Camping is something most of us have done at some point. For some, it brings back fond memories of taking trips with their family as a kid and learning about the great outdoors, and for others it conjures up nightmares of creepy things crawling around unseen in the dark and what maybe lurking beyond the light of a small campfire.

If you are one of the first group, and camping is still something you enjoy, you want to be sure that you are camping in as safe a manner as possible. Because as great as the outdoors can be, so can be the dangers. So, let’s look at a couple of tips to help ensure that your next campsite is as safe as you can make it.

Camp fires are one of my most favorite memories as a kid. Roasting weenies and burning marshmallows on a stick with my dad are memories I will cherish forever. But, I will also likely never forget trying to move around after waking up at night and having to stumble through the dark campsite to answer the call. 

It is a potentially dangerous situation most campers can relate to, with a simple fix. The invention of Ebulbs, or emergency light bulbs has combined the usefulness and bright light of a home use light bulb with the convenience of a built in rechargeable battery that allows you to remove the bulb from the fixture and carry the light with you wherever you need. If you need to go outside at night, just bring the bulb right along and either carry it or hang it from a nearby surface to cast light over a broader area. It’s always safer when you can see where you are walking.

No camping trip is complete without S’mores roasted over a campfire. But, with the leading cause of wildfires being humans not being careful with their camp fires, you want to make sure that you make your camping trip as safe as possible for yourself and the nature around you.

Make sure that you clear the area around your fire of any leaves or brush that may catch fire if an ember were to pop out of the fire. This one simple task, done in a radius of at least six to eight feet around can ensure that your fire will stay contained inside the area you want it to stay in. For extra safety, create a barrier around the fire area with bricks or rocks to help keep the fire from spreading across the ground.

When you are out camping, anything could happen. People get lost and injured on trips every single day all over the globe. So, you want to make sure that you have an emergency plan in place that all members of your group understand clearly.

A satellite telephone or a long range radio that can be used to call for help is always an excellent choice when venturing out into the unknown. But, something as simple as flares or a general knowledge of the area and where the nearest place to find help would be can mean the difference between life and death in certain situations.

Wherever your wanderlust may take you, be sure that you take safety seriously. Too many people are lost in situations that could have been avoided already. Take the mistakes of others and learn from them, ensuring that when you face a similar situation, you can and will survive to tell the tale.