Camping Safety - Your First Concern
Camping safety is imperative. Avoiding accidents and staying safe should be your first preoccupation for your camping trip, especially if you'll be using tents and staying in woodsy areas. While the last thing you want to happen is have to treat someone for a gash in their hand or a concussion, being prepared and knowing what to do should the situation arise is one of the most important things while camping. Not only that, being aware and taking steps to head off those possible danger zones is a wise way to make sure your camping trip is enjoyable.
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 campfires 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.
First aid knowledge is never a lost skill and everyone, not just campers, should make the effort to learn how to handle an emergency situation and improve camping safety. Camping in the wilderness is full of hazards, so you don't want to be caught short and wondering how to help someone who's got a severe gash in their leg or has slipped and hit their head on a rock. Taking a first aid course doesn't usually involve more than a weekend of your time, and the payoff between being able to stay calm and knowing what to do when someone is hurt versus panicking and calling for help should be motivation enough to go out and get those skills.
Your camping trip should be one that's full of good times and smiles, not one that turns into a fiasco because you weren't mindful of camping safety principles or qualified to handle the situation. Getting the skills you need and applying preventative measures to reduce hazards and risks is the best thing you can do to make sure your camping trip is safe and one that is completely enjoyable.
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