Fires
Herb Gordon, author of The Joy of Family Camping, shares tips for building a fire:
Build fires downwind from tents.
Pile tinder anything that will burn quickly, such as birch bark, dry leaves, paper.
Inside a fire ring:
Cover tinder with twigs and small pieces of wood
Place larger branches on top in a tepee or log-cabin style formation.
Remember:
1. Build a fire no larger than necessary.
2. When the fire is lit, put it into service.
3. Build an efficient fire to conserve fuel.
4. Leave space between logs for air to circulate.
5. Do not start a fire in storm conditions.
6. Wet rocks placed in or around a fire can explode.
7. Never throw flammable liquids on your fire to get it going.
Before you set up your fire pit, know what the laws are in your area. In some areas especially during summer, a dry spell or in the Southwest open fires are prohibited. Under these conditions, you can usually still use your camp stove or the pit fireplace in improved campgrounds.
In back country or wilderness camping, a fire permit may be necessary. You can get up-to-date information by calling any local office of the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, national park or state forestry department. Fire regulations are also posted in campgrounds or at trailheads.
Water Tips
If there is no water pump or fountain at your campsite, draw water from the cleanest place possible. While all water that you drink should be treated, some places to collect water are safer than others. Get it from the coldest, deepest source available. Avoid water near beaver dams, brackish stagnant water, water with a lot of algae, shallow water or water near animal droppings. A bubbling spring is a good sign of no animal contamination.
Water Purification
Boiling water is the safest way to make sure it is drinkable. Bring the water to a rolling boil for 5 to 10 minutes (longer in high altitude).
Purification tablets are another option. They are lightweight, inexpensive and normally effective. They take between 20 to 60 minutes to work.
Not Getting Lost
While we occasionally hear dramatic stories about lost children, please keep in mind the outdoors is far more child-friendly and safe than any metropolitan area, writes author Michael Rutter. Rarely do children wander very far.
When you first get to camp, take a walk with your children to orient them with the area. Set boundaries of where they can and cannot go, and require younger ones to check in every half-hour or hour.
Everyone in your party should always let someone else know where theyre going, when they plan to return and when to get worried. When hiking or exploring, pay attention to your trail and landmarks. Carry a map and stay on established trails. If you get lost, dont panic. Sit down and collect your thoughts before doing anything. If you have no idea where or how you got lost, stay put. As soon as youre missed, someone will start looking for you.
Carry a whistle when away from the campsite and give one to each child. Tell them its for use only in emergencies. If they feel lost, instruct them to blow the whistle or yell for help. After you orient yourselves with the area, conduct a lost drill.
Food and Animals
Keep your camp free of garbage. Take no food into your tent for any reason.
The best place to store food is in your car. If your car is not close enough, use the following techniques to protect food from bears:
- Stack stored food under a poncho or tarp, piling pots and pans on top. The theory is that if a bear snoops, it will knock the pans over and be scared away by the noise.
- Carry food in sealed 8-inch diameter PVC tubs that bears cannot carry off in their mouths. Do not hang your food from a tree. Hanging food only encourages bears to chew off the rope so they can carry the bag of food away.
A clean camp will do more to insulate you from bears than anything else.
Take all your garbage with you. Leave nothing.
Do not bury cans, food paper bags, plastics, etc. You can burn leftover food and cans (which can then be smashed down before throwing away).Bugs and Ticks
Keep the screens of your tent closed at all times to keep out bugs, spiders, snakes, etc.
Keep insects out of your tent by zipping the opening quickly when entering or leaving. Before turning in for the night, use a flashlight to check the inside of your tent (walls and ceiling) for tiny critters waiting in ambush.
Apply insect repellent to skin and clothing. It will prevent most ticks and insects from jumping on you.
Check your legs every couple of hours for ticks. They usually reside in lower bushes, but it takes 2 to 6 hours for a tick to settle in the skin. Check everyone for ticks each night.
Wear long pants, socks and boots, and tuck shirts into pants.
Tick Removal
Cover bite area with butter or shortening. This will smother the pore, and the tick should back out. Also, the glowing ember of a recently extinguished match forces the tick to back out.
Tweezers can pull a tick out, but make sure to get its head and not just part of its body. After removing a tick, cover the area with antiseptic.
Other Precautions
Never camp under trees with dead tops; the dead wood can be blown off and drop on your tent or site.
During hunting season, wear bright colors. Make your site is very visible to hunters.
Wear sunscreen.
Watch for dehydration in children. They are more likely to overheat than adults. A child who is dehydrated might appear lethargic, listless, flushed and whiny.
Wear latex gloves when treating emergencies that involve blood.
Teach children how to identify poison ivy and poison sumac.
Buy tents made with fire retardant material.
Rocks, leaves, sticks or snowballs may cause major anal infection if used as a substitute for toilet paper.
Teach children to identify poisonous snakes and spiders in your area, making sure they know to look first before stepping or reaching to pick up a creature.
Make noise on wilderness trail hikes; talk and laugh loudly to warn nervous animals that you are walking through their territory.
