Most Common Camping Injuries
Skin Issues
Nothing ruins a camping holiday faster than a rash or a bad sunburn. First the skin rash caused by something plant-related is a camping accident that could easily happen to anyone if you don’t keep your eyes peeled. But don’t worry, if you do come in contact with a plant that causes a skin reaction the rash should be treatable while on your camping holiday. Be sure to thoroughly wash the area and use ointments as needed, and wash the clothes you were wearing that came in contact with the plant in hot water.
As for the sunburn side of skin ailments, this one should be the most easily avoidable. Sunscreen, protective clothing and sunglasses all are your friends when trying to avoid sunburns. One of the best camping tips for protecting yourself from sunburns while in Byron Bay is to apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to any exposed areas liberally and to reapply every two hours.
Don’t Get Burnt
A burn injury on a camping holiday can make your weekend a lot less fun quickly. Being careful around open flames, camp cooking gear and even your BBQ is an important part of camping safety.
When using your BBQ, you need to just use common sense. A few camping tips for keeping yourself and your loved ones and friends safe include:
- Make sure to keep children away from it. The exterior of a BBQ can be very hot so you want to make they don’t even brush up against it.
- Clean and scrape off the grill before you start cooking as grease, grime and grilled-on leftover food can cause a flare up of the flames and cause a burn injury.
- Always use hot pads or other safety methods so you aren’t grabbing any BBQ tools or pan handles that are going to be very hot!
Bug Bites and More
Dealing with mosquito bites comes with spending any length of time outdoors, so it’s a good idea to pack and, of course, make sure to use insect repellent. If you plan to hike in Byron Bay’s amazing National Parks and Hinterland, be sure to pack a higher strength repellent. However, if you’re just hanging out around the BBQ and having dinner, then a lower dose could work for a couple of hours. During your camping holiday, you’ll probably encounter one or two of those pesky mozzie bites, this is where bite cream and calamine lotion come in handy.
If anyone is bitten by a spider apply an ice pack for pain and seek medical attention regardless of the symptoms—to be on the safe side in case it’s something like a funnel web or red back spider!
Cuts, Bruises, Scrapes
Falling down or getting a scrape during a camping holiday isn’t abnormal, especially with kids, and you’ll easily be prepared for these minor camping accidents if you pack a good camping first aid kit.
If you go hiking on any of the great trails in Byron Bay, it’s possible you could slip and scrape up your knee or other body parts. But if you’re ready to clean, treat and cover the cut, then it won’t stop you in tracks—or even keep you from finishing your hike. Pull out your trusty camping first aid kit should you run into any minor cuts or scrapes and make sure to first disinfect the wound. Then use some Betadine and cover it with bandage or band-aid, depending on the size.
If someone rolls an ankle while out on your camping holiday, you’ll need to make sure the person stays off it and elevates it to decrease blood flow to the area. It’s a good idea to grab an ice pack (possibly in your cooler!) so you can reduce the swelling. And, of course, the person could probably use that Neurofen you packed in your camping first aid kit. Your mate might have to take it easy the next day or two as the ankle recovers, but it certainly won’t ruin your holiday.