Safety is more than Security

[djohnsonnv]

I was binging on YouTube last week and ended up watching several videos on Camping Safety. I was very disappointed that everyone was only talking about security. I define security as protecting life and property from ill-intention and safety as identifying and mitigating all hazards.

When I camp I am far more concerned with disabled/stuck vehicles, cuts/burns/injuries, wild animals, severe weather than I am with someone wanting to steal my belongings or hurt me.

What safety (not security) precautions does everyone take when Camping? For me it's:
Packing a first aid kit
Traveling in a small group and/or leaving my route and itinerary with someone
Checking the weather

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[tony.latham]

We almost always camp by ourselves in remote country without cell service.





We had a SPOT Gen2 device for emergencies. We ran into a spell this summer where we had an ailing grandmother and didn't want to be out of touch. We upgraded to a Garmin Inreach Mini that we can send/receive text messages even without cell coverage. And of course, it has the SOS button if things really go south. (And if you activate it, they ask you what's wrong --which is huge.)

I paid $250 for it on eBay and the subscription is $11 per month. We can also ask for a weather forecast for our location.





Tony

[mountainminded]

You’ve made a great point here about preparedness— something that many folks seem to overlook when heading out on an adventure. Modern technology such as cell phones have made it all too easy to expect that the professionals will come to our aid whenever and wherever we find ourselves in need. Here in Oregon countless hikers head into the mountains each summer with little more than their phone, the concepts of self preparedness, “the 10 Essentials,” etc. not even given a thought. As an instructor of wilderness medicine for nearly 25-years I’ve worked hard to shift that notion. Some of the concepts that I discuss with students in a 2-day Wilderness First Aid course and that are applicable to camping in a tiny trailer include:

-Plan ahead and prepare for emergencies
What services are available where I’m headed? How would I contact them? What training would medical first responders have? What services can they provide?

-Pack emergency communication/signaling equipment
You may be stuck in the mud or injured outside of cell service— what will you do? Consider packing an emergency communication tool such as a Personal Locating Beacon (PLB) or Satellite Communicator (Inreach, Spot), and a signaling device that will draw attention to you in an emergency day or night (whistle, signaling mirror, light stick on a cord).

-Leave a detailed route plan with a trusted adult family member or friend— where, when, alternate routes, etc.
Knowing where to start looking for you is the first challenge for rescuers. Make this easy by leaving a detailed plan and sticking to it or updating it with the folks at home if it will change.

-Be equipped to be self reliant and for longer than expected.
Our little trailers make this easy but planning is still required. This includes a First Aid Kit as you mentioned and the knowledge to use it. Take a First Aid class if it has been a while and then retake it frequently (there is a reason medical certifications are good for only two years!). Pack extra food and water, extra clothing, extra medications, etc. Be prepared to be comfortable for an extended period in adverse conditions and you will be.

This is by no means a comprehensive list but rather food for thought. The old adage “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best” is how my travel partner and I approach our adventures together and in more than 34-years of traversing the Western Hemisphere we have yet to face a situation we could not manage.

[bdosborn]

Hey Tony,

Can you put your monthly charge on hold over the winter for the Garmin? Dish used to let you shut down the unit over the winter and turn it back on in the spring. How about tracking, can you stash the Garmin in your trailer and track it if it gets stolen?

Bruce

[tony.latham]

Can you put your monthly charge on hold over the winter for the Garmin?

With the plan we have, there is but I don't recall how much. Maybe $20 plus a $20 reinstatement fee. It doesn't pencil out. The next higher plan which is $24/month can be turned off and on for free if I recall.

Since we monkey around hiking and X-C throughout the winter, we'll just maintain it on the $11 monthly plan.

Tony

[philpom]

Always a large first aid kit, pepper spray, a 6 D cell Mag-Lite (big metal wacker) and because we hike camp a lot we always have things like fire starter kits, emergency food kits, large knives etc. Sometimes we take both of our Doberman pinchers and a gun too. My truck has On-Star. We have a 2nd home in the mountains that is remote/isolated so we understand very well that you must be deliberate about everything you do, don't put yourself at risk if you can help it at all costs. We didn't even have 911 service until a few years ago and even with that the helipad is a long drive. (we are lucky to be the only home up there with cell service although it depends on the weather) The places we have gone so remote there was nothing around and no service etc we at least had a Coast Guard fly over twice a day.

Basically prepare, be diligent and live life.

[bdosborn]

Thanks Tony, I found their website and I'll run the numbers. I've added it to the camper van Amazon list.

Bruce

[tony.latham]

I found their website..

Bruce:

I think this was the Youtube video that helped us pick our plan:



Tony

[djohnsonnv]

We almost always camp by ourselves in remote country without cell service.





We upgraded to a Garmin Inreach Mini that we can send/receive text messages even without cell coverage. And of course, it has the SOS button if things really go south. (And if you activate it, they ask you what's wrong --which is huge.)





Tony

My office started using the Inreach device for people working in remote locations without reliable cell coverage. Unfortunately we didn't get them until this summer. I look forward to testing them out now that my field work is starting back up again.

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[bdosborn]

So if I turn the inReach off for 6 months I save $30/yr. Hardly seems worth the effort.

Bruce

[tony.latham]

So if I turn the inReach off for 6 months I save $30/yr. Hardly seems worth the effort.

Bruce

I agree.

T


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[dmb90260]

InReach Mini, regularly $350 is on sale at REI $100 off.
Sale runs Nov 13-23.

[Shadow Catcher]

I just pulled our first aid kit out of Compass Rose. For decades it has been stocked with that what is recommended in the wilderness medicine book which, when we were canoe camping included things like suturing material. Aging has kind of tightened where we go and what we do so I can simplify and modernize. There are products butterfly bandages and butterfly stitches that substitute for sutures.
Things I am adding, my heart meds, scrub for poison ivy (I had forgotten how bad it can be) etc.
Most every place we are there is a cell signal and I can boost what is there.