101 CDOS: Camping safety

  • Published
  • By compiled staff reports
  • 354th Fighter Wing Safety Office
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Ah, the great outdoors, fresh air, the beauty of nature and finally some peace and quiet. Here are some tips for camping safety to ensure your trip stays peaceful.

-Weather can be unpredictable. Check the weather forecast for the area. 

-Take enough food, clothing, and equipment to keep you comfortable in case of emergency. 

-Tell someone where you will be, and when you plan to be home, in case someone needs to find you. 

-Plan to return to camp well before dark. Remember that daylight hours are shorter in the fall and winter. 

-Be alert to approaching storms, and seek appropriate shelter. 

-Dress properly. Check the weather and terrain. 

-Poisonous snakes, ticks and poisonous plants may be found along trails. Exercise caution. 

-If you are a beginning camper, use the camping check lists found on this site. 

-Avoid tick bites by staying on trails and avoiding grassy, brushy areas. Wear light colored clothing so ticks can be seen. Tuck shirts into pants and pant legs into socks. Do not wear shorts on the trails. If a tick is attached to your skin, grab it with tweezers and remove it. Do not crush the tick's body, as this can force bacteria into your skin. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. If you think part of the tick has remained in the skin, or if you think the tick has been attached for longer than 48 hours, seek medical attention. Be alert to a subsequent fever or skin rash. Report these to the doctor. 

-Instruct family members especially children that if they get separated or lost to stay put. 

-Check your first aid kits before each trip. Replace any missing items, like bandaids, and check expiration dates on medicines and ointments. 

-West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne virus. Mosquitoes transmit the virus after becoming infected by feeding on the blood of birds which carry the virus. Ensure everybody in the group has on some sort of repellant to keep mosquitoes away.