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Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Camp Clothing
The type of clothing you need for RVing, OHVing, camping, boating depends on the weather and type of activities you will be engaging in. Fortunately, an RV and even tent or car camping usually gives you enough room to have some latitude in your wardrobe. But the weight and space limitations, though generous compared to, say, hiking or back packing, are still limited and you need to make wise choices in order to be sufficiently prepared for various activities and weather conditions. For summer camping, don't forget your swimsuits. There may be opportunities to cool off in lakes and streams or visit water parks along the way. Or just enjoy and old fashioned squirt gun fight. It is also a good idea to keep at least one set of "work clothes" in case you need to do repairs on your vehicle or get involved in some kind of volunteer service project. I've seen travelers conscripted onto fire fighting crews during wildfires. Even some camp chores, like chopping wood, building fires, cleaning out the fire pit, or just taking out the trash might warrant wearing work clothes. Keep in mind just about any kind of camping and associated activities are going to be more demanding than your normal day-to-day lifestyle, so choose clothing that is durable and comfortable. Warm weather may suggest shorts and tank tops, but you'll actually be more comfortable -- and safer from sunburn and insects and, believe it or not, cooler -- if you wear loose fitting long sleeved shirts and full length trousers. Even though they may be hotter in warm weather, dark jeans are usually better choices than khakis or other light colored items that will show dirt easily. Flowered prints and some bright colors may attract flying insects so if you find yourself the target of repeated air raids, consider changing into something less flamboyant. By the way, some perfumes, colognes, and after shave lotions also attract insects. If you look or smell like a flower, you'll probably be the target of pollinating bugs! And, yes, if you feel you are especially targeted by bugs, it might be true! Some people give off a scent (usually undetectable to humans) that does attract insects. Sometimes it is a function of diet or medications so, if you are one of those people, you might want to do some research to see what you can do to mitigate your situation.
For OHV activities, proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential (see previous post entitled Wear Appropriate Gear for details). For hiking, birdwatching, sightseeing, and similar activities, the clothing only need fit the weather -- and the wearer. Ill-fitting clothing can not only be uncomfortable and unattractive, it can often create unnecessary safety hazards. If rain is common where you're going, bring along a rain suit or at least a plastic poncho. Plastic ponchos are inexpensive (I usually get mine at Dollar Tree) and take up only about as much room as a handkerchief. If you plan for the climate and dress properly, you can be fairly comfortable in almost any kind of weather, but getting caught in the rain in ordinary summer clothes, even on a warm summer day, can be chilling, even to the point of dangerous hypothermia! Check the weather report before you go and frequently during your stay. There are inexpensive radios that operate on special NOAA weather channels that are very useful or just turn your vehicle radio on to a local station now and then. And keep an eye on the sky! No matter what the weatherman says, the sky will tell you what is really happening in your area right now! How often has the weatherman been right? You know, I suppose being a weatherman has certain advantages. Where else can you be wrong 70% of the time (or more!) and still keep your job? One of my favorite weather stories is the one about a fellow who called up his local radio station one December day to complain that he had just shoveled 18" of 10% chance off his driveway! Been there, done that, bought shirt, wore it out!
Organizing your wardrobe. In conjunction with picking your camping wardrobe you need to consider how you are going to organize -- what resources and how much room do you have? Simply packing a bunch of stuff in a cardboard box or a suitcase or duffle bag isn't going to make it very accessible and you might almost just as well leave it home. Note how much closet and drawer space you have in your RV -- or how much room you have in your suitcase, backpack, or duffle bag for tent camping. Store things in a logical manner so you can easily find what you need when you need it. Then adjust your wardrobe selections accordingly. That really warm, fluffy ski jacket may be very appealing as a backup for hiking in cold weather, but if it won't fit in your backpack, it has to go. RV closets are usually limited. There are some gadgets promoted to increase closet space. They don't really, but they may help you organize things to make better use of the space you have. Check out some of the hangers that hang multiple items (shirts, blouses, sweaters, etc) in a cascading fashion. This configuration takes up little room on the closet rod and makes pretty efficient use of the space below. Instead of cramming six shirts or blouses right next to each other and using up valuable rod space, they hang slightly below each other, taking advantage of otherwise wasted space beneath the bottom of shirts hung individually. There can be many uses for a fabric back-of-the-door shoe other that storing shoes in the pockets. It can be a good way to corral things like shampoo bottles and other bulky toiletries. A couple of useful tricks for RV closets: 1) use plastic storage tubs in the bottom of the closet, in other cabinets, on shelves, or under the bed or dinette if your RV is short on drawer space. 2) use car-wash size sponges above the closet rod to prevent the hangers from bouncing off. Some RV closets use special hangers that attach securely to the rod. If you have one of these, you probably don't need the sponges, unless you are adding ordinary hangers. If the hangers aren't somehow controlled, any good bump is going to bounce them off the rod and you'll open the door to find everything in a pile on the closet floor, very effectively negating any benefits of hanging them in the closet. When tent camping, using several small bags or plastic tubs instead of one big one may make it easier to find things. I learned to pack clothing in a duffle bag in basic training in the U.S. Army and the techniques are applicable to suitcases too and can do a remarkable job of keeping things orderly and wrinkle free. One cool trick is to turn suit coats and similar garments inside-out, tucking the top of the sleeves back into the shoulders and folding them in on themselves
Some general guidelines. Use the K.I.S.S. principle: Keep It Simple Stupid! Unless you have extraordinary activities to attend (like a wedding or other formal affair), a simple wardrobe is best. Choose versatile items that can be easily combined to create various ensembles. Choose items that are easy to care for. Jeans are always a good bet for most camping trips. They're sturdy, comfortable, and easy to take care of. Also include items that will allow you to create layers for warmth if the temperature drops. You probably don't need your snow suits and ski gloves for summer outings in most parts of the country but bringing along a sweater, sweat shirt, and jacket is always a good idea. Summer nights can be surprisingly cool in desert and forest campgrounds. And don't forget dry socks, extra shoes, and extra underwear. Appropriate hats are almost always good to have. In hot summer weather they provide much needed shade and protection from the sun. In winter weather, they will help keep you warm. My grandmother used so say "If your feet are cold, put on your hat!" And guess what? It works! You can lose as much as 90% of your body heat through your head and a good hat can help keep it from escaping. Plastic ponchos are inexpensive and take up little room while providing pretty good protection against sudden rain. Keep one in your fanny pack or pocket. I keep one in my dirt bike tool kit too.
About those snowsuits. If you are doing any winter camping and your activities include skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing, you will definitely want to dress warm. Likewise if you ride your dirt bikes or ATVs in cold weather or are participating in some other snowy fun. Clothing that is comfortable when standing around camp may not provide adequate protection against the wind chill factor introduced by sliding down steep slopes or speeding along on a snowmobile. Interestingly enough though, you should feel a little cool (not chilled) just standing around if you are going to be involved in activities that will cause you to warm up. Even riding a dirt bike, ATV, or snowmobile, can be strenuous enough to make you sweat even in cold weather. Some areas are prone to freezing rain during winter storms. If you are in such an area, make sure your snowsuits are at least water repellent if not waterproof or wear a rain suit or poncho. Winter gear designed for snow will not necessarily protect you against rain or melted snow, even though it may protect you against snow and extremely low temperatures -- as long as you keep it dry. Once it gets wet, you're going to get cold, perhaps lethally so. Best to dress in layers so you can easily adjust as you -- or the outside air temperature -- changes. Be prepared for wet weather with rain suits, ponchos, or other water resistant or water proof clothing. Or be smart enough to get in out of the rain if you have to! If you do get wet, retreat to your tent or RV as soon as possible and get out of your wet clothes and into dry ones. Arrange your wet clothing where it will dry, taking care not to get it too close to fires or heaters. If you run out of dry clothes, hang the wet ones up to dry and crawl into your bed or sleeping bag or wrap up in a blanket until you have dry clothes to put on. Never sit around in wet clothes! It is an invitation to hypothermia and other distressing conditions.
An unexpected winter danger: dehydration. We're all pretty much aware of the dangers of becoming dehydrated in hot weather as the sweat drips off our bodies but did you know you sweat in cold weather too? And, of course, you lose moisture through simply breathing. Those little clouds of breath are your vital body fluids wisping away into the cold air. If you are involved in any kind of physical activities, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, chopping wood, etc you are likely to sweat under your warm clothing. This presents two dangers: dehydration and hypothermia. Dehydration happens when you lose too much of your body fluids, mostly water, through sweat and breathing. Loss of body fluids can be compensated for by drinking sufficient water and electrolytes. Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops below normal. This is a very dangerous situation and if not treated quickly, can be fatal. To guard against hypothermia you must be aware of how much you are sweating and the effect it is having on the ability of your clothing to retain body heat. You may need to shed some outer layers or open zippers during strenuous activities to avoid excessive sweating and moisture buildup. If your inner clothing gets sweaty and damp, change it for dry clothing before you become chilled.
Technology aids: modern technology gives us many ways to increase our level of comfort in extreme weather conditions. A simple aid to keeping cool in very hot weather is a spray bottle. A cool spritz of water now and then supplements our own sweat, reduces skin temperature, and makes us feel more comfortable. For cold weather, there are battery operated socks and gloves to help keep our extremities from freezing. Also consider the "Hot Hands" heating pads. These are chemical-based heating pads that, when exposed to air, create heat. One of these tucked into each glove -- or in each boot -- work wonders to keep the chill off. There are larger "body pads" for use under your shirt too. These are also a good way to help warm someone suffering from hypothermia. Tuck one in each armpit, one on the inside of each upper thigh, and one on the inside of each ankle. One on either side of the neck also helps warm the blood (and therefore vital organs). Well-insulated pants and coats together with thermal underwear will generally provide sufficient protection against the cold except in really extreme conditions, such as north of the Arctic circle! But you probably won't be doing a lot of winter RVing or camping there. For cold weather dirt biking, I found wearing a "Windchill" jersey under my Enduro jacket and "Windchill" gloves a lot more comfortable than ordinary jerseys and gloves and they kept us warm without the bulkiness of multiple layers of thermal underwear and sweatshirts. Thick motocross socks inside my riding boots kept my toes from freezing. Plain old "long johns" are always a good foundation for just about any cold weather activities, but are sometimes kind of bulky. Even a pair of women's panty hose will help keep anyone's legs and bottom a little bit warmer as well as being a guard against the chafing known as "monkey butt" from straddling a saddle or seat . Interestingly enough, they can be worn comfortably in hot weather without much discomfort too. If you will be involved in outdoor activities in cold weather, check out the "systems" of insulating underwear and socks available these days. Technology has given us light weight fabrics that have extraordinary thermal properties. There are various options for different layers of socks and underwear, depending on your level of activity and personal body heat parameters. Some materials, such as wool, retain their insulating properties even when wet. Some new synthetics are specially designed to wick perspiration away from your skin. Proper layering of socks can help prevent blisters as well as keeping your feet warm.
Your head has a surprisingly dis-proportionate effect on body temperature. In cold weather you can lose up to 90% of your body heat through your head, so wear a warm hat. In hot weather, keeping your head cool can help regulate your whole body temperature. Over-exposing your head to the sun will make you much hotter, so wear a light weight, broad-brimmed hat to protect your skin from sunburn and help keep you cool. Blood vessels in the neck are fairly close to the surface, so keeping your neck cool (or warm) helps cool (or warm) your blood and keep your whole body more comfortable. My favorite cold weather hat is a Russian "ushanka" (which means "ear hat"). These are often furry and have large flaps that cover your ears and part of your cheeks and pretty far down your neck. They are VERY good for cold weather. My favorite summer hat is a wide-brimmed straw hat. They shade my face and eyes and can be easily soaked with water for extra cooling.
Extremities are difficult to keep warm in cold weather. Fingers, toes, ears and nose can quickly become uncomfortably cool or even frozen if not adequately protected. Mittens will keep your fingers warmer than gloves, but you sacrifice some dexterity. Chemical heat pads can be used to warm your fingers and toes. Even a thin nylon face mask will provide a surprising amount of protection for your nose, cheeks, and chin. A nice thick fleece or knit mask will do even better. Feet will require warm socks and, if possible, insulated boots. And keep everything dry! Wet clothing will cause you to loose your body heat something like 25 times faster than dry. Your extremities get cold quicker because your body naturally begins shutting down blood flow to preserve your core temperature where your organs are, which is critical to survival. Exercising your fingers and toes can help stimulate blood flow and help keep them warmer. Things like clapping your hands or stomping your feet may also help. Avoid tight-fitting gloves or footwear as that restricts circulation and speeds cooling.
Proper clothing for cooking. For the most part you probably don't need any special clothing for cooking. However, you might find an apron a good addition to protect your regular clothing. BBQ aprons are usually heavy enough to provide some protection against errant embers in addition to shielding you clothing from grease, smoke, and spills. A toque (chef's hat) is probably going overboard, but it might be fun and a nice gesture if you are preparing food for a large group and it will help keep your hair under control and out of your food. An inexpensive and compact alternate solution is a hair net. You may look kind of funny, but your guests will appreciate not having your hair in their food. A "do rag" or bandanna tied around your head is another way keep your hair under control when cooking. No one wants your hair in their food and it is unlikely that you want food in your hair!
Night wear is seldom give any special consideration when camping. A lot of people just sleep in their clothes but, to be more comfortable, for the most part you will want to try to dress (or undress) for sleeping the same as you do at home to maintain as much familiarity and comfort as possible in order to sleep well. However, in extreme temperatures you may have to make some adjustments. If you find you are always cold in your RV bed or sleeping in your tent, look into warmer bedding or consider wearing warm pajamas, maybe even ones with feet. You might try putting on some clean dry socks at bedtime unless you're one of those people who feel claustrophobic if your feet are confined. Wearing the same socks to bed you've been wearing all day will make your feet cold as the moisture in them evaporates. On very hot nights you may want to reduce the amount of clothing you wear to bed and even then you may need to start out sleeping on top of your bedding or sleeping bag. Of course, the degree of privacy you have in your tent or RV may affect what you wear to bed and whether you can sleep outside the covers. Overnight temperatures can often drop significantly so keep your regular blankets etc near by for when it cools down. When hiking you may not want to sacrifice valuable pack space to carry pajamas. If so, you'll have to make adjustments to your nighttime routine. If you do sleep in your clothes, empty your pockets before you go to bed. Sleeping on your wallet, cell phone, or keys and be very painful by morning. I once fell asleep in a lounge chair, sitting on my wallet. When I awoke my leg had gone so numb my knee buckled when I tried to walk. It took several hours to completely recover.
