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As an Eagle Scout, former Junior Assistant Scoutmaster and camp staff employee, some of my fondest memories were the outdoor adventures we had as a young man. But I also learned that ANYTHING can happen in the outdoors. The Scout motto (Be Prepared) is very good advice. And I'm here to tell you: if you go outdoors, you need to take along a good camping first aid kit. Most people think that when they go camping or hiking they can just grab the first aid kit or box of band-aids from the hall cupboard and that will suffice. Wrong! What if you are out-of-doors and someone falls and breaks their leg? What if you are bitten by a poisonous snake? What if someone gets a bad chill or frostbite? Your little home first aid kit will not have what you need during these medical emergencies. No, you need a CAMPING or OUTDOOR first aid kit. Which reminds me: if you have a child enrolled in the Boy or Girl Scouts program, one of the coolest (and practical) gifts that you can give them is a good first aid kit. Ditto for someone who is in to wilderness excursions or survival camping. These kits have been known to save lives - and that's not marketing hype. Of course, good camping first aid kits should be well-stocked. For sure it should contain more than just antiseptic towelettes, burn cream and band-aids! These kits should include such things as a variety of bandages (including some for bandaging large wounds), adhesive tape, finger and leg splints, ace bandages, tweezers, scissors, snake bite kit, vinyl gloves - and also a comprehensive first aid guide. By the way, a good comprehensive first aid guide is critical. It will tell you what to do for wounds, burns, handling cases of poisoning, animal bites, broken bones - even drowning and what to do if someone is unconscious. If the guide included in your kit is too skimpy on content, buy a larger book and keep it with your kit at all times. Here's a good tip: Buy one of those sturdy metal fishing tackle boxes (the ones with the fold out trays) and stock it with the items that you will need. This would make the perfect camping first aid kit for a scout troop or for family use. Some other items to consider for your camping first aid kit: How about some pain and fever reducers (like aspirin or Tylenol)? A pre-paid cellular phone is also handy to have at times, in order to contact medical authorities or emergency assistance. Water purification tablets, emergency matches (in a waterproof case), thermal blanket and handheld GPS device can also be added to round out your kit. On a final note: Once you have put your kit all together with the supplies you need, don't forget to inspect the contents at least once or twice a year. You should remove any medicines if they are past their expiration date, as well as any supplies that have been opened or damaged, as that will compromise their sterility. If you use anything from your camping first aid kit, make sure to replace it. If you don't you may need it later during a medical emergency.
Article Source: http://www.globetrekkerarticles.com
About the author: Gary Colvin discusses camping, the outdoors and Coleman Camping Stoves Learn more aboutFolding Camping Trailers by visiting his website. Get your own completely unique content version of this article.
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