The tent is pitched, the air mattresses are inflated, the tarp is up and the campfire is crackling. You and your family have made your annual pilgrimage to the great outdoors for a camping trip that's guaranteed to calm and relax you.

That's the idea, at least. But without proper planning, the camping dream can quickly turn into a stressful nightmare. What if the kids get lost playing in the woods or fall down an embankment on the midnight excursion to the outhouse? Are you prepared for the risk of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning? As we head into prime camping season, here's some safety advice to consider.

8 Ways to Survive Your Camping Trip

Here are eight tips to help make your camping trip safe and stress-free:

1. Bring Protective Gear

The motto of the Boy Scouts is "Be prepared." This is sound advice. Before setting out for the woods, equip each member of your family with the right protective gear, including a whistle and flashlight. And check to make sure the batteries in the flashlight are actually working before you leave. Remember, there are no drug stores in the great outdoors.

2. Watch that Fire

What camping trip would be complete without a roaring campfire? Just remember that fire is a hazard that needs to be closely controlled. Build your campfire in a contained fireplace or pit. Don't use gasoline or other chemicals to start the fire. And never leave a fire unattended. Keep a shovel and water (or fire extinguisher) handy just in case. The safest way to extinguish the fire is to douse it with water. Stir the ashes and embers thoroughly until everything feels cold.

3. Keep the Tent Safe

You need a sturdy tent that is flame-resistant. Pitch the tent at least 15 feet (4.5 meters) upwind from the campfire. Never cook inside a tent and use only battery-operated lighting - not candles or lanterns - inside the tent.

4. Control Combustibles

Beware of ignition sources in your camp grounds. Create a combustible-free zone of at least three feet (1 meter) around your tent, grill and other equipment. Again, make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy.

5. Air Out the RV

Take precautions if you're planning to use an RV instead of or in addition to a tent. When using your RV stovetop, open a window. And remember that gas burners and ovens are not designed to heat an RV.

6. Watch Out for Food-Borne Hazards

More than one camper has fallen prey to food spoilage. So keep your food hot or cold. Remember that food becomes dangerous after only two hours in temperatures ranging from 40 F to 140 F (4 C to 60 C). If possible, cook meat before your trip and transport it in a cooler with freezer ice packs. Be sure to keep the cooler out of the sun.

7. Practice Good Hygiene

To prevent the spread of illness and food-borne bacteria, follow the same hygiene and hand washing habits that you do at home. The water you use to clean your food and wash your dishes must be as clean as the water you drink.

8. Bring a First Aid Kit

You can buy a first aid kit from a pharmacy or make one yourself. Make sure you include whatever medications you need in your kit. And be sure to keep the kit out of the reach of young children. Items to stock in your kit include:

• Bandages and gauze
• Triangular bandages
• Disposable gloves
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Knives
• Antiseptic cream
• Hand cleaner
• Saline solution for washing campfire ash from eyes

Conclusion

Being at one with nature is a beautiful thing. But camping without the right safety practices and equipment is a recipe for disaster. I hope that heeding these pointers will enable you not only to keep your family safe but also preserve the trees, plants and wildlife in the camping areas where you pitch your tents.

GETTING THERE ALIVE

RV Safety Tips

By Ted Morrison

Their safety features are no substitute for safe driving

If your camping trip plans involve driving a new RV with which you're not entirely familiar, here are a few safety precautions to take. Of course, you can and should follow the same advice before hitting the open road in a new RV even if the final destination of your road trip is not camp grounds:

• Check the RV's height and post it on the dash. Remember to watch for low overpasses and service station canopies.
• Practice stopping. Find a low-traffic area and start with low speeds, working up.
• Use a quiet country road to practice pulling safely out of a rut.
• RVs have larger blind spots than smaller vehicles do; so learn to use the mirrors and signals properly.
• When loading the RV, place heavy items as close to the ground as possible, distribute them evenly on both sides and secure them. Don't overload.
• Think ahead. Allow time to make changes slowly and brake gradually.
• Turn wider at intersections and take curves at slower speeds to prevent swaying.
• Drive slower against strong winds or pull over.
• Try to avoid city roads during rush hour traffic.
• Take a stretch break every two hours and walk around to check tire inflation.

One final piece of advice to keep in mind: Don't believe everything you hear about RVs in the commercials. RVs are not indestructible. The protections and safety features they include are not a substitute for safe driving practices.

MEMBER REPLY

Call 811 and More

Regarding Barry Weissman's article on June 19, I'd like to add that many states do not yet require propane marketers to participate in "One Call", and thus many commercial and residential customers do not get the underground propane lines "shot" from the storage container to the structure. All too often, damage to the line occurs since they are normally 12 - 18" below grade (and unfortunately, often even more shallow), many times with severe consequences. For those who are simply heating customers, the damaged line does not show itself until the system is returned to service in the heating season. In this case, undetected leakage can occur for a significant period of time. The ethyl mercaptan odorant can be leached out by the soil, further masking the ability to detect the presence of the LP-Gas. As you know, propane vapors are heavier than air and accumulate in low spots, such as basements where water heaters, furnaces and other ignition sources exist. Ultimately, the consequences can be devastating.

To deal with this, most propane marketers promote a "Call Before You Dig" campaign with their customers, some even in the states where propane is included in the "One Call" program. This is accomplished through "Welcome Kits" to new customers, bill stuffers and annual safety warning mailers.

The short advice is that all propane consumers who have underground lines should directly contact their supplier before digging on any portion of the property that could have an underground propane line.

Best regards,
Gary C. Wolf
Wolf Safety Group, LLC

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