For basic camping, jeans, a long sleeved shirt and sturdy shoes are a recommended starting place. Always bring plenty of extra socks and underwear. You might think a T-shirt will be cooler in warm weather than long sleeved shirt. That is not always the case. A T-shirt leaves your arms exposed to direct sunlight. Think about how Bedouins and other desert nomads dress. They wear loose robes that shade them from the sun and allow perspiration to evaporate to keep them cool. Long sleeved shirts also help protect your arms from noxious plants like stinging nettle and poison ivy.
For boating you might want to choose swimwear if you are going to be in and our of the water regularly. However, if you don't plan on going in the water you would be most comfortable if you dress in a loose-fitting, light weight long-sleeved shirt and pants to protect your arms and legs from excess sunlight while allowing enough ventilation to help evaporate perspiration to keep you cool.
Dress well!
Campfire Safety
One of the most enjoyable and iconic aspects of camping and RVing is the campfire. The warmth is comfortable on a chilly evening and the dancing flames are mesmerizing. There is even something alluring and comforting about a campfire on a warm evening. Campfires have been the heart of human social activities for thousands of years. Campfires are traditional scenes of story-telling, song-singing and relationship building. They warm your spirit as well as your body. Campfires are essential element in a survival situation. Fires will warm your food and your body, dry your clothes, sterilize your water, keep wild animals at bay, and warm your spirits. They are often the apex of social life in a camp ground -- as long as you have control. If a fire gets out of control, it becomes the master and you become its prey. Campfire safety can mean the difference between a pleasant and enjoyable evening and a total disaster! Minor violations of campfire safety can result in personal injuries and loss of personal gear and equipment. Major problems may lead to a wildfire situation which could damage tens or even hundreds of thousands of acres of forest, jeopardize homes, and even kill people. Any violation could result in expensive fines if you get cited by rangers or law enforcement, plus civil penalties if you are convicted of having started the fire!
Fire restrictions. You may encounter fire restrictions in many camping areas, especially in forested areas during the dry season. Look for the "fire danger" signs on your way in. When the fire danger is high, camp fires may be totally prohibited. This is NOT an arbitrary form of harassment! Pay strict attention to fire restrictions. Failure to do so can result in wild fires that are costly in terms of monetary damages, environmental impact, and loss of life! Fines for ignoring fire restrictions can run as high as $5000! And you may be liable for damages as well! Even during some fire restrictions you may be able to have fires in approved fire pits in approved campgrounds -- but NOT open fires in primitive camping areas. Charcoal BBQs are usually considered open fires and subject to the same restrictions. Gas stoves and BBQs may be allowed even when open fires are prohibited, but when the fire danger gets high enough, even they may be banned. Expect fire restrictions in hot, dry weather. Even a passing rain storm might not drop enough precipitation to relieve restrictions so don't assume its OK to build a fire without checking with the local ranger.
Site Preparation: one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of building a camp fire is the selection and preparation of the site. First, choose a location well away from trees, bushes, dry grass, buildings, tents, and vehicles. If you are camping in a dense forest you may have to consider overhead clearance as well as proximity of the fire pit to tress or bushes. Then clear the ground of combustible materials to a radius of at least 5' from your fire. If possible, create a fire pit to contain your fire by digging a hole or using a circle of rocks or an earth berm. If using rocks, avoid porous or wet rocks, which may explode in the heat of a fire as trapped moisture expands. If your camp site includes a fire ring or other fire pit, use the existing one, even in primitive camping areas. If you have to create your own fire pit, clear the ground around the camp fire of any combustible materials for at least 5' around the outside of the fire pit. This is one of the most common failures of novice campers. They build a fire on combustible materials and it gets away from them, burning along runners and roots and popping up in other places unexpectedly. Just scraping away surface materials may not be enough. Fire can and sometimes does make its way through plant roots, smouldering along until it gains access to air and pops out as flames, often far away from the original fire. Using an existing fire pit in primitive campsites instead of making your own saves you time and labor and usually ensures the spot is fairly safe but you should always inspect the pit and the area around it to make sure it was properly created in the first place. Campfires on snow will require special attention. The snow pretty much already gives you the necessary cleared area, but fires on snowpack will quickly melt the snow underneath and around them, sometimes drowning them out and also making the area near the fire wet and slushy. If the snow isn't too deep, dig down to solid ground. On deep snow use a large metal pan like an old car hood or build a base of green or wet logs to keep the fire out of the snow.
Build the right kind of fire. The biggest mistake most campers make is to build too big a fire. You only need a small fire to heat up a single serving meal or make a pot of coffee. Some experts call this a "snack fire". Start with a small teepee structure, about 8-10" across, let it burn down, then put your pot on top of the coals and add fuel around the pot until you're through cooking. The next step up is a cooking fire. Start it the same way, only keep building it until you have enough fire to cook your meal. Put a green log on each side of the fire, with about 4" between them on one end and 7" between them on the other end. Spread the fire in between the logs. Your coffee pot should fit nicely at the narrow end, your frypan or cook pot on the wider end. Cooking is best done over coals, not active flames so only feed the fire as needed to support your cooking. The next step up is a comfort fire. The best way to build a comfort fire is to give it a reflector to reflect heat back toward you. A natural reflector is easiest to use -- a cliff, an embankment, or a big rock or large tree, but you can build one out of logs too. If you have a large number of people and need to surround the fire, a reflector won't be useful, but it is really helpful if you are alone, have just a few people to keep warm, or need to reflect heat into a shelter. Build the fire large enough to generate enough heat to keep everyone warm. A fire pit about 3' in diameter is usually large enough for a family or small group. If you have a large group you may need a larger fire. You normally don't need and shouldn't build a huge bonfire. That just wastes fuel and unnecessarily pollutes the atmosphere. It also makes more work for you to put it out at the end of the night and clean it up before you leave the site. For detailed instructions on fire building and some other helpful campfire tips see Three Essential Campfires.
Camp fires are not difficult nor dangerous if handled properly. Undoubtedly you will see people start campfires using various volatile fluids such as gasoline and charcoal lighter fluid. Although many people do this successfully, it is not a recommended practice and is illegal in many places. You can be seriously injured if you accidentally spill any of the fluid on your hands or clothes and it catches fire. The sudden blast when the fire lights can scatter burning debris that can ignite unwanted fires elsewhere -- like your's or your neighbor's clothing, your tent or under your car, OHV, or RV! If you insist on using flammable liquids, NEVER pour a flammable liquid on an existing fire or smoldering fire pit. Only use it to get a new fire going and then use it carefully and cautiously. If there is already heat or flames present it can instantly vaporize the fuel and create a highly explosive situation. Take care not to spill any of the liquid on your clothes or your body. If you do, wash it off your hands and change contaminated clothes BEFORE lighting the fire. Otherwise fumes will bring the fire to you when you strike a match or lighter and you won't like the results. Since it is the fumes that burn, it isn't necessary for your contaminated clothing to come in contact with fire for it to burst into flames! I read of a jet mechanic who, after being doused with jet fuel (kerosene) went into a flight line shack to change clothes. He got distracted before changing and the fumes from his clothing filled the shack. When they reached the flash point, the pilot light in the shack heater ignited the fumes and the whole place blew up! When lighting a fire using accellerants, stand back. Use a match on the end of a hot-dog cooker or similar wire or light the end of a long stick. You will see some people toss a lighted match into a gasoline soaked pile of wood. It creates an impressive flash but is a very dangerous practice. I've seen more than one such fire starter lose his eye lashes and eye brows and all the hair on his arm this way. It often sends flaming sticks flying in all directions as the fumes literally explode. Starting fires with flammable liquids also creates unpleasant and possibly dangerous fumes. No one wants their marshmallows or hot dogs to taste like gasoline or charcoal starter and the smell of burning petroleum products is far from the pleasant fragrance of pine boughs, cedar, or hickory. I read of a camper who prepared to start his fire with gasoline, but had left his matches in his vehicle. His fire pit was slightly uphill from another campsite. While he was retrieving his matches, the gasoline fumes from his soaked wood (which are heavier than air), drifted downhill along the ground to the other fire. About the time he returned to light his fire, it "auto lighted" as the fumes reached the other fire and flames snaked back up the fume trail and lit his fire! An impressive and exciting, almost magical display, no doubt, but one that illustrates just how dangerous and unpredictable using gasoline to start fires can be. Just think. If those fumes had crossed over or had been from a spill under his vehicle, it would have been disastrous!
The best way to start is fire, is to build it properly instead of cheating with flammable liquids. Start with tinder -- paper, lint, wood shavings, pine needles, dry grass or weeds, strips of dry bark. I cut all the branches off my old Christmas trees and keep them for tinder for lighting fires in my fireplace at home. You can often find dry pine needles on the ground in a forested area. Add kindling -- small pieces of wood or twigs about the diameter of your fingers or smaller. Split kindling ignites more easily than whole twigs so you may want to split your own from larger pieces of firewood. Next a layer of slightly larger pieces of wood -- about 1-2" across. Then some 3-4" across and finally your "logs": larger pieces of fire wood 6-9" in diameter. Good old-fashioned wooden matches are a kind of standard way to start campfires. I prefer the "strike anywhere" variety over the "strike on box" but they are a little more dangerous if you have children around. Butane lighters are also a convenient choice, especially the long ones built for lighting fireplaces instead of the pocket sized units designed primarily for lighting cigarettes. The longer reach lets you get into the center of your fire and keeps your fingers away from the flames. I've started my share of desert campfires using flammable liquids but when I light a fire in my fireplace, I build it from the ground up, with tinder and kindling. I've found it works just as well as gasoline and produces a much better smelling fire -- without the risks or contaminating the flue or burning the house down! If for any reason you think you MUST use flammable liquids to get your fire going (if, for instance, your wood is wet or there is an urgent need to get a fire going quickly), prepare the structure of the fire first, then pour a controlled amount of fluid over the wood, taking care not to spill it on your hands, boots or other parts of your body or leaving a trail outside the fire pit. Then light a long stick or attach a match to one so you can ignite the fire from a safe distance. And make sure everyone around you is at a safe distance before lighting the fire. Exercise extra caution when starting a fire in a contained space such as an incinerator or metal fire barrel. Fumes will accumulate in the container and will explode when you light it, so keep your distance. Tossing a lighted match or stick into a pile of gasoline soaked wood creates a spectacular ignition but sometimes the explosive force is enough to send flaming debris some distance, perhaps setting you, your tent, your vehicle, or your companions on fire.
Using matches or a lighter is the easiest way to start your fire. If you have prepared your fire properly, you can carefully light the tinder in the middle of the fire and you should soon be enjoying the blaze. If you gave in to the urge to dump some gasoline or other accelerant onto your firewood, DO NOT strike your match near the fire pit. Light it some distance away and use a long stick to carry the flame to the fire. Otherwise you'll be losing your eyebrows and possibly setting your hair on fire! That sudden "WHOMP!" when you toss a match into your fire pit and the gasoline lights is exciting, but it can also wreak havoc with the structure of your wood and has the potential to make you and any bystanders part of the conflagration. Not a good way to tell your friends "You Light Up My Life!" The long "log lighter" devices designed for igniting fireplaces and campfires are helpful, but if you're using an accellerant, you'll be too close for safety. With those can place the flame precisely where it needs to go in your tinder when building a proper fire. A small pocket sized Bic lighter is a convenient choice for camping. It takes up little room, about as much as a dozen wooden matches, and will light hundreds of fires. Take care using it to light your campfire. You might use your lighter to light a stick, then use the stick to light your fire, keeping your hands away from the tinder and kindling. If you try to put your hand deep into a prepared fire structure you run the risk of dropping the lighter when it gets too hot to hold and that could lead to a dangerous explosion if the lighter itself catches fire.
Fire starters are a good way to make it easier to get your fire going. You can buy them commercially or make your own from paper egg cartons, sawdust, and wax. They will be helpful but they are no substitute for using proper fire building procedures. I've seen ignorant campers use up a whole box of excellent commercial fire starters without ever getting a fire going. You still need to build a proper fire. Build your fire structure with a fire starter in the center of the tinder, surrounded by kindling, then progressively larger pieces of wood. Then ignite the fire starter. It should burn long enough to ignite the tinder and the kindling.
Starting fires without matches. For the more adventurous or those who wish to practice survival methods, try a flint style fire starter or a fire piston. Flint style fire starters and fire pistons work best with prepared tinder. Char cloth or charred punky wood ignites easily using a flint fire starter. Another good tinder, which is readily available and inexpensive, is cotton balls. Be sure they are real cotton, and not synthetic cosmetic puffs. Real cotton balls ignite easily from sparks from a flint/steel strike. Sparks simple melt through synthetics without igniting them. You may hear dryer lint recommended for use as a fire starter, but since so many of today's clothes are made of synthetic fabrics, you'd be better off with cotton balls. However, dryer lint from pure cotton is good. That nice blue lint from washing your denim jeans or clean white stuff from T-shirts or towels should work just fine, but the bright red stuff from a nylon sweater will have you getting hot under the collar trying to use it instead of getting a nice campfire going. To use a flint and steel fire starter, hold the flint close to the tinder and strike it forcefully with a knife or other piece of steel -- kind of like you are trying to quickly whittle pieces off the flint. If you do it right it will shower the tinder with sparks. To use a fire piston you place a tiny piece of tinder inside the cylinder, insert the piston, and strike the end of the piston forcefully. The compression works like a diesel engine to generate heat inside the cylinder to ignite the tinder. At best you'll get a tiny ember you will need to nurture to get your fire going. Many wilderness survival sources will tout starting a fire by rubbing two sticks together. While this is theoretically possible, it is unlikely you will succeed, even with practice, and it takes a LOT of work. I would only use it as a last resort in a survival situation. Better to carry a Bic lighter and/or flint and steel in your survival kit. If you get caught somewhere without it, knowing how to use a bow-drill or fire plow could save your life, or, at least add to your comfort. As I often say, the only way I want to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together is if one of them is a match!
