A first aid kit when you go camping is as easy to overlook and forget as it is essential to remember and stock correctly. Any excursion into the great outdoors presents the potential for injuries and accidents that will require some kind of first aid. The specific location to which you venture will determine the types of extras that you want to include, such as a snake bite kit or frostbite treatment.
Open Wound Treatment
Antiseptic soap should be part of your camping first aid kit so that you can clean any open wound of foreign matter before you cover it with a bandage. Pack a pair of rubber gloves in case you need to apply pressure to someone else in order to stop bleeding. The gloves will prevent your own skin from coming in contact with the blood.
Bandages
A set of adhesive bandages of various sizes and shapes will help to cover the variety of wounds that can be experienced on a camping trip. Keep in mind that wounds may often occur on extremities such as fingers, elbows, knees and the heel of the foot where keeping a generically designed bandage adhered may be difficult because of movement.
Blister Treatment
Include a disposable lighter that is full of fuel, and bring a safety pin or small, sharp knife. You will need these items to open a blister and drain it of pus. A gauze pad can be used to protect the disinfected blister from reinfection.
Pain Relief
Make sure that your supply of pain relievers and medication is not expired. Remember that you should not give aspirin to young children, yet it can be a lifesaver for someone who may be having a heart attack.
Poison Control
A small bottle of ipecac should be part of your camping first aid kit to be used in case of suspected ingestion of poison. Eating nature’s bounty can be a fun way to rough it, but it can sometimes be difficult to determine what is safe and what is not. Ingesting the ipecac will induce vomiting which is the best treatment for possible poisoning while on a camping trip.
Prepaid Cell Phone
An emergency prepaid cell phone has become the 21st-century version of the first aid kit’s small mirror. Assuming you can get a signal, the prepaid cell phone is a great addition to contemporary first aid kits in case any other cell phones you brought aren’t available or you simply forget or don’t have one. Calling for help can be the most effective first aid treatment you will ever need.
