RE: Campsite Safety

[Tim5055]

 
There was a thread on thison the old board, but I ll be darned if I can find it.  So I thought I d start a new one.  How about ideas for campsite safety.  I ll start with one:
 
 Campfires
 
 Remove all tripping hazards around or near the fire ring.  Before leaving camp, make sure you have extinguished your campfire completely!  Do not let the fire smolder, pour water on it and make sure it is DEAD OUT!  I have found a good source of water for this to be the melted ice in my cooler.  Additionally, if small children are present make sure they are supervised around the fire!  You may want to draw a circle around the fire ring which children are not allowed to cross
 

[tlhdoc]

 tim5055
Tim I am glad you posted this thread.  I have seen many people leave their fire burning when they were not around their campsite.  We keep a container of water outside to wash hands with.  That is also our emergency fire water.

[Ab Diver]

 tim5055
Tim-- good advice, as always.
 
 One thing to add, however. Fire safety doesn t start when you leave the camp site, but starts before you light the fire. Too many times I ve seen room-temperature I.Q. campers light HUGE fires, sparks rising into the trees, and hoping it doesn t get out of control. One time I had to run over to a camp site to help put out dry pine needles that had cought fire FIVE FEET AWAY from the fire ring. These idiots didn t even clear debris from around the ring before they started the fire. (That s one reason a small rake is included in our camping gear for certain campgrounds we know will have dry needles on the ground.) Campers like that endanger all life in the forest. Let s just say they got a quick course in fire safety--- " or else" . []
 
 With genes like that, it makes you wonder how some people s parents survived long enough to have kids...

[Tim5055]

 tim5055
Any other camsit safety tips out there??

[Camper Dan]

 tim5055
Tim[],
 
 I ve got a few ideas, here, I like to run by you all!
 
 Check campsite electric before starting to setup.  Those little polarity checkers are about $3-$5 at Lowe s or Home Depot.  You can move to another site before you get all set up and find your electric is not working or mis-wired,...could save you from ruining your A/C, fridge, TV, etc.[]
 
 Inspect your plug ends and the condition of your shore power cord, tacky lights,  extention cords, etc. for damaged insulation.  Test your GFI circuits for proper operation.  Fully uncoil extention cords when you use them.  Leaving a 50 ft. cord coiled when using 10 feet of it...can create an electrical field which will over heat the cord causing it to fail and possibly start a fire.
 
 Be sure you have properly installed your bunk support poles.[]
 
 Be sure you have lowered your stabilizers.[]
 
 Chock your wheels.[]
 
 Secure your camp site before leaving for hiking, trips, etc. by closing your windows and maybe lowering your canopy (if necessary on windy or stormy days).
 
 Properly store your food and trash.
 
 Establish and review an emergency procedure for your family, in the event that bad weather strikes, you become separated when hiking or someone is injured.  Make a list of emergency/Ranger  phone # s when checking into a campground.  Ask where the local hospital is, storm shelter, etc.
 
 Properly store bikes, tools, etc. in the camp.
 
 Never use gasoline or lantern (Coleman) fuel to start a fire.  Only use charcoal lighter on cold dead fires.
 
 Extinguish your fire before you vacate your campsite.  Use water and stir the ashes until fully soaked, turn firewood over and soak.

[brainpause]

 tim5055
2002 Eastern Rally veterans know why on this one:
 
 Those camp forks that can be bought at various places, but most commonly Walmart, that have a wooden handle and a nice long stiff metal fork are dangerous. They are nice...we have two of them ourselves. However, teach your children NOT to swing them. The handle can separate from the fork, causing personal injury, even at great distances.
 
 I also would like to add that it would be nice to have your medical information (copies) in a folder for when you make unexpected trips to the hospital. If your significant other is unable to provide a medical history, then you both would benefit from having medical documents available for review (ie, in the car/tow vehicle in case of an accident). I realize I work at a major medical center, but I have MANY patients who decide to have a heart attack as they roll through/near Nashville.
 