Campfire styles: there are two basic styles of stacking wood for a camp fire: 1) the tipi and 2) the log cabin. Intipi style fire, pieces of wood are leaned together to form a cone (small end up). In the log cabin style fire, pieces of wood are stacked in a square. I have found no particular advantage to either approach, except that a log cabin is usually more stable than the tipi. When starting the fire you may build all the recommended layers at once, then light the tinder at the bottom or start with just the tinder and carefully adding kindling and larger pieces of wood until you achieve the desired size of fire.
How big a fire do you need? If you have a large group of people you may want a large fire -- even a bonfire. Bonfires are impressive and throw off a lot of heat and light, but much of that heat is wasted. Bonfires are more for dramatic effect than for comfort. In most cases a fire with a diameter of about 3' is sufficient for a family or a small group. If you have a large group of people, you may need a larger fire pit and a larger fire so there is room for everyone around the fire. If you are creating a cooking fire, you only want enough fire to do the job. There is a tendency among recreational campers to build a "white man's fire". "White man build big fire, stand way back; Indian build small fire, get up close." Obviously the Indian fire is a more efficient use of fuel and is actually more effective in cooking food and warming its builder. You may need to build a bigger fire when it is raining or snowing so the rain or snow doesn't put it out as well as for increased heat. Building a large fire to "get you through the night" is a mixed bag. It may waste a lot of fire wood, but it may let you sleep through the night. A large, unattended fire while you're sleeping could pose a hazard. Just a slight change in wind direction could blow embers into your shelter or onto your sleeping bag. The bigger the fire, the more embers it can produce. Getting up periodically throughout the night to stoke the fire is a nuisance, but it is safer and more dependable than relying on a big fire to last the night and you might actually get more sleep! I have seen clever ways of stacking wood so it rolls down into the fire as it burns but you really need to know what you are doing to build such a setup safely.
Dakota fire pit. A unique variation of an "Indian fire" is one commonly known as a Dakota fire pit. They make very good cooking fires and are less noticeable if you're in a situation where a certain amount of discretion is required. Dig a hole about a foot or so deep and foot across. Then dig an "air hole" -- a tunnel on one side (the windward side) extending from the surface few inches from the edge of the pit down to the bottom of the pit. This little tunnel will allow air to be drawn down to the base of the fire. Fires of this type are very efficient and produce more concentrated heat for cooking from less wood. Because they burn hot, they have less smoke than open fires. You wouldn't build a Dakota fire pit as a signal fire, but it makes an excellent cooking fire.
Choosing firewood: there are few places left where you are able to gather wood around camp grounds so plan to bring your own to most camp sites. This also lets you prepare your tinder and kindling in advance, which can be of great advantage if you need to get a fire going in inclement weather. Avoid wood with metal hardware still attached or treated or painted wood and composites such as particle board and plywood. Treated or painted wood and composites may give off toxic fumes when they burn. When choosing firewood, it is useful to know the difference between hardwoods and softwoods. Hardwoods burn longer and give off more heat. Softwoods are usually lighter to carry, easier to split and easier to light, but burn faster and give less heat for the same amount of wood. Some typical hardwoods are Oak, walnut, and hickory. Typical softwoods are pine, cottonwood, elm and poplar. Softwoods make excellent kindling. They are easy to split, and easy to light. Just avoid trying to split pieces with big knots in them. BTW, splitting larger pieces of wood is much easier and safer using a wedge than trying to split it with an axe. Wedges are inexpensive and durable and are good addition for anyone who plans to build many camp fires. Lacking wedges, you might be able to use wooden glut instead. A glut is essentially a wooden wedge. Try to use a harder wood for your glut than the wood you want to split.
Fire restrictions. You may encounter fire restrictions in many camping areas, especially in forested areas during the dry season. Look for the "fire danger" signs on your way in. When the fire danger is high, camp fires may be totally prohibited. This is NOT an arbitrary form of harassment! Pay strict attention to fire restrictions. Failure to do so can result in wild fires that are costly in terms of monetary damages, environmental impact, and loss of life! Fines for ignoring fire restrictions can run as high as $5000! And you may be liable for damages as well! Even during some fire restrictions you may be able to have fires in approved fire pits in approved campgrounds -- but NOT open fires in primitive camping areas. Charcoal BBQs are usually considered open fires and subject to the same restrictions. Gas stoves and BBQs may be allowed even when open fires are prohibited, but when the fire danger gets high enough, even they may be banned. Expect fire restrictions in hot, dry weather. Even a passing rain storm might not drop enough precipitation to relieve restrictions so don't assume its OK to build a fire without checking with the local ranger.
Site Preparation: one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of building a camp fire is the selection and preparation of the site. First, choose a location well away from trees, bushes, dry grass, buildings, tents, and vehicles. If you are camping in a dense forest you may have to consider overhead clearance as well as proximity of the fire pit to tress or bushes. Then clear the ground of combustible materials to a radius of at least 5' from your fire. If possible, create a fire pit to contain your fire by digging a hole or using a circle of rocks or an earth berm. If using rocks, avoid porous or wet rocks, which may explode in the heat of a fire as trapped moisture expands. If your camp site includes a fire ring or other fire pit, use the existing one, even in primitive camping areas. If you have to create your own fire pit, clear the ground around the camp fire of any combustible materials for at least 5' around the outside of the fire pit. This is one of the most common failures of novice campers. They build a fire on combustible materials and it gets away from them, burning along runners and roots and popping up in other places unexpectedly. Just scraping away surface materials may not be enough. Fire can and sometimes does make its way through plant roots, smouldering along until it gains access to air and pops out as flames, often far away from the original fire. Using an existing fire pit in primitive campsites instead of making your own saves you time and labor and usually ensures the spot is fairly safe but you should always inspect the pit and the area around it to make sure it was properly created in the first place. Campfires on snow will require special attention. The snow pretty much already gives you the necessary cleared area, but fires on snowpack will quickly melt the snow underneath and around them, sometimes drowning them out and also making the area near the fire wet and slushy. If the snow isn't too deep, dig down to solid ground. On deep snow use a large metal pan like an old car hood or build a base of green or wet logs to keep the fire out of the snow.
Build the right kind of fire. The biggest mistake most campers make is to build too big a fire. You only need a small fire to heat up a single serving meal or make a pot of coffee. Some experts call this a "snack fire". Start with a small teepee structure, about 8-10" across, let it burn down, then put your pot on top of the coals and add fuel around the pot until you're through cooking. The next step up is a cooking fire. Start it the same way, only keep building it until you have enough fire to cook your meal. Put a green log on each side of the fire, with about 4" between them on one end and 7" between them on the other end. Spread the fire in between the logs. Your coffee pot should fit nicely at the narrow end, your frypan or cook pot on the wider end. Cooking is best done over coals, not active flames so only feed the fire as needed to support your cooking. The next step up is a comfort fire. The best way to build a comfort fire is to give it a reflector to reflect heat back toward you. A natural reflector is easiest to use -- a cliff, an embankment, or a big rock or large tree, but you can build one out of logs too. If you have a large number of people and need to surround the fire, a reflector won't be useful, but it is really helpful if you are alone, have just a few people to keep warm, or need to reflect heat into a shelter. Build the fire large enough to generate enough heat to keep everyone warm. A fire pit about 3' in diameter is usually large enough for a family or small group. If you have a large group you may need a larger fire. You normally don't need and shouldn't build a huge bonfire. That just wastes fuel and unnecessarily pollutes the atmosphere. It also makes more work for you to put it out at the end of the night and clean it up before you leave the site. For detailed instructions on fire building and some other helpful campfire tips see Three Essential Campfires.
Camp fires are not difficult nor dangerous if handled properly. Undoubtedly you will see people start campfires using various volatile fluids such as gasoline and charcoal lighter fluid. Although many people do this successfully, it is not a recommended practice and is illegal in many places. You can be seriously injured if you accidentally spill any of the fluid on your hands or clothes and it catches fire. The sudden blast when the fire lights can scatter burning debris that can ignite unwanted fires elsewhere -- like your's or your neighbor's clothing, your tent or under your car, OHV, or RV! If you insist on using flammable liquids, NEVER pour a flammable liquid on an existing fire or smoldering fire pit. Only use it to get a new fire going and then use it carefully and cautiously. If there is already heat or flames present it can instantly vaporize the fuel and create a highly explosive situation. Take care not to spill any of the liquid on your clothes or your body. If you do, wash it off your hands and change contaminated clothes BEFORE lighting the fire. Otherwise fumes will bring the fire to you when you strike a match or lighter and you won't like the results. Since it is the fumes that burn, it isn't necessary for your contaminated clothing to come in contact with fire for it to burst into flames! I read of a jet mechanic who, after being doused with jet fuel (kerosene) went into a flight line shack to change clothes. He got distracted before changing and the fumes from his clothing filled the shack. When they reached the flash point, the pilot light in the shack heater ignited the fumes and the whole place blew up! When lighting a fire using accellerants, stand back. Use a match on the end of a hot-dog cooker or similar wire or light the end of a long stick. You will see some people toss a lighted match into a gasoline soaked pile of wood. It creates an impressive flash but is a very dangerous practice. I've seen more than one such fire starter lose his eye lashes and eye brows and all the hair on his arm this way. It often sends flaming sticks flying in all directions as the fumes literally explode. Starting fires with flammable liquids also creates unpleasant and possibly dangerous fumes. No one wants their marshmallows or hot dogs to taste like gasoline or charcoal starter and the smell of burning petroleum products is far from the pleasant fragrance of pine boughs, cedar, or hickory. I read of a camper who prepared to start his fire with gasoline, but had left his matches in his vehicle. His fire pit was slightly uphill from another campsite. While he was retrieving his matches, the gasoline fumes from his soaked wood (which are heavier than air), drifted downhill along the ground to the other fire. About the time he returned to light his fire, it "auto lighted" as the fumes reached the other fire and flames snaked back up the fume trail and lit his fire! An impressive and exciting, almost magical display, no doubt, but one that illustrates just how dangerous and unpredictable using gasoline to start fires can be. Just think. If those fumes had crossed over or had been from a spill under his vehicle, it would have been disastrous!
The best way to start is fire, is to build it properly instead of cheating with flammable liquids. Start with tinder -- paper, lint, wood shavings, pine needles, dry grass or weeds, strips of dry bark. I cut all the branches off my old Christmas trees and keep them for tinder for lighting fires in my fireplace at home. You can often find dry pine needles on the ground in a forested area. Add kindling -- small pieces of wood or twigs about the diameter of your fingers or smaller. Split kindling ignites more easily than whole twigs so you may want to split your own from larger pieces of firewood. Next a layer of slightly larger pieces of wood -- about 1-2" across. Then some 3-4" across and finally your "logs": larger pieces of fire wood 6-9" in diameter. Good old-fashioned wooden matches are a kind of standard way to start campfires. I prefer the "strike anywhere" variety over the "strike on box" but they are a little more dangerous if you have children around. Butane lighters are also a convenient choice, especially the long ones built for lighting fireplaces instead of the pocket sized units designed primarily for lighting cigarettes. The longer reach lets you get into the center of your fire and keeps your fingers away from the flames. I've started my share of desert campfires using flammable liquids but when I light a fire in my fireplace, I build it from the ground up, with tinder and kindling. I've found it works just as well as gasoline and produces a much better smelling fire -- without the risks or contaminating the flue or burning the house down! If for any reason you think you MUST use flammable liquids to get your fire going (if, for instance, your wood is wet or there is an urgent need to get a fire going quickly), prepare the structure of the fire first, then pour a controlled amount of fluid over the wood, taking care not to spill it on your hands, boots or other parts of your body or leaving a trail outside the fire pit. Then light a long stick or attach a match to one so you can ignite the fire from a safe distance. And make sure everyone around you is at a safe distance before lighting the fire. Exercise extra caution when starting a fire in a contained space such as an incinerator or metal fire barrel. Fumes will accumulate in the container and will explode when you light it, so keep your distance. Tossing a lighted match or stick into a pile of gasoline soaked wood creates a spectacular ignition but sometimes the explosive force is enough to send flaming debris some distance, perhaps setting you, your tent, your vehicle, or your companions on fire.
Using matches or a lighter is the easiest way to start your fire. If you have prepared your fire properly, you can carefully light the tinder in the middle of the fire and you should soon be enjoying the blaze. If you gave in to the urge to dump some gasoline or other accelerant onto your firewood, DO NOT strike your match near the fire pit. Light it some distance away and use a long stick to carry the flame to the fire. Otherwise you'll be losing your eyebrows and possibly setting your hair on fire! That sudden "WHOMP!" when you toss a match into your fire pit and the gasoline lights is exciting, but it can also wreak havoc with the structure of your wood and has the potential to make you and any bystanders part of the conflagration. Not a good way to tell your friends "You Light Up My Life!" The long "log lighter" devices designed for igniting fireplaces and campfires are helpful, but if you're using an accellerant, you'll be too close for safety. With those can place the flame precisely where it needs to go in your tinder when building a proper fire. A small pocket sized Bic lighter is a convenient choice for camping. It takes up little room, about as much as a dozen wooden matches, and will light hundreds of fires. Take care using it to light your campfire. You might use your lighter to light a stick, then use the stick to light your fire, keeping your hands away from the tinder and kindling. If you try to put your hand deep into a prepared fire structure you run the risk of dropping the lighter when it gets too hot to hold and that could lead to a dangerous explosion if the lighter itself catches fire.
