It is always a good practice to bring a first aid kit when spending time outdoors, especially during camping.
When camping, you’re far away from your comfort zone, and there is no easy access to services like hospitals. Plus, campgrounds and its surroundings usually have rough terrain and other elements out of your control.
You’ll never know when or if you’ll need first aid, so it’s best to be always prepared for the worst.
What kind of accidents usually happen during camping?
In camping, we are vulnerable to all kinds of accidents. Burns, bruises, cuts, insect bites, scrapes, and splinters are almost always part of camping.
Your skin can get scraped by hiking through brush, thorny bushes or cactus. Burns can happen when cooking outdoors or around campfires.
You also become exposed to various insects such as ants, bees, mosquitos, ticks, and other annoying insects.
So before you head on out to your camping adventure, make sure a first aid kit is part of your camping checklist.
There are pre-packaged first aid kits available in pharmacies, camping stores or online.
You can also opt to make your own kit. That way, you can ensure that it has all the things for your family’s needs.
Don’t head out to your favorite campground without first packing a first aid kit with all the basics you might need in the event of an injury, illness, or other emergency situation.
What to pack in your first aid kit
Here is a list of items to make sure your first aid kit is well-stocked for your RV camping trip.
- bandages of various sizes
- gauze pads or gauze roll
- adhesive tape
- antiseptic cream/ointment/cleanser
- soap
- alcohol or sterile solutions
- cotton swabs and pads
- pain and anti-inflammatory medicine
- sunscreen
- sunburn relief spray
- anti-diarrhea medicine
- ice packs
- heat packs
- antacid
- cough and cold medicine
- antihistamine for allergies
- anti-insect spray
- eye drops
- tweezers
- scissors
- safety pins
- knife
- sewing needle and thread
- whistle
- towel
Keep an up-to-date first aid kit
You can never have too much in your first aid kit. But to know how much each item you should bring, take into account how many people are camping with you.
You should also restock every time you’re going camping. Make it an annual habit to check your supplies. According to e-FirstAidSupplies.com, first aid items have a shelf life of three to five years.
So always check the expiration dates of the first aid items. If you’re not sure you need to replace an item, always remember that opened items should be replaced the next time you’re headed outdoors.
And every after camping trip, immediately replenish your supplies, so it is always fully stocked and ready for another camp-out.
But remember, a well-stocked first aid kit is only good for immediate needs and minor injuries. However, these first aid essentials are important to mitigate further untoward injuries that may prevent you and your family from enjoying the rest of your camping trip.
