Anything can Happen When You are Camping
We all know that when you venture into the woods, anything can happen. Stings, cuts, slips, falls, you can add other pratfalls to this list. No one should leave home without basic first aid supplies. As a campground host, I can’t tell you how many times campers have come to my host site requesting first aid type items like Band-Aids, aspirin, or sting spray. I can not supply these items to campers, it is against company policy. The camper should have these items in their camping kit.
Campers of all ages can be prone to minor injuries when they are in the wild. I can say that as I get older, I swear I’ve become so thin skinned that it doesn’t take much to get a cut or a scrape. Being prepared to take care of these minor cuts is important so they don’t get dirty and possibly infected, thus making a minor cut a real emergency.
When you go to your local sporting goods store or even Walmart, you will see a variety of ready-made First Aid Kits. There are pocket First Aid Kits that hikers, fishermen, and backpackers should carry, there are single person First Aid Kits, there are family size First Aid Kits, and there are Industrial size First Aid Kits for large groups.
The very least that your First Aid Kit should contain are:
- Wound Covering. Your kit should have an assortment of Band-Aids, gauze, wraps
- Ointments. Burn ointment, cut ointment or salve
- Sharp scissors
- Ace Bandage. Sprains can occur anytime, be prepared
- Pain Relievers. Aspirin, Tylenol
- Snake Bite. There are many schools of thought on these, but better safe than sorry, carry it
- You can add the special items that you need, my wife needs to carry an Epi-pen for yellowjacket stings, so her air way will not swell up
- Mosquitos and Chiggers. Have sting spray
First Aid Classes
Everyone who calls themselves an avid camper or hiker, should take a Red Cross First Aid course. They are not expensive and are available in nearly every city. My wife and I, as campground hosts have taken the CPR, AED, and First Aid Courses, eight years ago so we should get recertified ourselves. You can go online and enroll for a certification program offered by cpraedcouse.com. Each of their certification programs have a different price point, and none of the programs are over $14.00.
Be Prepared
Regardless of how you feel about the Boy Scout of America, they had the right motto, Be Prepared. You should be prepared if Aunt Sally begins choking, you should be prepared if Uncle Joe has a mild stroke, and you should be prepared if you get a minor cut or burn while camping.