Fire starters are a good way to make it easier to get your fire going. You can buy them commercially or make your own from paper egg cartons, sawdust, and wax. They will be helpful but they are no substitute for using proper fire building procedures. I've seen ignorant campers use up a whole box of excellent commercial fire starters without ever getting a fire going. You still need to build a proper fire. Build your fire structure with a fire starter in the center of the tinder, surrounded by kindling, then progressively larger pieces of wood. Then ignite the fire starter. It should burn long enough to ignite the tinder and the kindling.
Starting fires without matches. For the more adventurous or those who wish to practice survival methods, try a flint style fire starter or a fire piston. Flint style fire starters and fire pistons work best with prepared tinder. Char cloth or charred punky wood ignites easily using a flint fire starter. Another good tinder, which is readily available and inexpensive, is cotton balls. Be sure they are real cotton, and not synthetic cosmetic puffs. Real cotton balls ignite easily from sparks from a flint/steel strike. Sparks simple melt through synthetics without igniting them. You may hear dryer lint recommended for use as a fire starter, but since so many of today's clothes are made of synthetic fabrics, you'd be better off with cotton balls. However, dryer lint from pure cotton is good. That nice blue lint from washing your denim jeans or clean white stuff from T-shirts or towels should work just fine, but the bright red stuff from a nylon sweater will have you getting hot under the collar trying to use it instead of getting a nice campfire going. To use a flint and steel fire starter, hold the flint close to the tinder and strike it forcefully with a knife or other piece of steel -- kind of like you are trying to quickly whittle pieces off the flint. If you do it right it will shower the tinder with sparks. To use a fire piston you place a tiny piece of tinder inside the cylinder, insert the piston, and strike the end of the piston forcefully. The compression works like a diesel engine to generate heat inside the cylinder to ignite the tinder. At best you'll get a tiny ember you will need to nurture to get your fire going. Many wilderness survival sources will tout starting a fire by rubbing two sticks together. While this is theoretically possible, it is unlikely you will succeed, even with practice, and it takes a LOT of work. I would only use it as a last resort in a survival situation. Better to carry a Bic lighter and/or flint and steel in your survival kit. If you get caught somewhere without it, knowing how to use a bow-drill or fire plow could save your life, or, at least add to your comfort. As I often say, the only way I want to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together is if one of them is a match!
Campfire styles: there are two basic styles of stacking wood for a camp fire: 1) the tipi and 2) the log cabin. Intipi style fire, pieces of wood are leaned together to form a cone (small end up). In the log cabin style fire, pieces of wood are stacked in a square. I have found no particular advantage to either approach, except that a log cabin is usually more stable than the tipi. When starting the fire you may build all the recommended layers at once, then light the tinder at the bottom or start with just the tinder and carefully adding kindling and larger pieces of wood until you achieve the desired size of fire.
How big a fire do you need? If you have a large group of people you may want a large fire -- even a bonfire. Bonfires are impressive and throw off a lot of heat and light, but much of that heat is wasted. Bonfires are more for dramatic effect than for comfort. In most cases a fire with a diameter of about 3' is sufficient for a family or a small group. If you have a large group of people, you may need a larger fire pit and a larger fire so there is room for everyone around the fire. If you are creating a cooking fire, you only want enough fire to do the job. There is a tendency among recreational campers to build a "white man's fire". "White man build big fire, stand way back; Indian build small fire, get up close." Obviously the Indian fire is a more efficient use of fuel and is actually more effective in cooking food and warming its builder. You may need to build a bigger fire when it is raining or snowing so the rain or snow doesn't put it out as well as for increased heat. Building a large fire to "get you through the night" is a mixed bag. It may waste a lot of fire wood, but it may let you sleep through the night. A large, unattended fire while you're sleeping could pose a hazard. Just a slight change in wind direction could blow embers into your shelter or onto your sleeping bag. The bigger the fire, the more embers it can produce. Getting up periodically throughout the night to stoke the fire is a nuisance, but it is safer and more dependable than relying on a big fire to last the night and you might actually get more sleep! I have seen clever ways of stacking wood so it rolls down into the fire as it burns but you really need to know what you are doing to build such a setup safely.
Dakota fire pit. A unique variation of an "Indian fire" is one commonly known as a Dakota fire pit. They make very good cooking fires and are less noticeable if you're in a situation where a certain amount of discretion is required. Dig a hole about a foot or so deep and foot across. Then dig an "air hole" -- a tunnel on one side (the windward side) extending from the surface few inches from the edge of the pit down to the bottom of the pit. This little tunnel will allow air to be drawn down to the base of the fire. Fires of this type are very efficient and produce more concentrated heat for cooking from less wood. Because they burn hot, they have less smoke than open fires. You wouldn't build a Dakota fire pit as a signal fire, but it makes an excellent cooking fire.
Choosing firewood: there are few places left where you are able to gather wood around camp grounds so plan to bring your own to most camp sites. This also lets you prepare your tinder and kindling in advance, which can be of great advantage if you need to get a fire going in inclement weather. Avoid wood with metal hardware still attached or treated or painted wood and composites such as particle board and plywood. Treated or painted wood and composites may give off toxic fumes when they burn. When choosing firewood, it is useful to know the difference between hardwoods and softwoods. Hardwoods burn longer and give off more heat. Softwoods are usually lighter to carry, easier to split and easier to light, but burn faster and give less heat for the same amount of wood. Some typical hardwoods are Oak, walnut, and hickory. Typical softwoods are pine, cottonwood, elm and poplar. Softwoods make excellent kindling. They are easy to split, and easy to light. Just avoid trying to split pieces with big knots in them. BTW, splitting larger pieces of wood is much easier and safer using a wedge than trying to split it with an axe. Wedges are inexpensive and durable and are good addition for anyone who plans to build many camp fires. Lacking wedges, you might be able to use wooden glut instead. A glut is essentially a wooden wedge. Try to use a harder wood for your glut than the wood you want to split.
Safety tips for splitting firewood: don't hold the wood you are splitting with your fingers while swinging the axe or hatchet! This is a very good way to quickly shorten or remove your fingers and give your companions an unwanted opportunity to practice their first aid skills. Instead, use a small stick to stabilize the piece of wood. If you miss your mark and take off the end of the stick, get another stick -- no big loss! Unlike your fingers, the stick is easily replaced and does not create a blood-born pathogen hazard for by standers -- and, as far as we know, the stick will feel no pain. Also take care to keep on-lookers away from where you are swinging your axe or hatchet. A standard method of ensuring a safe distance is to grasp the axe by the head and swing the handle 360 degrees to make sure no one -- or no thing -- is in the way. Also be sure to look overhead to make sure you won't hit branches or (God forbid!) wires that might deflect your swing and cause an accident. Though it might seem tempting to stay under your RV awning or canopy to cut firewood if it is raining, DON'T DO IT! The potential to damage an expensive awning from flying wood or a misdirected swing isn't worth it and the risk of a deflected blow splitting your chin or your shin instead of the wood is too great. You want to have plenty of clear space around you when swinging an axe! When chopping firewood, stand with your legs apart so a missed swing passes between them instead of embedding the axe into your shins.
Here is a tip for splitting large logs. Ordinarily the pieces fall off the chopping block and you have to keep picking them up an putting them back on to split them into smaller pieces. Here is a video that shows you how to make and use a simple rig to keep the pieces together until you are finished splitting them. He calls it the Split-o-nator. It saves time and a lot of bending and reaching.
Portable Fire Pits: there are a number of attractive portable camp fire pits on the market, but what I've found works best is the tub from an old washing machine -- and they're often free! You may be able to obtain one from an appliance repair shop or recycling center. We've used them for years in desert, beach, forest, and back yard settings. They are inexpensive and the porcelain coating is easy to clean and prevents rust. The squat, round shape and twinkling of the fire through the perforations in the tub caused the first one we saw to be dubbed "R2D2" by its owner. Some tubs have tubes that rise up through the center, where the agitator formerly resided. While these tubes sometimes get in the way of adding wood to the fire or limit the size of fuel, they also lend themselves to a couple of useful adaptions: legs and a cooking grill. I used the same tripod that holds an RV table when you want to use it outside and cut a spare RV table leg to put the R2D2 at the desired height. I made ours so it was about right to slip your toes under on particularly cold evenings but you may want to make yours higher and add a grill to the top and use it for cooking. I found a wire cooking grate from an old charcoal grill that fit mine perfectly. I bolted a pipe floor flange to the grill and screwed in a piece of 2" pipe that drops into the top of the center tube of the tub to provide a very stable grilling surface. A metal garbage can lid is an effective way of containing any stubborn embers if you find yourself ready to retire before your fire is out. R2D2 is generally safe to use in windy conditions and is sometimes acceptable in forest service campgrounds when open flames are prohibited. Be sure to check with rangers first. We've even had forest rangers borrow our R2D2 for their own campfires. There are collapsible fire pits and campfire grills made of wire panels similar to those in your oven. These are light weight, easy to transport, and assemble, but are sometimes a little unstable because they are so light weight. Be sure to follow set-up and use instructions carefully to ensure as much stability as possible. These foldable fire pits are usually not approved for use during fire restrictions. Portable metal fire rings are another option, but unless they are heavy and bulky, they may be easily damaged and they take up quite a bit of room in transit. Portable gas-powered campfires are becoming more popular because of their convenience and sometimes an immunity to fire restrictions.
Campfire tools. The most basic tool is an axe or hatchet. Keep them sharp. A sharp axe will work a lot better and is actually safer than a dull one. A dull axe is more likely to bounce and cause an injury. Before using an axe or hammer, grip the tool by the head and swing it 360 degrees to make sure there are no obstacles or people within range of your swing. Keep a close eye to make sure no one wanders into your active work area. Another inexpensive and handy tool is a splitting wedge. You can use the back or your axe or a large hammer to drive the wedge into the end of a piece of wood to split it into smaller pieces. A saw can be very helpful for cutting wood to fireplace lengths. A sharp chain saw makes very quick work of this task but even a one- or two-person tree saw will be easier than chopping with an axe. For your fireplace at home your tool set probably includes a poker and perhaps a set of tongs. These tools are usually not practical to carry along for camping trips. A sturdy green stick can serve as a temporary poker. Or use your shovel to stir things up and shift wood and coals as needed. Once you get your fire going you may need special utensils for cooking on the campfire. Those with long, heat resistant handles are best. Stainless steel utensils are sturdy but be sure to use pot holders or gloves to prevent burning your hands as the steel is a pretty good conductor of heat.
A few additional notes: be careful what you throw into your campfires. You will see people burning their garbage in their campfires. Sometimes that's OK, but too often garbage contains undesirable elements, such as glass bottles, pressurized containers, tin cans, and batteries. These remain in the ashes and can present future hazards. Pressurized cans, and not just flammables like paint, but even things like whipped cream, cooking spray, and shaving cream are dangerous to put into a fire. As the can heats up the remaining propellant and product expand and can explode, sending shrapnel into anyone or anything nearby. Sometimes even sealed plastic water or soda bottles can explode with surprising force when the trapped air is overheated. Some elements tossed into trash cans without a second thought may produce toxic fumes or may simply generate unpleasant odors. It is a good idea to keep separate trash bags or trash cans for combustibles and non-combustibles. This will allow you to incinerate much of your trash and reduce what you have to retain in your RV or car until you get home. Most paper plates can be safely burned. Styrofoam and plastic coated items, on the other hand, may give off toxic fumes and you might want to avoid burning them, especially in large volumes. Burning a few at time where there is good ventilation shouldn't be a problem. The main components of styrene (what we call Styrofoam) are hydrogen and carbon, so they mostly give off water vapor can carbon dioxide when they burn but they sometimes contain other elements which could be toxic, especially if they have been dyed or decorated.. Incinerating food scraps in a campfire can avoid foul smells in your RV as rubbish rots in trash cans. If you are sharing a campfire with other campers, always get their permission before burning trash. Depending on what is in the trash, it could produce very offensive odors. Always stand upwind when adding trash to a fire.
Never leave a campfire unattended. It only takes a few seconds for an errant breeze to scatter embers that can result in a wildfire. Proper preparation and care of your fire pit will minimize the potential for problems, but you must still keep an eye on things to avoid serious consequences. If an errant gust sends sparks flying, track them down and stomp them out before they can start more fires. If the wind is persistent, put your fire out.
When you are done, make sure your campfire is out -- dead out! Douse it with water or cover it with sand or dirt. I've often seen coals embedded in ash still hot enough to restart a fire 10 or 12 hours after it had burned down. I've even seen buried campfires come to life in the middle of the night, so be careful. By the way, do NOT urinate on a campfire to put it out. Boy scouts seem to find it amusing but the results are not pleasant. It may help douse the fire but unless you have a bladder the size of a draft horse, it isn't going to have much affect, however it will create a really obnoxious smell that will definitely not improve your popularity with fellow campers! On the other hand, using a bucket of gray water from your RV holding tank is a good way to put out the fire and make more room in your holding tank. Unless the gray water is unusually contaminated it will be mostly soapy water and will most likely not produce obnoxious odors. DO NOT even think of trying it with waste from black water tanks! Always put your folding chairs away or at least collapse them and lay them down. I've seen a lot of chairs destroyed when a breeze blew them into an unattended desert campfire after everyone had gone to bed. Of course the last person should have put the fire out. Just because there is low risk of the fire spreading in the desert is no excuse. But, if you're not the last to leave and you don't take your chairs with you, at least lay them down. There is much less chance of them being blown into the fire that way.
