Safety First: Camping First Aid Kits
Camping first aid kits should be tailored to your skills, budget, location, length of trip and the people in your group. On every trip, you can and should take a large, well-stocked outdoor first aid kit.
Camping may be a relatively safe activity (compared to, say, mountain climbing).
But the presence of fire, knives, biting and stinging insects, large bodies of water, and the general preponderance of dirt create real potential for injuries, infections, and other health problems.
We all want to have a good time when camping, and first aid kits help ensure that minor injuries do not spoil the fun.
Of course, the most complete first aid camping kit is only as good as the person using it. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and learn basic first aid and CPR skills. This isn’t hard to do, or expensive.
You can take a free or inexpensive online First Aid course. But you’ll probably learn better and retain the knowledge longer with a hands-on class through your local chapter of the Red Cross.
If your camping adventures take you into remote places, consider taking a wilderness first aid course. You’ll learn very practical skills for assessing situations and giving aid when help is far away.
Make sure to keep your skills up, too. A refresher course every year or couple of years will keep you sharp.
It’s important that you know the medical conditions of the people in your group — allergies, asthma, heart conditions, diabetes — anything that requires special precautions and/or prescription medication.
You can buy camping first aid kits, get lighter weight kits for hiking, or make your own. Buying a ready-made kit is easier, but making your own allows you to tailor it more closely to your specific needs.
Make A First Aid Kit For Camping
Every kit should have the items in the “Essential” column; choose items from the “Extra” column based on your skills, location, and group needs.
Read and Record Items
- First aid manual
- Pen or pencil
- Notepad
Bandages
- Adhesive bandages
- Medical tape
- Moleskin
- Gauze pads
- Ace bandage
- Butterfly bandage
Tools
- Knife
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Plastic gloves
- Small mirror
- CPR face shield
- Sling
- Splint
- Ice pack
- Thermometer
- Irrigation syringe
Drugs & Lotions
- Pain reliever
- Antiseptic
- Antibiotic ointment
- Antacid
- Prescription medications
- Burn ointment
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellant
- Anti-allergy
- Anti-itch
Misc
- Snake bite kit
- Bee sting kit
Buy Camping First Aid Kits
You can of course also buy pre-made outdoor camping aid kits. Keep your outdoor first aid kits well-stocked. A good way to do this is to keep the wrappers for any used items in the kit. Then when you get home you can see exactly what you used and replenish if necessary.
With a good first aid camping kit and some basic skills, you’ll be able to camp with greater peace of mind.
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