A Pathfinder camping trip can be an exciting event. Memories and friends are made to last a lifetime, and the experience presents many opportunities for spiritual growth. As a Pathfinder leader, it’s important to understand and implement a few safety basics to provide your campers with a positive experience.
Camping Safety Basics #1: The Location
Schedule a site visit to the location where you plan to camp and inspect the area. When choosing the location, look for an area that is secluded but not so much so that there is no one around to assist in the event of an emergency. Make sure there are no low-hanging branches and inspect the firepit area to ensure it is free of brush or bushes. When your campers arrive and begin to set up, maintain a radius of 10 to 12 feet around the fire pit which is clear of tents, chairs, food, or any other debris or obstructions that could be a trip and fall hazard into the campfire pit. Make sure the campsite has enough space to accommodate the necessary distance.During set up, clear all debris from around the fire pit including grass. A five-foot perimeter of soil around the campfire pit is optimal. If a metal ring is not available, use rocks to create a circle around the fire pit area. Remind campers always to keep flammables far away from the fire pit.
If possible, choose a location near running water. If running water is not readily available in the area, have a bucket of water, sand, or dirt to use in case you need to control the fire during your trip.
Camping Safety Basics #2: The Campfire
A camping trip is just not complete without spending some time by the campfire, singing your favorite Pathfinder songs. It is a camping tradition that many Pathfinders look forward to enjoying.After selecting the area for your campfire pit make sure you have the right materials to start your fire safely. With your campers, search the area for tinder (small twigs, dry leaves, grass, and needles), kindling (sticks smaller than 1-inch in diameter), and fuel (large pieces of wood). Stack the materials upwind and a safe distance away from the fire. If using your campfire to cook meals, you can build your fire in the “teepee” method laying the kindling over the tinder. You could also use the “lean-to” method by driving a long piece of kindling into the ground at an angle over the tinder and then lean smaller fragments of against it. For a long-lasting campfire, use the cross method in which the kindling is crisscrossed over the tinder, or the log cabin method where you surround the pile of tinder with kindling, stacking the pieces at right angles and then topping the cabin with the smallest pieces.
Start the fire by igniting the tinder with a lighter or match. If using a match, make sure it is cold and then throw into the campfire adding more tinder as the fire grows. Blow lightly at the base of the fire and keep adding kindling and the large fuel pieces to keep the campfire going.
Throughout the process of starting your campfire, it is critical a counselor or chaperone is designated to watch over the campers when building a fire. Campers could easily fall into the fire pit when running around the grounds. When it is time to go to bed, the fire must be completely put out by water or dirt until the coals are wet and cold.
Camping Safety Basics #3: Nature’s Elements – The Four “W’s”
Water: Large bodies of water can pose several risks. Lack of proper planning, supervision, and equipment heightens these risks. Are you planning to have a water activity during your trip? Inform parents and guardians ahead of time if there will be swimming, and collect signed permission slips for each underage participant. Bring qualified, properly trained water safety personnel with you on your trip and make sure there is sufficient qualified personnel to supervise the number of campers participating. It is much better to have too much supervision than not enough.Woods: Hiking and Sabbath walks are two staples of any Pathfinder camping trip. During these trips, there is a good possibility of encountering wild animals of various kinds, depending on the area. Inform campers to avoid interacting or coming in close contact with any animals. Touch or handling any animals can result in a myriad of diseases and raises the possibility of physical harm or even death. Avoid hiking at night and always stay on the trails; campers can get lost and encounter wildlife. Remind campers they should never go hiking alone and to always inform a counselor or chaperone whenever they are going to leave the group and with whom they are going. Spending time in the woods can also expose campers to poison oak, poison ivy, and ticks. Educate campers and counselors on what these and other poisonous plants look like and what to do if they come in contact with the plants or ticks. It is especially important to take quick action with these types of risks as symptoms and injury can occur quickly once someone has come in contact with any of these three.
Wildlife: Bears and other wildlife can smell food from up to 50 miles away. Minimize the possibility of animals coming into your designated camping area by sealing any open food and securely storing it away from tents. All trash and unwanted food should be disposed of properly in approved trash containers or burned.
Weather: The sun and heat are significant concerns when hiking and camping as too much exertion, and exposure can cause heat strokes and death. All campers should check weather conditions and pack accordingly. If hot weather is predicted, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing made of a breathable fabric. Stay hydrated throughout the trip by drinking plenty of cool liquids, preferably water, long before feeling thirsty to decrease the risk of dehydration.
Sometimes campers will need something more than just water to stay hydrated and nourished during trips, especially if the weather will be on the warmer end. Packs of electrolyte-filled drinks should be available to replenish campers and help the body get the nourishment it requires as well as aid anyone who has become dehydrated. Try to avoid as much direct sun exposure as possible. Limit the amount of time campers spend in the sun, especially during the hours between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Campers should wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum 15 SPF rating.
For each of these four elements, it is crucial to be prepared for emergencies ranging from allergies to broken bones. Have a plan in place and make sure your first-aid kit is always on hand, stocked with the proper supplies needed to address these emergencies.
