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STAY SAFE while camping out By Toby A. Welch
Camping is awesome ¡V no annoying neighbours, no screeching telephones, no pile of work screaming your name, and no electronic gear distracting you. It is a great time to bond with your family or have a getaway with your buddies. But, if you watch the nightly news, you¡¦ll see that what starts out as a fun weekend of camping can result it an awful experience, necessary rescues or even deaths when people don¡¦t pay attention to safety issues.
A safe camping trip starts before you head out the door. Consider doing the following before hitting the road:
Check with the campground before leaving to see if there are any closures or other restrictions.
Many places across Canada have had snow in July. Check out the forecast before leaving at www.theweathernetwork.com.
Get on the Internet or head to the library to research your destination if you are not familiar with the area.
Check your vehicle to be sure it is ready for your camping adventure.
Let someone know where you¡¦ll be camping and when you will return.
Make sure you leave early enough so there will be daylight to help you set up camp.
What is absolutely necessary to take when camping? Peter Tucker, Executive Director of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, shares his top five list:
Shelter ¡V A good tent, sleeping bag and ground insulation (Thermal ¡V rest or closed cell foam pad) will ensure that you spend a warm, dry night in any situation. Your tent should have a full waterproof fly and your sleeping bag should have a thermal rating just below the expected nighttime temperature of the area you¡¦re visiting.
Clothing ¡V In the mountains, expect any weather at any time of year. Your clothing layers should consist of an inner layer that wick perspiration away from your skin, middle layers that provide insulation and an outer layer that is waterproof and preferable. A hat and gloves are also good ideas ¡V take lighter ones in the summer. As well, good footwear is essential.
Food & cooking gear ¡V Take food that is light, simple to prepare and high in calories. Your stove should be light and fuel ¡V efficient. There are several on the market that fit this bill. Don¡¦t count on being able to make a fire ¡V regulations and/or geography may constrain you and stoves have much less environmental impact. Don¡¦t forget a lighter or waterproof matches.
First Aid ¡V Take triangular bandages, analgesics, Band-Aids, gauze, tape, blister kit, sunscreen and any medications that are pertinent to you (anti-histamines, Epi-pen for severe allergic reactions).
Navigation equipment ¡V Take maps and compass as a minimum. Altimeters and GPS (Global Positioning System) units are optional. Know how to use the equipment. Be sure to pack a durable flashlight. Double-check it before leaving and bring along extra batteries. How else will you see your way to the bathroom at 3 a.m.?
M.B. Wilson, owner of Wagon Trains RV Tours and an avid camper since 1970, recommends campers carry a weather radio with them. ¡§A weather radio picks up all the forecasts across North America and you can get one for about $50. The type of weather radio I am talking about is not one that is in your CB radio or sits on the dash of your truck. This one runs off electric [sic] and has a battery back up. We¡¦ve carried one for years and it is one of the first things we tell people to have.¡¨
Be sure to take lots of water. It is essential you keep hydrated. There is no safe drinking water in most areas due to parasites and animals. You can boil water, use a water filter, or take iodine tables [sic] as back up.
Food Safety
In the wilderness food storage is a huge safety concern. If your food is accessible to critters, they will get it. If camping near your vehicle, keep your cooler and other items inside it when not eating. If a vehicle is not available, hang food above ground bags made for that purpose.
Take precautions to keep animals away. Keep your food area clean. Don¡¦t cook too close to your tent. And never take food into your tent. Bears have remarkable noses and will smell that pack of gum or that Slim Jim you forget to take out of your jacket pocket. Park rangers even suggest you don¡¦t take toiletries like toothpaste or deodorant into your tent as bears may want a bite of them. Even if bears are not around, snakes, skunks, squirrels and other small animals will want that Kit Kat bar.
Have a trash bag on site for every piece of litter. Put the bag into your vehicle at night or you may wake in the morning to find the remnants scattered around your campsite.
Camping Stove
If you plan to do more roast wieners over the campfire, you¡¦ll probably need a camping stove. Propane stoves are very easy to use but don¡¦t give off as much heat as gas stoves. Gas stoves produce the most heat and burn without any odour. There are too many choices and kinds to cover here so ask at your local camping gear store for their recommendation based on your needs.
Liquid Fuel
Most campers need some type of fuel for their stove or other uses. Always transport fuel in a container intended for that purpose. If your fuel is carried in the trunk of your car, take it out when you get to your destination. If the traveling time takes all day, open the trunk whenever you stop to ventilate the area. When setting up camp, keep your fuel as far away from the tent and campfire as possible but in a safe place.
Where should I Camp?
How do you choose a safe yet ideal camping spot? Tucker explains, ¡§To a degree, ¡§the ideal spot¡¨ is in the eye of the beholder. While some may prefer sheltered idylls by the edge of a gently flowing river, others may opt for wild and savage arenas. Many parks require you to camp in designated sites which are well set up and concentrate environmental impact to a smaller footprint.¡¨
If you are choosing your own spot, Tucker suggests you look for the following:
„X Wind protection (You may want a windier spot during insect season.)
„X Level ground for the tent.
„X Water source (You may have to boil, filter or treat it.)
„X Place to hang or store food safely from animals.
„X Good view.
Check the site for glass, sharp objects, hazardous trash, and low hanging branches before pitching your tent.
