4 Common Camping Disasters and Tips for Staying Safe - Panergy

BROKEN BONES

You move around a lot when camping and perform a lot of high-impact activities, and occasionally campers will break a bone.  Know what to do if this occurs.
You'll need to ice the injury, stabilize it, elevate it and immediately seek medical assistance.  Don't try to straighten out a broken arm or leg.  Always bring a first aid kit on your camping trips.

RUNNING INTO POISON IVY, OAK AND SUMAC

Nothing ruins a camping trip faster than a big, itchy rash.  Find out whether your campsite has any of these poisonous plants--most have at least one variety--and learn how to identify the plants.  Don't trust over-the-counter preventative treatments that claim to reduce the chances of a reaction; rely on your eyes and pack some calamine lotion just in case.
If you encounter a lot of poison ivy and start developing rashes all over your body, seek medical attention.  Poison plants can seriously endanger your health.

ATTRACTING LOCAL WILDLIFE

A few raccoons can quickly ravage your campsite, tearing through trash and leaving you with a big early morning cleanup.  Bears are a much bigger problem in every respect, as are moose and other potentially dangerous animals.
Avoid attracting wildlife to your campsite by cleaning up your campsite after every meal.  Don't keep food in your tent.  Store all of your food in safe, secure containers, and keep these containers out of the reach of your four-legged neighbors.  If you see any potentially dangerous wildlife, contact your campsite's officials as quickly as possible.  Even if a big animal comes close to the campsite and appears to wander away, it might cause trouble for other campers, so it's good to notify someone.

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THE HEAT

Depending on when and where you're camping, you'll likely spend a lot of time in the sun.  Regardless of whether you're used to spending time outdoors, you can suffer horrendous sunburns, heat exhaustion and dehydration if you don't take some precautions.
Make sure to bring plenty of filtered, safe water to the campsite.  Drink water regularly to stay hydrated, even if you don't feel particularly thirsty.  Bring sunscreen with a high SPF rating and apply it at regular intervals throughout the day.
If you spend time on the water, take special care to avoid dehydration and sunburns.  Rest every few hours and don't overexert yourself.