Windy conditions. Campfires and wind are not particularly good companions. While a warm fire is nice on a cold, windy night, there is always a potential for the wind to spread sparks or embers and ignite unwanted and uncontrolled fires, often some distance from the fire. And there is always the problem of smoke blowing in your face. Sometimes it seems that no matter where you stand, the smoke still finds your. Besides that, unless you are constantly rotating your body, one side will cook and the other will freeze! You may be able to mitigate wind if you can find a spot on the leeward side of a large rock or other windbreak. But, unless the wind is consistently from one direction, your windbreak could quickly become a liability that traps the smoke from your fire instead of the asset you intended it to be to keep the wind off. Using a portable fireplace with a wind screen, or an "R2D2" will help reduce the risk of uncontrolled sparks and embers. I have seen devices that attach to camp chairs that reflect heat from the campfire under the chair and up the back. The heavy vinyl construction of the reflectors also acts as a good windbreak. Still, the best bet for windy nights may be to snuggle up inside your RV or tent and pursue pleasurable indoor activities and save the campfire for another night when conditions are more favorable. I can think of lots of better things to do than fight smoke blowing in my eyes and face and the wind blowing up my coat and down the back of my neck! Constantly changing winds make it impossible to keep the smoke out of your eyes, significantly reducing the enjoyment of a campfire. When the wind picks up, bank the fires or put them out and head inside for some more intimate indoor recreation. Wind will also make your campfires burn up fuel more quickly, so expect to add logs more frequently on windy nights.
Campfires in the rain will be more difficult to light and keep going in rain but it can be done, with or without flammable liquids. You will probably need a bigger fire in the rain than you would normally use, both for comfort and to overcome the effects of the rain on the fuel. A strong fire will stand up to all but the most powerful downpours. You will need to keep it roaring. If it begins to die down, the rain may soon overcome it and you'll be left with a soggy mess of ashes and half-burned sticks. Plan ahead if there is a chance of rain. Keep some tinder and kindling dry so you can get your fire going in the first place. Once it is going strong it will quickly dry damp wood. Wood that has been rained or snowed on will probably dry out and burn. Wood that has been soaking and is water logged might let your fire go out before it dries out enough to burn. Brush snow off of any wood you add to your fire to minimize the prospect of dousing it.
Standing around a campfire in the rain will probably not be a very pleasant experience. Sure, the fire may feel nice on your face, but you will likely get soaked anyway unless you are under a poncho, canopy, or umbrella. You will lose heat 25 faster in wet clothes and being cold and wet is NEVER a good thing and can even be life threatening. You can get seriously hypthermic even on a fairly warm summer day in wet clothes.
For additional information about fire safety, please see Fire Safety Articles by Mac The Fire Guy.
Get fired up about campfire safety.
Stocking Your Camp Kit
Building a well stocked camp kit for tent camping may be a little more difficult than stocking an RV. RVs give you places to organize your supplies and store them between uses so they're always ready to go. Doing the same for tent camping requires a little more creativity. Instead of cabinets, closets, and drawers like you have in an RV, you'll have to put your stuff in bins, bags, or boxes. You'll want to find a place to keep it where it will be safe but easily accessed when you want to use it.
Properly stocking your camp kit is important for supporting spontaneous trips and so it can be useful in a disaster situation. Having basic, non-perishable supplies and equipment ready to go will make every trip easier. You will want to organize your camping gear in a logical manner. Everything should be stored where you can get to it easily and where it is safe. Putting things in plastic tubs makes it easy to grab and go and protects your gear against moisture, insects, and vermin. I like using translucent tubs so I can kind of see what is inside, but you can label opaque containers using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels (or just masking tape) so you know what is where. If you don't have the budget for plastic tubs or the room to store them, duffle bags, contractor trash bags,or even ordinary cardboard boxes can be used. If you can't see what is inside and it isn't obvious (like sleeping bags and tents) mark the outside of the container so you can find what you need when you need it. Duct tape makes a good label to write on with a marker. If you are worried about being able to remove it, use blue painter's tape.
It will be easier to use your stuff if like things are stored together. Put all your kitchen stuff in one or two tubs. I put big stuff like pots and pans in one and smaller things like cooking utensils, table cloths, dishtowels, and spices in another. You might want to allocate some of your dishtowels to pad the pots and pans or other dishes too to reduce noise and minimize scratching or otherwise damaging items.
A chuck box is a good way to organize your kitchen stuff for camping. It gives you a place to store, organize, carry, and used your kitchen items. For maximum flexibility in creating a custom space, build your own. If you choose to purchase a commercial version, be sure to measure your vehicle carefully to make sure it will fit.
Food requires special consideration. You don't want to store any perishable foods in your camping tubs. But you will want to organize durable basic ingredients so they're always ready to go. Things like sugar, salt, flour, and pancake mixes can be stored in air-tight plastic containers and they should keep for many months if they weren't contaminated to begin with. Things like spices and packaged sauce mixes usually do well if they are also kept in sealed containers. You want to make sure you don't have anything exposed that will attract mice or other vermin. Our volunteer fire department found MREs on our wildlands fire truck and in storage that had been chewed on by mice and had to be disgarded. These were factory sealed foil pouches you would think wouldn't give off any scent, but the mice still went after them. Basic spices, like salt and pepper, can usually be safely stored in your camp kit in sealed plastic containers to protect them from moisture and pests.
Cleaning supplies and sundries are often overlooked until you need them. Think about what you normally use at home and which of them will be needed in camp. Dish soap and hand soap come immediately to mind. Paper towels are always useful in camp. Hand sanitizer will be useful if you have to visit a less than stellar restroom and hand lotion will relieve the suffering from a variety of camp tasks you may not be accustomed to doing like chopping wood or doing dishes by hand. A roll of paper towels will find many, many uses in camp. In addition to the standard cleaning tasks for which they were intended, they can be used as place mats, napkins, and handkerchiefs and as temporary covers to protect food from marauding insects. They can even be used to clean wounds or as pressure pads to control bleeding.
Clothing is something you may want to pack specifically for each outing rather than have a lot of stuff packed away in bins. If you do choose to have some clothing prepared, inventory it periodically to make sure it isn't damaged and that it is appropriate for the time of year. Hauling around bins full of parkas and snowsuits all summer will be a waste of space and energy. Having your favorite bikinis or speedos tucked away on winter outings probably won't be very helpful even if they don't take up a lot of room. Not very many of us pursue 'polar bear' dipping in frozen waters. BTW, regardless of how cold the air may be, fresh water, in liquid form, will never be less than 32°F. Anyplace (like a canteen or drinking glass) that contains both ice and water will be exactly 32°F. Since salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, salt water could be colder than 32°. The actual freezing point depends on how much salt is in the water. If it is fully saturated (has as much salt as possible, about 23.3%) the freezing point is around -69°F.
Camping gear should be clean, dry, in good repair, and well organized in storage. Try to keep like things together. Put all your tents and canopies on one shelf, hang sleeping bags to air out, store lanterns together, keep stoves and BBQs in a similar place. Remember to store your fuel safely. It isn't a good idea to store propane cylinders or gas cans in your living space or anyplace (like a garage, attic, or basement) connected to your living space. Miscellaneous supplies, like backpack pins, cord locks, lantern mantles, sewing kits, tent repair kits, etc. should be among your basic provisions and should be well organized and labeled so you can find them easily. I like to stock up on these items before hand so I always have them on hand when needed. I once paid something like $1.50 for two cord locks at a sporting goods stores when I needed them right away for a trip, then I was able to buy 50 of them on ebay for a few bucks. Watch for mangers specials, closeouts, and end of season sales to get the most bang for your buck.
First aid kits should be kept up to date. I suggest you have a personal size pocket first aid kit for each member of your family or group and a larger group first aid kit for more serious injuries. From time to time I've found pocket first aid kits at Dollar Tree, so they don't have to be expensive. Check the condition of adhesives on bandaids and adhesive tape. As it gets old it either dries out and no longer sticks at all or it gets slimy and lets the bandage slip all over the place. Some medications may show signs of deterioration. Liquids may change color or consistency, tablets may flake or get powdery. Aspirin gives off a strong vinegar smell when it gets old. Keep your medications up to date and make sure you replenish anything you use before your next trip. If you do a lot of hiking, moleskin is good to have in your kit to prevent and treat blisters.
Canteens, water bottles, and hydration packs should be cleaned and sanitized, then stored where they won't get dirt or bugs in them. Putting them in large Ziplock bags or sealable plastic storage containers will help. Let them dry thoroughly before sealing them up.
Camp tools should be clean, well maintained, and conveniently organized. Axes and hatches should be sharp and the blades covered or protected. Protecting the blades is as much for your protection as for the sharpened edge. An exposed blade can be a hazard and may be dulled by rubbing on things in transit. Metal parts should be lightly oiled to prevent rust. Shovel handles and other wooden handles should be smooth and kept oiled using linseed oil to avoid splinters. Hammers and other tools should be clean and free of rust. Handles that have dried out and gotten rough should be sanded and oiled. BBQ tools should be clean. Any residual food or grease may attract insects or vermin or turn rancid and affect the flavor of your meal the next time you use them.
Periodically examine your camp kits and eliminate items you don't use. You may have things you brought along for a specific purpose for one specific outing that are just taking up valuable space on other ventures if no longer needed. You may have thought something would be useful but never got around to using it. If you aren't using it, take it out. The only exception to this rule is emergency supplies. By their very nature, emergency supplies are things you (hopefully) don't need very often, but will be essential in an emergency situation. Every unnecessary item you take out gives you that much more room for useful and essential items.
Build up your supplies over time to save money. Unless you have an urgent and immediate need, make and prioritize a list, then watch for good deals on the things you need. Check out garage sales and thrift stores and online sites like ebay and craigslist for durable goods and watch for sales on other items. You local "dollar store" can be a treasure trove for cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and kitchen utensils. I've even found hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, and sunglasses there. Try adding just one camping item to your regular shopping each week. It usually won't add much to your expenditures, but over time you'll build up stock to sustain your outdoor activities.
Get it together!
Properly stocking your camp kit is important for supporting spontaneous trips and so it can be useful in a disaster situation. Having basic, non-perishable supplies and equipment ready to go will make every trip easier. You will want to organize your camping gear in a logical manner. Everything should be stored where you can get to it easily and where it is safe. Putting things in plastic tubs makes it easy to grab and go and protects your gear against moisture, insects, and vermin. I like using translucent tubs so I can kind of see what is inside, but you can label opaque containers using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels (or just masking tape) so you know what is where. If you don't have the budget for plastic tubs or the room to store them, duffle bags, contractor trash bags,or even ordinary cardboard boxes can be used. If you can't see what is inside and it isn't obvious (like sleeping bags and tents) mark the outside of the container so you can find what you need when you need it. Duct tape makes a good label to write on with a marker. If you are worried about being able to remove it, use blue painter's tape.
It will be easier to use your stuff if like things are stored together. Put all your kitchen stuff in one or two tubs. I put big stuff like pots and pans in one and smaller things like cooking utensils, table cloths, dishtowels, and spices in another. You might want to allocate some of your dishtowels to pad the pots and pans or other dishes too to reduce noise and minimize scratching or otherwise damaging items.
A chuck box is a good way to organize your kitchen stuff for camping. It gives you a place to store, organize, carry, and used your kitchen items. For maximum flexibility in creating a custom space, build your own. If you choose to purchase a commercial version, be sure to measure your vehicle carefully to make sure it will fit.
Food requires special consideration. You don't want to store any perishable foods in your camping tubs. But you will want to organize durable basic ingredients so they're always ready to go. Things like sugar, salt, flour, and pancake mixes can be stored in air-tight plastic containers and they should keep for many months if they weren't contaminated to begin with. Things like spices and packaged sauce mixes usually do well if they are also kept in sealed containers. You want to make sure you don't have anything exposed that will attract mice or other vermin. Our volunteer fire department found MREs on our wildlands fire truck and in storage that had been chewed on by mice and had to be disgarded. These were factory sealed foil pouches you would think wouldn't give off any scent, but the mice still went after them. Basic spices, like salt and pepper, can usually be safely stored in your camp kit in sealed plastic containers to protect them from moisture and pests.
Cleaning supplies and sundries are often overlooked until you need them. Think about what you normally use at home and which of them will be needed in camp. Dish soap and hand soap come immediately to mind. Paper towels are always useful in camp. Hand sanitizer will be useful if you have to visit a less than stellar restroom and hand lotion will relieve the suffering from a variety of camp tasks you may not be accustomed to doing like chopping wood or doing dishes by hand. A roll of paper towels will find many, many uses in camp. In addition to the standard cleaning tasks for which they were intended, they can be used as place mats, napkins, and handkerchiefs and as temporary covers to protect food from marauding insects. They can even be used to clean wounds or as pressure pads to control bleeding.
Clothing is something you may want to pack specifically for each outing rather than have a lot of stuff packed away in bins. If you do choose to have some clothing prepared, inventory it periodically to make sure it isn't damaged and that it is appropriate for the time of year. Hauling around bins full of parkas and snowsuits all summer will be a waste of space and energy. Having your favorite bikinis or speedos tucked away on winter outings probably won't be very helpful even if they don't take up a lot of room. Not very many of us pursue 'polar bear' dipping in frozen waters. BTW, regardless of how cold the air may be, fresh water, in liquid form, will never be less than 32°F. Anyplace (like a canteen or drinking glass) that contains both ice and water will be exactly 32°F. Since salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, salt water could be colder than 32°. The actual freezing point depends on how much salt is in the water. If it is fully saturated (has as much salt as possible, about 23.3%) the freezing point is around -69°F.
Camping gear should be clean, dry, in good repair, and well organized in storage. Try to keep like things together. Put all your tents and canopies on one shelf, hang sleeping bags to air out, store lanterns together, keep stoves and BBQs in a similar place. Remember to store your fuel safely. It isn't a good idea to store propane cylinders or gas cans in your living space or anyplace (like a garage, attic, or basement) connected to your living space. Miscellaneous supplies, like backpack pins, cord locks, lantern mantles, sewing kits, tent repair kits, etc. should be among your basic provisions and should be well organized and labeled so you can find them easily. I like to stock up on these items before hand so I always have them on hand when needed. I once paid something like $1.50 for two cord locks at a sporting goods stores when I needed them right away for a trip, then I was able to buy 50 of them on ebay for a few bucks. Watch for mangers specials, closeouts, and end of season sales to get the most bang for your buck.