Campfire Concerns
If possible, keep the fire downwind of your tent and cooking area.
Never use gasoline to start a fire. If you must use lighter fluid or kerosene to get it going, apply the fuel before lighting the fire. Once a fire is going, never add fuel as flames can travel up the fluid steam and into the container.
Never leave campfires unattended. Don¡¦t leave the area to go for an after dinner stroll when there are flames. Teach children when they are young to stay away from campfires.
Keep extra wood away from the fire.
If it¡¦s windy, consider skipping the campfire. Do not build a fire if they are prohibited. When the fire danger is high, one spark can burn down an entire forest.
Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby for emergencies.
When you are ready to crawl into your sleeping bag for the night, put the fire out with water or dirt. Never leave it alone to burn itself out.
Stop, Drop, and Roll. Remember this handy trick you learned in school in case an item of clothing catches on fire.
According to Catherine Kingdon at SMARTRISK, a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and saving lives, ¡§Campfires are one of the major safety concerns campers face. According to a study done at the University of Alberta¡¦s burn treatment centre, 74 per cent of camping injuries to children are due to burns and the percentage is even higher for adults. Burns to children are mainly a result of walking over open flames or pouring combustible material onto an open flame. Almost half of the children that are burned while camping are under the age of four.¡¨
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Every year campers die from this colourless, odourless and deadly gas. Potential sources include lanterns, heaters and vehicles. Avoid using carbon monoxide releasing charcoal and other products in unventilated areas.
Bug Bites
As you commune with nature, remember that other creatures were there first. Shake out any clothing items and shoes before putting them on. Apply insect repellent as directed. Limit your use of scented products such as deodorant, shampoo, perfume, etc. as these attract insects. Check yourself and others regularly for ticks and other insects. Ticks can cause Lyme disease, among other infections.
Never try to feed animals. No matter how tame they appear, they are wild animals.
Do not leave children alone with animals or encourage them to pet them. Sudden actions can frighten the animal and it may attack.
Poisonous Plants
Be on the lookout for poison ivy and poison oak. When in doubt, don¡¦t touch any unknown plants. Wash any areas with soap and cold water that may have been exposed to a poisonous plant.
Weather Considerations
Many campers do not come prepared for temperature changes. At night temperatures can drop and camping will be a better experience if you are prepared for it. Bring clothes to layer, such as t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, and jackets. Bring extra blankets.
Excessive heat can also be a problem. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible during hot afternoons.
Children get hotter and colder faster than adults so monitor them regularly.
Get Lost
Children often wander away from campsites and can get lost in the woods. Consider giving them a whistle to blow as that can be heard farther than a human voice. Teach them to blow three blasts at a time, the universal signal for help.
Camping Solo?
Tucker shares his thoughts, ¡§Camping alone in the backcountry is not a bad idea per se, as solo experiences can be quite powerful. However, it certainly does increase your risk from a number of perspectives. First, if you become incapacitated due to a fall, a bad wildlife encounter, severe weather exposure or sickness, you may not receive any outside help until someone (Park service, friend or relative) determines that you need it. Second, the backcountry often throws down the gauntlet with respect to obstacles between you and your goal. Facing a surprised bear can be made less risky in the presence of one or more companions. Third, having someone else with your to help make decisions might significantly change the risk equation. Finally, going alone means you have to both cook and do the dishes, and we all know how painful that can be.¡¨
Tucker continues, ¡§The decision to be out there alone basically comes down to weighing the benefit of solitude versus the risk you are willing to accept. With nobody to help you should you need it, the consequences may be more severe than they might have been in a shared experience.¡¨
Tent Camping
Camping in a tent provides its own challenges. Only use a flame-resistant tent. Keep stoves, lanterns, candles and such out of tents. Do not build your campfire within ten feet of your tent, preferably farther. Don¡¦t smoke cigarettes or cigars near tent and never inside. It is handy to keep a utility tool or Swiss Army knife near you so you can cut your way out of the tent if necessary.
Do not set up your tent in a low-lying area in case of flash floods.
Use only battery-operated lights in or near the tent.
If possible, do not put your tent directly under a tree. Limbs have fallen from trees in the middle of the night and injured dozing campers.
RV Camping
According to Larry Boyd, the Executive Director of the Ontario Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association, ¡§The RV sector is and has been growing at a rapid pace over the past 5 years. In fact it is estimated that there are some 650,000 RV¡¦s on the road in Canada today. RV shipments in Canada are estimated to be between 1.3 and 1.5 billion dollars annually, which represents 38,000 to 40,000 new units. This trend has continued over the last number of years and is forecast to continue through 2010.¡¨ As Boyd pointed out, ¡§RV¡¦s are a dominant lifestyle in North America.¡¨
As for safety concerns, Boyd responds, ¡§RV¡¦s today are very well equipped with all of the necessary safety devices (smoke detectors, co monitors, fire extinguishers) and have better towing and driving equipment.¡¨
M.B. Wilson warns, ¡§In a lightning storm or tornado, get out of the RV and get to a proper shelter.¡¨
Kingdon sums up camping safety, ¡§Campers face a wide range of possible risks, depending on where they camp, the time of year, their level of experience and other factors. By doing a little research and preparation before you go, and staying alert for potential dangers while you¡¦re there, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable camping trip.¡¨
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