5 Safety Tips for First Time Campers

 

First-time campers have a great deal to look forward to.  Whether you're venturing out for a solo camping experience, going with your best mate or including the entire family, camping out in nature can be a fun, rewarding adventure that must be experienced to be fully appreciated.

And, while camping can be both fun and entertaining, it also presents a certain degree of danger.  It's important for first-time campers to be aware of these dangers and to take steps to mitigate them wherever possible.

Safety Tips For First-Time Campers

Here are some safety tips to consider for first-time campers.

1. Site Safety

Choosing an appropriate camp site will depend on several factors including age and condition of group members and any physical limitations or medical requirements.  If you're staying at an established campground, you may have access to amenities not available out in the wilds, including restrooms, grocery stores, cell phone service, etc.

2. Fire Safety

Fire danger is ever-present for campers who are cooking and enjoying gatherings around a campfire.  Here are some fire safety tips:

• Don't build your fire beneath low-hanging trees
• Keep a water supply and/or fire extinguisher close at hand in case your fire gets out of control
• Don't leave your fire unattended
• Put out your fire completely before retiring
• Utilize available fire pits at campgrounds

3. Insect and Plant Safety

When going for nature hikes, you may sometimes accidentally come in contact with poisonous plants such as poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac.  Learn what these plants look like, try to avoid them by staying on an established path and have some medications available such as oral antihistamines and topical creams or lotions.  Certain insects such as mosquitos can also be dangerous to your health.  Wear bug spray at all times when camping, even when sleeping, and use mosquito netting.

4. Water Safety

If partaking in water activities know water safety rules.  Know how to swim and, if boating, wear a life jacket.  Read any signs in or around the water and make sure someone in your group knows how to perform CPR.  Don't go into the water in the presence of lightning.

5. Food Safety 

Before your trip you'll need to plan what you'll want to eat and pack it in air/water-tight plastic containers, with perishables stored in an insulated cooler.  Avoid feeding any wild animals and keep food out of their reach!

8 of the Worst Camp Safety Mistakes

 

Venturing out into nature to experience the great variety of available camping activities has long been popular and, with spring here and summer on the way, the time to start making plans is now.  While some folks might be impulsive in deciding to go camping, there's something to be said about being properly prepared.  Like every Boy Scout learns, "Be Prepared" are words to live by to help avoid common camp safety mistakes.

The Worst Camp Safety Mistakes

In no particular order, following are some of the worst camp safety mistakes:

• Failure to complete some minimal pre-planning for your trip could be a big mistake.  Use a written checklist to help keep organized.  This should be checked and double-checked before leaving home for your camping trip.
• Failing to protect yourself from wild animals while camping or hiking can be the cause of inconvenience, injury or even death.  It's important to know what type of wildlife frequents the area you're planning to visit to take precautions to deter visits from critters and to protect yourself and your family.  Click here to find out more.

Bears in the Wild

Besides potential visits from small animals such as raccoons, possums or skunks, bears can be a real problem in some camping areas, especially if you're not in an established campground.  It's a mistake not to know how to deter bears from invading your campsite ore, if they do, how to react to them.  Bears coming into your camp are there for one reason - they want food (and human beings are not their preferred or typical food).  Consider these important tips:

1. Your food should be stored and cooked at least 100 yards away from where you'll be sleeping.
2. Food should not be kept in your tent.
3. Don't bed down in the same clothes you wore while cooking.
4. Food should be kept in airtight containers and a locking cooler.  These can be tied with rope and hoisted up a pole or a tree, at least seven feet from ground level.  As an alternative, lock food in your car trunk. 
5. Bears are attracted to garbage.  Put yours in doubled plastic bags and store in your car trunk.
6. If you meet a bear out on the trail don't make eye contact.  Speak in a low, calm voice while backing up.  Don't turn your back on a bear or run away.  Spray with bear repellent spray.