First aid kits should be kept up to date. I suggest you have a personal size pocket first aid kit for each member of your family or group and a larger group first aid kit for more serious injuries. From time to time I've found pocket first aid kits at Dollar Tree, so they don't have to be expensive. Check the condition of adhesives on bandaids and adhesive tape. As it gets old it either dries out and no longer sticks at all or it gets slimy and lets the bandage slip all over the place. Some medications may show signs of deterioration. Liquids may change color or consistency, tablets may flake or get powdery. Aspirin gives off a strong vinegar smell when it gets old. Keep your medications up to date and make sure you replenish anything you use before your next trip. If you do a lot of hiking, moleskin is good to have in your kit to prevent and treat blisters.
Canteens, water bottles, and hydration packs should be cleaned and sanitized, then stored where they won't get dirt or bugs in them. Putting them in large Ziplock bags or sealable plastic storage containers will help. Let them dry thoroughly before sealing them up.
Camp tools should be clean, well maintained, and conveniently organized. Axes and hatches should be sharp and the blades covered or protected. Protecting the blades is as much for your protection as for the sharpened edge. An exposed blade can be a hazard and may be dulled by rubbing on things in transit. Metal parts should be lightly oiled to prevent rust. Shovel handles and other wooden handles should be smooth and kept oiled using linseed oil to avoid splinters. Hammers and other tools should be clean and free of rust. Handles that have dried out and gotten rough should be sanded and oiled. BBQ tools should be clean. Any residual food or grease may attract insects or vermin or turn rancid and affect the flavor of your meal the next time you use them.
Periodically examine your camp kits and eliminate items you don't use. You may have things you brought along for a specific purpose for one specific outing that are just taking up valuable space on other ventures if no longer needed. You may have thought something would be useful but never got around to using it. If you aren't using it, take it out. The only exception to this rule is emergency supplies. By their very nature, emergency supplies are things you (hopefully) don't need very often, but will be essential in an emergency situation. Every unnecessary item you take out gives you that much more room for useful and essential items.
Build up your supplies over time to save money. Unless you have an urgent and immediate need, make and prioritize a list, then watch for good deals on the things you need. Check out garage sales and thrift stores and online sites like ebay and craigslist for durable goods and watch for sales on other items. You local "dollar store" can be a treasure trove for cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and kitchen utensils. I've even found hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, and sunglasses there. Try adding just one camping item to your regular shopping each week. It usually won't add much to your expenditures, but over time you'll build up stock to sustain your outdoor activities.
Get it together!
Stocking Your RV
While keeping an RV (or camp kit) well-stocked is essential to maintain its readiness as a disaster recovery vehicle and having it available for spontaneous outings, care must be taken to avoid accumulating too much stuff. There is a tendency to just keep adding to the contents. In fact, it is good practice to make a list of things you wish you had but didn't on each trip and update your supplies. But it is also a good practice to periodically go through your unit and remove unused items or try to find items that can serve multiple purposes and eliminate individual components. RVs do have limited carrying capacities and you want to make sure you use your allocation wisely for things you really need and use. Most of the following suggestions can also be applied to bins and tubs of tent camping supplies. I will focus on stocking your tent camping kit in another post. Keeping your inventory under control will reduce weight (and perhaps increase mpg) and make what you do have more readily accessible. That being said, what should you keep stocked in your RV or camp kit?
FOOD: store only non-perishable foods and focus on basic ingredients that can be used for different meals. Add perishable items as needed for each trip. For emergency purposes, the MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) used by the military and by hunters are convenient and have a long shelf life but are quite pricey, may take up quite a bit of room, and are not the best source of nutrition. They may also be susceptible to rodent damage, even in their sealed foil packages. We found an entire case of MREs had been partially eaten by rodents when stored in an outside shed at our local fire station when I was a volunteer fireman. Canned goods are stable, but heavy, so use them sparingly. You may also find it convenient to keep a box or two of less stable items in a convenient location in your house so you can quickly supplement your trip provisions and emergency food supplies for a spontaneous outing or disaster. Re-package basic ingredients like flour and sugar in small containers instead of bringing along the whole bag. Plastic containers are sturdier, will reduce spills, and prevent insects from getting in better than the original paper bags and bringing only what you need will conserve weight and space. Metal containers, like canisters or recycled cookie tins, might work, but they usually don't have as much of an air tight seal as Tupperware style devices and they are susceptible to getting bent if dropped or bounced around on bump roads. Be sure to check them regularly as any infestations that might have been present in the original container may have started to mature. Some things, like salt and sugar, last a long time, but things like flour and baking mixes are subject to mold and insect infestations which can and do grow even inside tightly closed containers. I read that some baking mixes can develop a deadly mold.
First Aid Supplies: have a well-stocked first aid kit easily accessible in your RV (not being able to quickly access first aid supplies effectively takes the "first" out of first aid!) -- and make sure you know proper first aid procedures. Keep prescription medications where you can grab them and move them to your RV before a trip. Check the contents of your first aid kit regularly. Replace items that have been depleted and check expiration dates. Medications may be of little use and some even become dangerous after their useful lifetimes. However, one report I've heard says the US military found that most medications are still viable up to 15 years after their expiration dates, so in an emergency I wouldn't hesitate to use slightly outdated medications. Things like adhesive tape and Bandaids may deteriorate over time and will not be of any help if they no longer stick! If anyone in your group has allergies to bee and insect stings, contact your family doctor to get an "epi-pen" for emergency treatment. You may also want to store splints and duct tape for emergency immobilization of broken bones. Unless you are a qualified physician or medic, don't try to "set" broken bones, just immobilize them to prevent further injury during transport to emergency medical care. First aid classes are available in most communities by contacting the Red Cross. While you're at it, get certified in CPR. These techniques can and do save lives. Most CPR courses also teach the Heimlich Maneuver, which is used to treat someone who is choking (usually on food that has gone down the wrong tube!). Avoid choking in the first place by taking reasonably sized bites and chewing your food well. The average size piece of meat ejected during the Heimlich Maneuver is 1" x 3" and obviously not well chewed! If you have occasion to use CPR, realize that the success rate is WAY below what you see dramatized on TV. You can deliver the absolute best CPR possible and still lose the patient. Also be aware that even professionally administered CPR may result in broken bones in the victim's chest.
Hopefully you will seldom need to utilize your first aid skills, but having done quite a bit of remote camping myself, I have found them helpful on several occasions. Sometimes they mostly added to the comfort of the injured party -- like removing numerous cactus spines from the arm of rider who crashed into a pile of the prickly stuff. But I have also had to splint broken bones and assist in transporting more seriously injured riders to the emergency room. In such cases, proper first aid prevents additional trauma, makes the patient more comfortable, and can even save lives. It is important to keep your first aid skills up to date. Unless you are an up to date medical professional you need to re-certify your first aid training every year or two to maintain status and to keep up with developing techniques.
When stocking your personal first aid kits, think about what over the counter medications your typically find helpful at home. If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, carry allergy medication. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are useful for headaches and other pains, such as sprains and muscle aches. Antacids may be advisable if people in your group are susceptible to stomach problems. Anti-diarrheal tablets may be in order and can help avoid extremely uncomfortable and unpleasant situations in remote locations. Digestive problems are very common during camping activities where our eating habits are radically changed for a few days. In all cases, read and follow the instructions and dosages for all medications closely. Not doing so may not only negate any benefits but could also result in significant undesirable results. Know if any our your traveling companions are allergic to any medications so you can avoid complications and provide important information to emergency medical personnel if your injured companion is unable to talk. Keep in mind, an injured person may go into shock and may be unconscious or not be thinking clearly so it is important that those around them can provide relevant information to emergency medical personnel. If someone is injured, note the time and make mental notes of how the injury occurred. How an injury occurred is important to medical personnel in evaluating the injuries and deciding on a course of treatment. This information will be requested by emergency medical personnel and my be important factors in ensuring proper and timely treatment.
Cleaning supplies. I like to keep a complete set of cleaning supplies in my RV at all times. That way, I have whatever I need to keep it clean and tidy throughout each trip. Some things to bring along include glass cleaner, dish soap, cleanser (you might need a soft scrub for delicate RV fixtures), furniture polish, carpet spot cleaner, and WD-40. If you have a stainless steel sink and/or appliances, you may want to include stainless steel polish. Some really fine ("0000") steel wool may help you keep stainless steel sinks and appliances looking good, but don't rub too hard. Some liquid cleaners are said to loose effectiveness after about a year so test them from time to time and replace them as needed. Some are seriously affected by the extreme temperatures our RVs experience in storage. Aerosol cleaners are the most convenient to use and won't spill if they get tipped over in travel. But over time they may tend to clog or loose propellant, so be sure to check them regularly. Pre-moistened wipes are available for a variety of surfaces (leather, glass, wood, countertops, etc) but even the re-sealable packages allow them to dry out over time. For those that open on the front, store them face down. It helps keep the flap sealed and gravity makes the next wipe you use well moistened. Pre-moistened wipes take up little room and are easy to use and won't spill like liquid cleaners.
Linens. RV beds are usually not the same size as our residential beds so you will probably have a separate set of sheets. Keep your RV stocked with dish towels, hand towels, bath towels, and wash clothes. If you're planning a fancy dinner for special occasion, you might want to add cloth napkins (for most camping trips you'll want to use disposable paper napkins).
Camping tools: you'll almost always find a use for an axe or hatchet and a shovel in camp. You should also have a good knife. Survival experts recommend a 4-5" fixed blade knife. Pocket knives are less sturdy and the folding blade can be dangerous and bigger "hacking" Rambo survival knives are not well suited to most camp tasks, like carving and whittling. A popular saying among adventurers is "a knifeless man is a lifeless man". A good knife has many uses when camping or in a wilderness survival situation.
Hand Tools: having a well-stocked tool box -- and knowing how to make emergency repairs -- can mean the difference between surviving an inconvenient situation and a mechanical disaster. Since tools tend to be heavy, it is especially helpful to find tools that can serve more than one purpose. RV and camping stores offer many types of "multi-tools". Choose those that are right for you -- that are applicable to your vehicle and equipment and that you understand and either know or can learn how to use. Some basic tools that you may find useful include adjustable pliers, screwdrivers (both flat and Phillips tips), one or more adjustable wrenches, and a hammer. If you have sufficient carrying capacity you may want to include wrench sets and socket sets but make sure they are the right ones for your vehicle. Many RVs use screws that have a square head drive or Torx heads or Allen-heads. Check your unit to see what types of fasteners you have and purchase appropriate drivers. Often simply keeping all fasteners tight will avoid leaks and further and possibly expensive damage so it is worth a few $ to add these specialty drivers to your tool box.
Pots and Pans and Utensils: some people transfer pots and pans and utensils from their homes to their RVs for each trip. For convenience and for rapid emergency use, keeping a basic set in the RV can be a good idea. There are special cook sets designed for camping that store within themselves so they don't take up a lot of room. Usually these sets follow the multi-use principal and a fry pan will double as lid for a large pot. Usually the handles are removable and store inside the stacked pots. And make sure you have a can opener on board. I had a heck of time with canned chili on one outing when I didn't have a can opener. The little pocket P-38 or P-51 military can openers take up little room but are adequate for opening most cans. They can be found in military surplus stores, boy scout suppliers, and some camping stores. I carry a "church key" type can and bottle opener as well. Although most bottled beverages today have twist tops, there are still a few that don't and, believe me, you don't want to try opening a crimp-cap with a pocket knife! Good way to create an opportunity for someone to use their first aid skills, but not pleasant on the fingers if the blade collapses ! Disposable cups and plates and plastic flatware are convenient but they do take up room and have to be regularly replenished. Light weight camping plates, cups, bowls, and flatware are a popular choice. Avoid glass and porcelain (stoneware) as they are heavy and easily damaged. Metal camping plates are another popular choice because of their durability, but the weight adds up rather quickly. The old fashioned blue porcelain "specklewear" plates, cups, and bowls (usually dark blue porcelain flecked with white on steel) lend a Western flare. They are durable, stain resistant, and easy to clean, making them popular with many RVers. But you do need to guard against chipping the porcelain coating. Be careful when you are using them and store them so they won't crash down and get damaged when you open the cabinets. Some folks store them in cloth bags for extra safety.
Entertainment options may include music CDs, books, magazines, and, if you have the equipment for it, DVD or VHS movies. Paperback books are usually smaller and lighter than hardbound version. Limit the number of movies you bring along. I'm sure you'll want to have a choice, but, unless the weather turns bad, you'll probably not be spending that much time in front of the boob tube. I like to try to bring along movies that are relevant to the activity.
Clothing. You may find it convenient to keep some extra casual clothes and work clothes in your RV. You never know when you'll need to crawl around under your vehicle for emergency repairs or just need a change of clothing after a sudden summer rain or suffering some accident that spoils or soils your clothes. Given the fickle nature of weather and the extreme temperature changes often found in places we go camping, consider keeping a sweater and a jacket on board. Gloves are always good to have for cool weather and for a variety of tasks around camp. I hung on to an old pair of snow boots that now serve as "desert slippers" to keep my feet warm on chilly nights around camp. They are warm and comfortable, light weight, and easy to clean.
Bedding. If you're going to be staying in your RV for more than a few days, you'll want some clean linen. If you're using sleeping bags, having sleeping bag liners is good idea so you can change them out and wash them as needed. Hang sleeping bags out every morning for a few hours so they can dry and be refreshed by sunlight (which kills bacteria) and fresh air.
Automotive/vehicle supplies. A few quarts of oil, some brake fluid, and some antifreeze can help keep your motorhome or tow vehicle going. A spare fan belt and spare radiator and heater hoses or mending kits may also be needed and could save an expensive service call. Even if you don't have the mechanical skills to install them, another camper might. But if you have no replacements for your rig your only option is calling a tow truck and hope you have Emergency Road Service or plenty of money in the bank to cover towing your RV.
Stocking all the items you might need can be an expensive proposition if you do it all at once, so watch for and take advantage of timely sales and spread your purchases out. Perhaps add one item to your regular shopping each week. Even if you ultimately spend the same amount, it is usually easier if you do it a little at a time. And getting things on sale can save a lot of $$$. Year end clearances often deliver savings up to 50%, sometimes even more. Dollar stores are an excellent source of many cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and utensils for camping to help keep your costs down yet provide you with excellent products to meet your needs on the road. Look for bargains on online sites like ebay and cragislist and check out thrift stores and garage sales for durable items.
