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The Boy Scouts have a motto: Be Prepared. It might sound quaint, but believe me, when you are going to be spending a great deal of time in the out-of-doors, it's wise advice - very wise. When you are outdoors, just about anything can happen - and at some point, it usually does! That's why experienced campers and hikers will tell you that whenever you leave home for the great outdoors, you need to take a 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. And that reminds me: if you have a child or grandchild in Scouting, or one who goes in for wilderness excursions or survival camping, why not give them the gift of outdoor safety by buying them a good-quality first aid kit? It isn't just marketing hype - these kits have been known to save lives! Your first priority? Make sure that your camping first aid kit is well-stocked. After all, if it is going to be of any real use it should have more than just burn cream and band-aids! Your kit should be stocked with a variety of bandages, adhesive tape, finger and leg splints, ace bandages, tweezers, scissors, snake bite kit, gloves -- and 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. You can (and should) also include these other items in your first aid kit as well: Tylenol or aspirin, a pre-paid cellular phone, water purification tablets, emergency matches (in a waterproof case), a set of thermal blankets, and a handheld GPS device. Of course, you will not find some of these items in most pre-stocked kits, so you will have to buy them separately and then add them to yours. One final recommendation: Once you have assembled your camping first aid kit, make sure you inspect all the supplies at least once or twice a year. If you find any medicines that have reached their expiration date, they should be thrown out. As well, throw out any first aid supplies that have been opened or damaged - they are no longer sterile. Replace any supplies that you have used, or you may find yourself a hundred miles from nowhere when you realize that you need it - and someone's life could hang in the balance.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
Author: Gary Colvin talks about camping, the outdoors and Coleman Camping Stoves Learn more aboutcompact camping trailers by stopping by his website. This and other unique content camping articles are available with free reprint rights.
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