Emma Howle demonstrates how to hug a tree. This will help keep the child in one area, making rescue easier. |
Planning makes your family
camping trips memorable and safe
By John Howle
Before
hay baling season begins, grab the kids and familiarize them with the joy
of primitive camping. With a few minutes of careful planning, you can make
sure the trip is not only memorable but also safe. Grab the fishing rods,
stow the sleeping bags, pack the food and make a fool proof plan for a
safe outing.
The Plan
Before
setting out, set firm ground rules for the children. Rule number one: do
not wander from the campsite. We read of countless cases each year where a
child strayed from the campsite or group and a search and rescue party had
to be put into action.
Look
at the long-range weather forecast before heading out. If turbulent
weather is on the way, reschedule the trip, even if the camp out will be
on the backside of the farm. Leave the Game Boy and other juvenile
electronics at home and replace them with a weather radio. In addition,
add a wind-up flashlight that requires no batteries for emergency
purposes. |
|
Stay in
Touch, Don’t Get Lost
Daniel
Boone, one of the greatest woodsmen that ever lived, was once asked if
he had ever been lost in the woods. His reply was, "I have never
been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks."
When you are outdoors with children this summer, give them knowledge
that will help them avoid getting lost. Tell children if they do get
lost to stay put. If panic sets in and the child begins to run aimlessly
through the woods, search and rescue is more difficult. Equip each child
with an emergency whistle. The shrill sound can be heard for long
distances, helping in rescue. Tell the child to use it only if lost and
instruct them that three loud bursts of sound is the international
distress signal. |
|
Children,
as well as adults, often become extremely fearful when lost. Staying put
is a top priority. Tell the child if he or she is lost to hug a tree.
This will keep the child in a localized area and prevent aimless
wandering. In addition, instruct the child to sing, pray, whistle or do
anything else that will keep his or her mind occupied while a rescue is
being organized. Also, children may be too frightened to yell out to
possible rescuers thinking that they are a form of danger. Tell your
child to answer a noise with a noise. If it’s an animal, it will
probably run away, and if it’s a rescuer, they will be rescued. Most
of all, teach your child, or any children you know, knowledge of the
woods, not fear.
Beat the
Bugs
Lyme
Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from ticks and West Nile from
mosquitoes are serious concerns when camping. The odds of getting tick
diseases are greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first few
hours or that night. Remove the tick with blunt tweezers making sure to
grasp it firmly at the base of the head. Once removed, wash the area
with soap and water, and apply an antiseptic. Methods such as applying a
heated match head or Vaseline can cause the tick to regurgitate harmful
agents into the skin.
One
of the best precautions I’ve found against mosquitoes and other flying
scourges is called ThermaCELL (for more information, visit www.thermacell.com). |
A ThermaCELL unit will keep mosquitoes and flying scourges at bay. |
|
This
small device is powered by a small, butane canister that heats up a pad
containing a chemical impregnated insert that drives mosquitoes away for
an area of about 10 feet. Camping, bow hunting, fishing and cooking out
are much more enjoyable with this product. If you will be on the move,
use an insect repellent containing DEET. If you don’t want to eat DEET
when you spray it around your face, liberally spray a bandana with DEET
and tie it around your neck and the children’s neck.
Poison Ivy
You
might remember the old song ‘Poison Ivy’ where the chorus goes,
"I need an ocean of Calamine lotion." However, if you get a
bad case, you certainly have nothing to sing about. Prevention is better
than treatment. If you come in contact with poison oak or ivy on your
camp out, wash the exposed area with cold, soapy water as soon as
possible. Avoid warm or hot water that opens the skin pores allowing the
plant’s tannin, which causes the outbreak, to enter.
Watch the
Weather
Even
if you have looked at the long-range forecast, weather can change
quickly. A single lightning bolt can carry up to 30 million volts. It’s
no wonder that this electrical phenomenon strikes fear in outdoor
enthusiasts. It is possible to estimate the distance of an approaching
storm by counting the seconds between the flash of light and the clap of
thunder. Every five seconds of time equals one mile of distance. For
instance, if you count 10 seconds between the lightning flash and the
thunder boom, you can estimate that the storm is two miles away.
If
you get caught in a thunderstorm, lightening is a serious threat that
can be minimized. If possible, position yourself away from any metal
objects or standing water. Both will conduct electricity. If you are on
a mountaintop or ridge, get to lower ground as quickly as possible and
don’t crouch next to a single tree. Instead, find a group of trees and
position yourself in the middle of the cluster in the most open area.
Check
for dew on the ground the day you are heading out. If there is a lot of
dew on the ground, rain is unlikely. Conversely, if the ground is
relatively dry, showers are likely. The old saying goes, "If there’s
dew on the grass, rain won’t come to pass."
Pack
plenty of food, drinks, camping and cooking gear, but equip yourself and
the kids with outdoor knowledge and a solid plan before setting up the
tents this summer. The kids will benefit from the woods wisdom, and you’ll
rest better in your sleeping bag.
John
Howle is a freelance writer from Heflin. |
|