Stock up!
FOOD: store only non-perishable foods and focus on basic ingredients that can be used for different meals. Add perishable items as needed for each trip. For emergency purposes, the MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) used by the military and by hunters are convenient and have a long shelf life but are quite pricey, may take up quite a bit of room, and are not the best source of nutrition. They may also be susceptible to rodent damage, even in their sealed foil packages. We found an entire case of MREs had been partially eaten by rodents when stored in an outside shed at our local fire station when I was a volunteer fireman. Canned goods are stable, but heavy, so use them sparingly. You may also find it convenient to keep a box or two of less stable items in a convenient location in your house so you can quickly supplement your trip provisions and emergency food supplies for a spontaneous outing or disaster. Re-package basic ingredients like flour and sugar in small containers instead of bringing along the whole bag. Plastic containers are sturdier, will reduce spills, and prevent insects from getting in better than the original paper bags and bringing only what you need will conserve weight and space. Metal containers, like canisters or recycled cookie tins, might work, but they usually don't have as much of an air tight seal as Tupperware style devices and they are susceptible to getting bent if dropped or bounced around on bump roads. Be sure to check them regularly as any infestations that might have been present in the original container may have started to mature. Some things, like salt and sugar, last a long time, but things like flour and baking mixes are subject to mold and insect infestations which can and do grow even inside tightly closed containers. I read that some baking mixes can develop a deadly mold.
First Aid Supplies: have a well-stocked first aid kit easily accessible in your RV (not being able to quickly access first aid supplies effectively takes the "first" out of first aid!) -- and make sure you know proper first aid procedures. Keep prescription medications where you can grab them and move them to your RV before a trip. Check the contents of your first aid kit regularly. Replace items that have been depleted and check expiration dates. Medications may be of little use and some even become dangerous after their useful lifetimes. However, one report I've heard says the US military found that most medications are still viable up to 15 years after their expiration dates, so in an emergency I wouldn't hesitate to use slightly outdated medications. Things like adhesive tape and Bandaids may deteriorate over time and will not be of any help if they no longer stick! If anyone in your group has allergies to bee and insect stings, contact your family doctor to get an "epi-pen" for emergency treatment. You may also want to store splints and duct tape for emergency immobilization of broken bones. Unless you are a qualified physician or medic, don't try to "set" broken bones, just immobilize them to prevent further injury during transport to emergency medical care. First aid classes are available in most communities by contacting the Red Cross. While you're at it, get certified in CPR. These techniques can and do save lives. Most CPR courses also teach the Heimlich Maneuver, which is used to treat someone who is choking (usually on food that has gone down the wrong tube!). Avoid choking in the first place by taking reasonably sized bites and chewing your food well. The average size piece of meat ejected during the Heimlich Maneuver is 1" x 3" and obviously not well chewed! If you have occasion to use CPR, realize that the success rate is WAY below what you see dramatized on TV. You can deliver the absolute best CPR possible and still lose the patient. Also be aware that even professionally administered CPR may result in broken bones in the victim's chest.
Hopefully you will seldom need to utilize your first aid skills, but having done quite a bit of remote camping myself, I have found them helpful on several occasions. Sometimes they mostly added to the comfort of the injured party -- like removing numerous cactus spines from the arm of rider who crashed into a pile of the prickly stuff. But I have also had to splint broken bones and assist in transporting more seriously injured riders to the emergency room. In such cases, proper first aid prevents additional trauma, makes the patient more comfortable, and can even save lives. It is important to keep your first aid skills up to date. Unless you are an up to date medical professional you need to re-certify your first aid training every year or two to maintain status and to keep up with developing techniques.
When stocking your personal first aid kits, think about what over the counter medications your typically find helpful at home. If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, carry allergy medication. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen are useful for headaches and other pains, such as sprains and muscle aches. Antacids may be advisable if people in your group are susceptible to stomach problems. Anti-diarrheal tablets may be in order and can help avoid extremely uncomfortable and unpleasant situations in remote locations. Digestive problems are very common during camping activities where our eating habits are radically changed for a few days. In all cases, read and follow the instructions and dosages for all medications closely. Not doing so may not only negate any benefits but could also result in significant undesirable results. Know if any our your traveling companions are allergic to any medications so you can avoid complications and provide important information to emergency medical personnel if your injured companion is unable to talk. Keep in mind, an injured person may go into shock and may be unconscious or not be thinking clearly so it is important that those around them can provide relevant information to emergency medical personnel. If someone is injured, note the time and make mental notes of how the injury occurred. How an injury occurred is important to medical personnel in evaluating the injuries and deciding on a course of treatment. This information will be requested by emergency medical personnel and my be important factors in ensuring proper and timely treatment.
Cleaning supplies. I like to keep a complete set of cleaning supplies in my RV at all times. That way, I have whatever I need to keep it clean and tidy throughout each trip. Some things to bring along include glass cleaner, dish soap, cleanser (you might need a soft scrub for delicate RV fixtures), furniture polish, carpet spot cleaner, and WD-40. If you have a stainless steel sink and/or appliances, you may want to include stainless steel polish. Some really fine ("0000") steel wool may help you keep stainless steel sinks and appliances looking good, but don't rub too hard. Some liquid cleaners are said to loose effectiveness after about a year so test them from time to time and replace them as needed. Some are seriously affected by the extreme temperatures our RVs experience in storage. Aerosol cleaners are the most convenient to use and won't spill if they get tipped over in travel. But over time they may tend to clog or loose propellant, so be sure to check them regularly. Pre-moistened wipes are available for a variety of surfaces (leather, glass, wood, countertops, etc) but even the re-sealable packages allow them to dry out over time. For those that open on the front, store them face down. It helps keep the flap sealed and gravity makes the next wipe you use well moistened. Pre-moistened wipes take up little room and are easy to use and won't spill like liquid cleaners.
Linens. RV beds are usually not the same size as our residential beds so you will probably have a separate set of sheets. Keep your RV stocked with dish towels, hand towels, bath towels, and wash clothes. If you're planning a fancy dinner for special occasion, you might want to add cloth napkins (for most camping trips you'll want to use disposable paper napkins).
Camping tools: you'll almost always find a use for an axe or hatchet and a shovel in camp. You should also have a good knife. Survival experts recommend a 4-5" fixed blade knife. Pocket knives are less sturdy and the folding blade can be dangerous and bigger "hacking" Rambo survival knives are not well suited to most camp tasks, like carving and whittling. A popular saying among adventurers is "a knifeless man is a lifeless man". A good knife has many uses when camping or in a wilderness survival situation.
Hand Tools: having a well-stocked tool box -- and knowing how to make emergency repairs -- can mean the difference between surviving an inconvenient situation and a mechanical disaster. Since tools tend to be heavy, it is especially helpful to find tools that can serve more than one purpose. RV and camping stores offer many types of "multi-tools". Choose those that are right for you -- that are applicable to your vehicle and equipment and that you understand and either know or can learn how to use. Some basic tools that you may find useful include adjustable pliers, screwdrivers (both flat and Phillips tips), one or more adjustable wrenches, and a hammer. If you have sufficient carrying capacity you may want to include wrench sets and socket sets but make sure they are the right ones for your vehicle. Many RVs use screws that have a square head drive or Torx heads or Allen-heads. Check your unit to see what types of fasteners you have and purchase appropriate drivers. Often simply keeping all fasteners tight will avoid leaks and further and possibly expensive damage so it is worth a few $ to add these specialty drivers to your tool box.
Pots and Pans and Utensils: some people transfer pots and pans and utensils from their homes to their RVs for each trip. For convenience and for rapid emergency use, keeping a basic set in the RV can be a good idea. There are special cook sets designed for camping that store within themselves so they don't take up a lot of room. Usually these sets follow the multi-use principal and a fry pan will double as lid for a large pot. Usually the handles are removable and store inside the stacked pots. And make sure you have a can opener on board. I had a heck of time with canned chili on one outing when I didn't have a can opener. The little pocket P-38 or P-51 military can openers take up little room but are adequate for opening most cans. They can be found in military surplus stores, boy scout suppliers, and some camping stores. I carry a "church key" type can and bottle opener as well. Although most bottled beverages today have twist tops, there are still a few that don't and, believe me, you don't want to try opening a crimp-cap with a pocket knife! Good way to create an opportunity for someone to use their first aid skills, but not pleasant on the fingers if the blade collapses ! Disposable cups and plates and plastic flatware are convenient but they do take up room and have to be regularly replenished. Light weight camping plates, cups, bowls, and flatware are a popular choice. Avoid glass and porcelain (stoneware) as they are heavy and easily damaged. Metal camping plates are another popular choice because of their durability, but the weight adds up rather quickly. The old fashioned blue porcelain "specklewear" plates, cups, and bowls (usually dark blue porcelain flecked with white on steel) lend a Western flare. They are durable, stain resistant, and easy to clean, making them popular with many RVers. But you do need to guard against chipping the porcelain coating. Be careful when you are using them and store them so they won't crash down and get damaged when you open the cabinets. Some folks store them in cloth bags for extra safety.
Entertainment options may include music CDs, books, magazines, and, if you have the equipment for it, DVD or VHS movies. Paperback books are usually smaller and lighter than hardbound version. Limit the number of movies you bring along. I'm sure you'll want to have a choice, but, unless the weather turns bad, you'll probably not be spending that much time in front of the boob tube. I like to try to bring along movies that are relevant to the activity.
Clothing. You may find it convenient to keep some extra casual clothes and work clothes in your RV. You never know when you'll need to crawl around under your vehicle for emergency repairs or just need a change of clothing after a sudden summer rain or suffering some accident that spoils or soils your clothes. Given the fickle nature of weather and the extreme temperature changes often found in places we go camping, consider keeping a sweater and a jacket on board. Gloves are always good to have for cool weather and for a variety of tasks around camp. I hung on to an old pair of snow boots that now serve as "desert slippers" to keep my feet warm on chilly nights around camp. They are warm and comfortable, light weight, and easy to clean.
Bedding. If you're going to be staying in your RV for more than a few days, you'll want some clean linen. If you're using sleeping bags, having sleeping bag liners is good idea so you can change them out and wash them as needed. Hang sleeping bags out every morning for a few hours so they can dry and be refreshed by sunlight (which kills bacteria) and fresh air.
Automotive/vehicle supplies. A few quarts of oil, some brake fluid, and some antifreeze can help keep your motorhome or tow vehicle going. A spare fan belt and spare radiator and heater hoses or mending kits may also be needed and could save an expensive service call. Even if you don't have the mechanical skills to install them, another camper might. But if you have no replacements for your rig your only option is calling a tow truck and hope you have Emergency Road Service or plenty of money in the bank to cover towing your RV.
Stocking all the items you might need can be an expensive proposition if you do it all at once, so watch for and take advantage of timely sales and spread your purchases out. Perhaps add one item to your regular shopping each week. Even if you ultimately spend the same amount, it is usually easier if you do it a little at a time. And getting things on sale can save a lot of $$$. Year end clearances often deliver savings up to 50%, sometimes even more. Dollar stores are an excellent source of many cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and utensils for camping to help keep your costs down yet provide you with excellent products to meet your needs on the road. Look for bargains on online sites like ebay and cragislist and check out thrift stores and garage sales for durable items.
Stock up!
Disaster Recovery Vehicles
I stopped calling my motorhome and RV (Recreational Vehicle) and dubbed it a "DRV" (Disaster Recovery Vehicle) following the Northridge Earthquake in southern California in 1994. That was actually the second time our RV served as a disaster recovery vehicle. A year or so before that an industrial accident filled the air in our part of the community with chlorine gas and forced an evacuation of our neighborhood. I was at work, but my wife had the foresight to use our motor home to evacuate our family. We kept our motor home stocked and ready to go for a spontaneous weekend activity so it required little special preparation. Since we lived in an area where freezing wasn't a problem, the RV fresh water tank was already filled. We make it a habit to dump the holding tanks on the way home from each trip so they are empty during storage and ready for the next outing. We keep non-perishable foods stocked in the motor home, along with extra clothing and first aid supplies. Thus, the RV is an ideal disaster recovery vehicle, ready to provide shelter, power, sanitary facilities, cooking facilities, and first aid at any time. Our RV is equipped with a Citizens Band (CB) radio and an external, roof-mount cell phone antenna for emergency communications. I have since become a licensed HAM radio operator and am planning to add a HAM radio for additional communication options. My wife drove our motorhome to one of the designated evacuation centers (a local church) where she and the kids enjoyed a lot more comfort and privacy than the hoards of other evacuees sharing the crowded gymnasium and standing in line at the restrooms.
Disaster Recovery Vehicles versus "bug out" vehicles. There is much discussion on prepper forums about what is the ideal "bug out" vehicle. The purpose and therefor the requirements, capabilities, and configuration of a bug out vehicle are different than for a Disaster Recovery Vehicle. A bug out vehicle needs to be able to get you far away from the disaster, perhaps over damaged roads or off road. A Disaster Recovery Vehicle would normally be used as a shelter-in-place option at home when your home is uninhabitable. A Disaster Recovery Vehicle might be used to transport you away from a hazardous situation as did ours during the chlorine gas evacuation. But in that case, there were no damaged roads to deal with. If you need to escape to the mountains or the desert for your emergency preparedness scenario you will probably want a bug out vehicle that is more maneuverable and that has better performance and better fuel economy than a large RV. But a large RV can be an excellent alternative to trying to survive in a damaged house without working utilities or having to go to a crowded and ill-supplied relief center. Basically, a bug out vehicle needs to be able to transport you through possibly difficult routes to a safe location. A DRV can provide you local or on site emergency accommodations.