 Larry

[Opie431]

 tim5055
If you have a very shady site in the fall or early spring, take a rake to rake the leaves from around the fire ring.

[AustinBoston]

 tim5055

2002 Eastern Rally veterans know why on this one

 For those not at the rally, let s just say it was fatal, which is why campground safety is important.
 
 My suggeation is not as glamorous as some of the others:
 
 Think before driving stakes in the ground.
 
 Be sure the campground doesn t have restrictions against putting stakes in the ground.  Some campgrounds have electrical and/or plubming just below the surface, and you could find out about it the hard way.
 
 Think about the possibility of tripping on the line or the stake.  Is someone likely to trip on this?  If they do, where will they land?
 
 Austin

[Cheryl]

 tim5055
Hi Tim,
 I m really happy to see a thread like this. I have been constantly amazed while sitting around a campfire watching parents allow young children handle those metal forks for toasting marshmallows totally unsupervized. I have seen chairs ruined, clothing burnt, and one small child will have a permanent branded scar for the rest of her life. My only other concern not already addressed in this thread is when people string ropes from trees, trailers, vehicles, etc. and don t take into consideration the foot traffic patterns. I have seen people, and even some taller children " clothes-lined"  and receive serious injuries. Most of the lines were hard to see anyway, especially at dusk and after.
 Cheryl

[4Galvs]

 tim5055
First Aid Kit
 Available from www.campmor.com , and others,  in an easy to remember for all location, in the pop up or TV.
 
 Fire Exstinguisher
 One that is charged is always best.  You can pick up a small one for $10 @ Walgreens.
 
 Draw Bar
 Take it out of the receiver after you postion the trailer.  There is nothing worse than wanging into one while rounding a corner!

[AustinBoston]

 4Galvs

ORIGINAL:  4Galvs
 ...
 Draw Bar
 Take it out of the receiver after you postion the trailer.  There is nothing worse than wanging into one while rounding a corner!

 Not to mention the grease stains on the jeans and the permanent dents in the shin.[:@]
 
 Austin (nope, that never happened to me, no sir![:@])

[Ab Diver]

 AustinBoston

 

ORIGINAL:  AustinBoston
 
 

ORIGINAL:  4Galvs
 ...
 Draw Bar
 Take it out of the receiver after you postion the trailer.  There is nothing worse than wanging into one while rounding a corner!

 Not to mention the grease stains on the jeans and the permanent dents in the shin.[:@]
 
 Austin (nope, that never happened to me, no sir![:@])
 

 
 ROTFLMAO!  Good to know I ain t the only one. A couple years ago, that little trick got me the First Runner-Up award for " Most consecutive 4-letter words muttered under breath in a single sentence."  I won t say who won First Place, but it was something you had to live through to appreciate. []

[jdr]

 tim5055
We always bring along a hearth gate to encircle the campfire.  It may be a little extreme, but it makes us feel MUCH more comfortable.  You can see it in our Webshots photos.
 
 Also make sure the trailer is secured before unhitching.  And don t forget to look up in the trees to see what exactly is going to fall on your head at 1am.
 
 

[4Galvs]

 jdr

 

ORIGINAL:  jdr
 
 We always bring along a hearth gate to encircle the campfire.  It may be a little extreme, but it makes us feel MUCH more comfortable.  You can see it in our Webshots photos.
 
 

 Joe,
 
 I like the hearth grate idea, do you happen to remember where you got yours?  I think this is a good item for families with small children (especially really curious ones).

[Tsip]

 tim5055
My number one campfire pet peave is when the little ones insist on poking sticks in the campfire so they can light them and wave them in the air like sparklers.  Makes me nervous-real quick!
 
 I also like to string my tacky lights down the tie lines for my awning to provide a little extra visual warning to passers by.  Another trick I try to use whenever possible is to place large items such as my camping storage boxes near the awning tie downs.  I also have a tendency to place tables, chairs, bicycles and ice boxes in such a way that it impedes running through the awning area next to the camper.
 
 
 Tsip