your skin. See to it that you check for ticks every day. This is true for bodily parts which can’t be protected easily. It is also best to wear long sleeves and pants when hiking. This can prevent you from direct contact with the insects. After outdoor activities like a hike, you must place your clothes in the dryer. Do this for at least 10 minutes on high heat. This will kill the ticks that come in your clothes as you went home.
Be Ready for Allergies
Packing medications for your allergies is a good way to be ready for any encounters. Keep the first aid ready all the time. Watch out for difficulty breathing, dizziness, and swelling due to insect bites or dangerous plants that come in contact with your skin.
Protect Skin from the Sun’s Harmful Rays
We believe that the UV rays are absent in cloudy weather. However, it can burn your skin, just like how it does on a sunny day. The sun is strongest during midday. As such, it is best if you seek some shade, wear a hat, and put on your sunglasses to protect yourself from the UV rays. You can use a broad-spectrum sunblock or lip screen with SPF15.
Drink Lots of Water
Stay hydrated during camping, and don’t just drink when you are thirsty. Drink water throughout the day, even if you are not thirsty. Your food kit must include a water supply, which is good for 3 to 5 days. Bring a Travel Berkey or Sports Berkey with you to store your water supply. If you are thirsty, then there is a big chance that you are already dehydrated, and you don’t want it to happen.
If you wish to use water from streams or lakes, you can purify it. To do this, boil the water for at least one minute. You can also bring with you some water purification tablets which contain chlorine, iodine, and halazone. These tablets can kill waterborne viruses, bacteria, and some parasites.
Obey the Hazard Signs
Obey all the posts, especially at the swift streams, the edge of the cliffs, hot springs, and mud pots so that you will be safe. See to it that you don’t climb on the barricades or guard rails to be closer and get a better picture of the wildlife. Do not get out of the rails.
Be Ready for Wild Animals
To prevent an unwanted wildlife attraction, you can store your food in your car or food container. See to it that you avoid feeding and touching wild animals. If you contact stray animals, make sure to wash your hands with water and soap. You can also use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Do not watch bears, snakes, or alligators if you are camping or hiking near their territory. Wild animals are indeed exciting and interesting to see. However, they are still wild, and you must treat them as such. Campers often forget the dangers of getting too near wild animals. As such, it is best not to get close to wild animals. They may seem tame, but they can attack you if they feel threatened. Do not get close with their young since they will always be aggressive in protecting it.
Create Safe Physical Activities
Camping is a momentous event to enjoy physical activities. To make you active during your entire trip, you can do various hiking, walking, swimming, or biking. See that you bring your protective gear like life jackets, protective gear, sturdy shoes, and helmets.
Avoid getting near poisonous plants like poison sumac, poison oak, and poison ivy. Know your limits. Plan steps on how you can avoid injury during your camping. See to it that you never swim or hike alone. If you have kids with you, make sure that you watch them closely. Experts agree that adults must have 2 ½ hours of physical activity per week. Meanwhile, kids must have an hour of physical activity per week to be healthy and active.
Protect your Body from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. This chemical can cause severe health conditions or even death to people and animals. As such, you must never use gas stoves, lanterns, heaters, or charcoal grills in an enclosed shelter. This can lead to the build-up of dangerous carbon monoxide.
Instead of using fuel-burning appliances to make the surroundings warm, you can bring additional clothing or beddings. To help you keep dry, you can use a plastic ground cloth underneath your tent.
Avoid Temperature-Related Diseases
To avoid heat-related illness during hot days, you must drink sugar-free liquids and plenty of alcohol-free beverages. You can also consume extra fluids or calories to prevent hypothermia.
Wear multiple layers of light-colored, light-weight, and loose-fitting clothes. Make sure to have some rest in shady areas. Protect yourself from the harmful rays of the sun.
Protect the Family Pets and Avoid the Wild Animals
Various wild animals carry diseases that are fatal to human health. As such, you must avoid getting near, feeding, or touching wild animals. Just enjoy watching them from a safe distance in their natural environment.
On the other hand, many campers take their pets during camping. Before you leave for your camp, ask the camp manager if pets are allowed.
See to it that your family pets are vaccinated. You can bring proof that your pets are vaccinated because some campgrounds require it. Apart from the document, bring your pet’s food and water dish plus a bed with you. See to it that he has enough food to eat and a place to have rest.
Always keep close with you. You can keep them on their leash at all times. This will avoid them getting lost or getting conflicts with other animals. Small pets can be tempting for wild animals like alligators, coyotes, and large birds. Don’t tempt them to be safe. If there are ticks, remove them immediately. Provide your pets with enough food, water, and shelter.
Finally, do not leave your pet locked in your car while you are hiking. When exposed to the heat of the sun, your car can be as hot as the oven. It is dangerous for your pet, and it is illegal in some places to leave your pets in the vehicle.
Avoid Water-Related Health Issues or Injury
Camping often includes playing around or in the water. To keep yourself and your fellow campers safe, don’t swim if you are suffering from diarrhea. Make sure that you don’t swallow the pool water too.
Bring enough drinking water supply with you. If you want to be safe, you can invest in buying a Travel Berkey Water Filter or Sport Berkey. With this, you can filter clean drinking water and prevent stomach aches during your camping.
See to it that you take a shower before and after you dip in the water. If you plan to ride in a canoe, boat, or any other water vehicle, see to it that you are wearing your life jacket.
Bring a Map
We are used to using our GPS on our mobile phones. But in the campgrounds, you might not have the signal that you need. As such, it is best to bring a map and compass and learn how to read them. Take this with you wherever you go.
Get Vaccinated
Vaccinations can protect you from certain conditions and diseases while you are out camping. Check with your nurse or doctor if you are done with all the recommended vaccines. You can have vaccines on tetanus, meningitis, pertussis, and Hepatitis A. The vaccines will depend on your destination, medical history, and other factors.
Be Alert While Having Fun
Indeed, camping is a fun experience. But it is also important that you pay attention to your body and how you react to the environment.
Tell your friends and family members about your camping plans so they have an idea of your whereabouts. Know what you can do when there are no toilets on the camping site. See to it that you bring your supply kit with a compass, map, first-aid, blankets, flashlight, food, and clothes. Know who to contact at the camp when there are issues that could arise. When you get home, check for sunburn, skin rashes, dehydration, and ticks. Please report the problem to your doctor to prevent it from getting worst.
Enjoy the camp, get enough sleep, and limit your intake of alcoholic beverages. Enjoy your day outdoors, bond with nature, and get to know more your fellow campers!
Conclusion
The list provided above is long, but some are just common sense. These are reminders of the things that you already know. As with any trip, camping must have proper preparation and planning. If you are prepared with enough knowledge and gear, your experience will be a good one.
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