Smart Safety Solutions - Camping Safety

Camping Safety

The key to a safe and fun camping trip is good planning, so before you ever leave, make a list of things you'll need not only for survival in the great outdoors, but for camping safety as well.

The Great Outdoors

When you think of camping safety, there's so much to remember. There's food safety, danger of bug bites, danger of poison ivy, sunburn, animal protection and more. Although some of these things aren't common occurrences, you should be prepared just in case it does happen to you.

If you're concerned about food safety, try to stick with non-perishible foods that don't need to be kept cold. If you want to bring ground beef, brats or hot dogs, make sure you keep them on plenty of ice in a cooler. It's probably best if they are frozen before you leave home. That way, they'll stay cold longer.

Speaking of food, it attracts animals of all kinds. When you're hiking or away from your campsite, make sure all of your food is put away, and dispose of trash and leftover food away from your campsite. Nobody wants unwelcome critters. And speaking of critters, you may see some animals if you're hiking. Let your kids know they can admire the animals from afar. Tell them not to approach the animals. They may seem friendly in kids books, but in reality, the animal might be afraid and try to defend itself against humans. In the process, someone could get hurt. Along those same lines, tell your kids not to feed animals. It's fine in a petting zoo, but not in the wild. Avoiding contact with animals is probably one of the most important things you can do to ensure camping safety. Another good camping safety tip is to make sure you have an adequate supply of clean drinking water. Also have enough bottled water to keep with you on hikes.

Other critters include bugs. A camping essential is bug spray. Most bug sprays will keep mosquitos and ticks from biting, and it's made to be safe for human skin. But another good idea it to buy a bug spray to spray around the perimeter of your camp site. This can keep a lot of bugs out of your area.

Another way to avoid bug bites and brushes with poison ivy or poison oak is to wear long sleeves and long pants. This might not be feasible if it's summertime, but it will certainly give you more protection. The best way to protect yourself from bugs, obviously is bug spray like we mentioned above. The best way to protect yourself from poison ivy and poison oak is to be able to identify it and avoid it.

Finally, if something bad does happen, stay calm and make sure you have a first aid kit on hand. Make sure your kit is in a waterproof container and includes bandages of various sizes, adhesive tape for dressings, antihistamines, pain or fever relievers, hydrocortisone cream, antibiotic ointment, tweezers or needles (for removing stingers or ticks), scissors, safety pins, alcohol pads, latex gloves, and whatever else you think you might need. (These are the basic essentials though.)

This guide is just the beginning of things to remember about camping safety.