Storing your DRV. If you are going to use your RV as a DRV, you need to consider how and where you store it. Leaving it in a storage yard 10 miles away is OK for an RV, but pretty much useless for disaster recovery -- unless you can plan your disasters ahead. You want your vehicle close to home, but where it won't get blocked in or crushed or damaged by falling objects during an earthquake, high winds, or rising water. Always try to store it with your motor fuel and propane tanks full. If you aren't in freezing weather, keep the fresh water tanks full too. And always dump the holding tanks before storing your RV. Not only will it be ready to go when you are, it will avoid accumulation of very unpleasant odors while the vehicle is in storage. In cold weather you don't have to worry about empty holding tanks freezing.
Emergency Supplies. For your RV to serve adequately as a DRV, you will need to stock it with appropriate emergency supplies. Make sure your first aid kit is up to date. For disaster recovery purposes, it is a good idea to beef it up a bit with some triangle bandages and some heavy duty dressings. Sanitary napkins can be used as emergency dressings and are actually more absorbent than ordinary gauze dressings. By the way, many people confuse dressings and bandages. Dressings are placed directly on the wound to protect it. Bandages hold dressings in place. A gauze pad is a dresssing, a roll of gauze or adhesive tape is usually used as a bandage to hold a dressing in place. A Bandaid contains both a dressing (the pad) and a bandage (the adhesive strip). Some simple splints may also be useful. A box of latex gloves is also a good idea. You may be dealing with multiple victims and will need to change gloves for each one or at least sanitize your gloves between patients if you can. Wearing latex gloves is necessary both to prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient and more importantly to protect YOU from blood-born pathogens. If you are dealing with multiple victims in a large scale disaster you probably aren't going to have time to change gloves between patients. Your focus will be helping as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Sanitize your gloves with alcohol or soap and water or hand sanitizer between patients if you can. But remember, identifying and treating critically injured patients is more important than changing or washing your gloves. Careful size up of the situation and proper triage will help you set priorities so you can treat the most critical injuries first. Otherwise, someone you could have saved may die of a critical injury while you're dealing with your gloves or spending time on victim with non-life threatening injuries. As for spreading infection, most infections can be cured, death can't. Always have a big roll of duct tape on hand. Duct tape can be used to secure splints and dressings and to restrain unmanageable victims or interfering "do gooders" and for many emergency repairs. And, yes, there are times you may need to restrain a patient (or one of their friends or relatives) for their own safety or for the protection of others. Of course you will need emergency food on board. You can store non-perishables in the RV. Keep perishable items you may need organized in a box or bag in your home or refrigerator so you can grab it quickly in an emergency. Remember to protect your health first. The most important use of latex gloves is to protect YOU from blood born pathogens you may encounter in your victims. If you are dealing with family members or other people you know well and are confident they are safe, gloves may not be necessary. But if you are dealing with strangers as is often the case in a disaster scenario, latex gloves are essential to protect your own health.
Emergency tools. You may want to supplement your on board tool kit depending on the types of disasters you are likely to face in your area and the level of your own training to deal with them. Some basic tools that are often used in many different emergency situations includes shovels, axe, crow bars, hammers, sturdy leather gloves, hard hat, dust mask, and safety glasses or goggles. Keep a pair of sturdy boots in your RV too. You don't want to be running around dangerous debris in your flip flops, high heels, house slippers, dress shoes, or Reboks.
Personal Preparation. Getting your RV properly configured for emergency use won't do you a lot of good if you aren't personally prepared and know that to do when disaster strikes. How do you become personally prepared? I suggest joining your local Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T). They are usually organized and trained by local fire departments. Training includes disaster preparation, fire safety, first aid and medical triage, and light search and rescue. Having these skills will make you better prepared and give you more peace of mind if a disaster strikes. You will also be better able to take care of yourself, your family, and your neighbors. You can find an on-line introduction to C.E.R.T. at www.citizencorps.gov/cert. There are other emergency preparedness programs offered by government and community organizations. Look for a local Emergency Preparedness Expo or Fair. Here you will find numerous suppliers of emergency supplies and organizations that can help you prepare. Emergency preparedness training is often offered by schools, churches, and civic organizations. FEMA offers several home study courses too.
Emergency Facilities. In order for your RV to serve as a Disaster Recovery Vehicle, you need to make sure it is ready to use at a moments notice. Keep your fresh water tank full (if/when you can without danger of freezing), keep the holding tanks empty, keep the propane and fuel tanks full. Keep your batteries charged. Regularly check the status of your non-perishable foods and medical supplies. Take inventory of your wardrobe. You may want to include clothing for emergency preparedness that you wouldn't normally consider for camping. The same thing applies to tools. Keep track of what you have on board and keep them clean and well organized. Consider any special tools you may need in a disaster situation. You may also want to consider special medical supplies you may need in an emergency, such as splints, slings, extra dressings and bandages that you might not normally need for weekend outings. I keep a backboard handy and usually carry it with me on dirt bike outings. A backboard is needed to handle spinal injuries, which happen in violent events like earthquakes, automobile accidents and dirt bike crashes. A table top or a door may serve as an emergency backboard if you don't have one, but a properly designed back board with appropriate hand holds will be a lot easier (and safer) to use. Here is an example of a commercial back board:
Disaster Recovery Vehicles versus "bug out" vehicles. There is much discussion on prepper forums about what is the ideal "bug out" vehicle. The purpose and therefor the requirements, capabilities, and configuration of a bug out vehicle are different than for a Disaster Recovery Vehicle. A bug out vehicle needs to be able to get you far away from the disaster, perhaps over damaged roads or off road. A Disaster Recovery Vehicle would normally be used as a shelter-in-place option at home when your home is uninhabitable. A Disaster Recovery Vehicle might be used to transport you away from a hazardous situation as did ours during the chlorine gas evacuation. But in that case, there were no damaged roads to deal with. If you need to escape to the mountains or the desert for your emergency preparedness scenario you will probably want a bug out vehicle that is more maneuverable and that has better performance and better fuel economy than a large RV. But a large RV can be an excellent alternative to trying to survive in a damaged house without working utilities or having to go to a crowded and ill-supplied relief center. Basically, a bug out vehicle needs to be able to transport you through possibly difficult routes to a safe location. A DRV can provide you local or on site emergency accommodations.
Storing your DRV. If you are going to use your RV as a DRV, you need to consider how and where you store it. Leaving it in a storage yard 10 miles away is OK for an RV, but pretty much useless for disaster recovery -- unless you can plan your disasters ahead. You want your vehicle close to home, but where it won't get blocked in or crushed or damaged by falling objects during an earthquake, high winds, or rising water. Always try to store it with your motor fuel and propane tanks full. If you aren't in freezing weather, keep the fresh water tanks full too. And always dump the holding tanks before storing your RV. Not only will it be ready to go when you are, it will avoid accumulation of very unpleasant odors while the vehicle is in storage. In cold weather you don't have to worry about empty holding tanks freezing.
Emergency Supplies. For your RV to serve adequately as a DRV, you will need to stock it with appropriate emergency supplies. Make sure your first aid kit is up to date. For disaster recovery purposes, it is a good idea to beef it up a bit with some triangle bandages and some heavy duty dressings. Sanitary napkins can be used as emergency dressings and are actually more absorbent than ordinary gauze dressings. By the way, many people confuse dressings and bandages. Dressings are placed directly on the wound to protect it. Bandages hold dressings in place. A gauze pad is a dresssing, a roll of gauze or adhesive tape is usually used as a bandage to hold a dressing in place. A Bandaid contains both a dressing (the pad) and a bandage (the adhesive strip). Some simple splints may also be useful. A box of latex gloves is also a good idea. You may be dealing with multiple victims and will need to change gloves for each one or at least sanitize your gloves between patients if you can. Wearing latex gloves is necessary both to prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient and more importantly to protect YOU from blood-born pathogens. If you are dealing with multiple victims in a large scale disaster you probably aren't going to have time to change gloves between patients. Your focus will be helping as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Sanitize your gloves with alcohol or soap and water or hand sanitizer between patients if you can. But remember, identifying and treating critically injured patients is more important than changing or washing your gloves. Careful size up of the situation and proper triage will help you set priorities so you can treat the most critical injuries first. Otherwise, someone you could have saved may die of a critical injury while you're dealing with your gloves or spending time on victim with non-life threatening injuries. As for spreading infection, most infections can be cured, death can't. Always have a big roll of duct tape on hand. Duct tape can be used to secure splints and dressings and to restrain unmanageable victims or interfering "do gooders" and for many emergency repairs. And, yes, there are times you may need to restrain a patient (or one of their friends or relatives) for their own safety or for the protection of others. Of course you will need emergency food on board. You can store non-perishables in the RV. Keep perishable items you may need organized in a box or bag in your home or refrigerator so you can grab it quickly in an emergency. Remember to protect your health first. The most important use of latex gloves is to protect YOU from blood born pathogens you may encounter in your victims. If you are dealing with family members or other people you know well and are confident they are safe, gloves may not be necessary. But if you are dealing with strangers as is often the case in a disaster scenario, latex gloves are essential to protect your own health.
Emergency tools. You may want to supplement your on board tool kit depending on the types of disasters you are likely to face in your area and the level of your own training to deal with them. Some basic tools that are often used in many different emergency situations includes shovels, axe, crow bars, hammers, sturdy leather gloves, hard hat, dust mask, and safety glasses or goggles. Keep a pair of sturdy boots in your RV too. You don't want to be running around dangerous debris in your flip flops, high heels, house slippers, dress shoes, or Reboks.
Emergency Facilities. In order for your RV to serve as a Disaster Recovery Vehicle, you need to make sure it is ready to use at a moments notice. Keep your fresh water tank full (if/when you can without danger of freezing), keep the holding tanks empty, keep the propane and fuel tanks full. Keep your batteries charged. Regularly check the status of your non-perishable foods and medical supplies. Take inventory of your wardrobe. You may want to include clothing for emergency preparedness that you wouldn't normally consider for camping. The same thing applies to tools. Keep track of what you have on board and keep them clean and well organized. Consider any special tools you may need in a disaster situation. You may also want to consider special medical supplies you may need in an emergency, such as splints, slings, extra dressings and bandages that you might not normally need for weekend outings. I keep a backboard handy and usually carry it with me on dirt bike outings. A backboard is needed to handle spinal injuries, which happen in violent events like earthquakes, automobile accidents and dirt bike crashes. A table top or a door may serve as an emergency backboard if you don't have one, but a properly designed back board with appropriate hand holds will be a lot easier (and safer) to use. Here is an example of a commercial back board:
You can make your own from 3/4" plywood.
Emergency Communications. In a major disaster, normal communications will be disrupted. Phone service, Internet, and U.S. Mail service may not be functioning for days or even weeks following a disaster. Walkie-talkies (FRS or GMRS radios) can be used for short-range communications within your neighborhood. A HAM radio may allow you to communicate with the outside world. There are emergency flag kits available commercially or sometimes distributed by Boy Scouts to indicate the status of your home and family to any passing emergency crews. Lacking a flag kit, you may be able to improvise. Hang the flag, or improvised signal, in a prominent front window, on the front door, or attach it to your mail box. If you don't have a flag kit, you may improvise using scraps of material or colored paper. Green means All is OK; Yellow means Need Help Soon; Red means Need Help Now; Black means there has been a death. Use green if everyone is OK or if there are only minor injuries you can deal with yourself. Use yellow for non-life threatening injuries such as broken bones and other severe but not critical wounds that you aren't qualified to deal with. Use red for life-threatening injuries such as arterial bleeding and shock or if you have victims trapped in the debris and need assistance extricating them. Use black if you have a death at the location that has not yet been reported to authorities. One of the tasks of emergency personnel will be to properly process dea bodies to prevent the spread of disease. These signals will help local emergency response personnel (professionals or C.E.R.T. or just your neighbors) to recognize and respond to your needs. Keep in mind their mission is "to do the most good for the most people" and they will have to prioritize their limited resources so they may not get to you as quickly as you would like them to, but they will get there as quickly as they can. Tagging your house with red to try to speed help could cause more delays. If they arrive and find that you don't have a life-threatening problem, they will move on to someone that does and you may find yourself way down the list for additional assistance. That is one reason YOU need to be prepared to deal with your own circumstances and you need to have patience. It is often said that YOU are the only first responder you can really count on.
Emergency Entertainment. Entertainment may not be high on most people's priority list for emergency situations, but it may be more important than you think, especially if you have small children. It is important for psychological reasons to maintain as much of a normal life style as possible. If your RV has a TV and VCR or DVD and you have a generator to power them, keep a few favorite movies on board. Books, magazines, and games (indoor and outdoor) are always a good way to pass the time. Your on-board library should include first aid references and any emergency preparedness manuals you may have. These days computers can also serve as entertainment and education centers. Since the Internet will probably be knocked out in a major disaster, stock up on games and emergency information on disk.
A note of caution: store only non-perishable foods in secure air-tight containers in your RV. RVs are attractive places for rodents and insects to set up housekeeping, especially if there is a readily available food supply. And while we're on the subject of storing things in an RV, keep in mind the vehicle will be moving and that contents of cupboards shift on turns or traveling over rough terrain. Take care how you organize things in your cupboards and refrigerator and make sure the doors are securely latched before moving the vehicle. More than one RV owner has found the contents of cupboards and fridges scattered all over the floor after a sudden lane change or unexpected stop or bump in the road. Such accidents are messy and frustrating at best and can be quite dangerous as falling contents become unguided missiles that can inflict serious damage to the human bodies in the RV and to the RV interior. Much better to invest a few bucks in extra latches for the fridge and take a few minutes to make sure all the cabinets are secured than incur the pain of injuries and the expense of repairs and save the cost of replacing damaged goods.
What about tent campers? If you don't have an RV, you can still use your camping gear as disaster recovery gear. Keep your tent and sleeping bags clean and stored where they are easily accessible. Organize your kitchen utensils and supplies in plastic tubs so they are protected from moisture, dust, insects, and vermin and are handy to transport when needed. Keep your lanterns and stoves in good repair and fueled for immediate use. If your home is damaged to the extent that is is uninhabitable, you may be able to get by living in your tent in the back yard for a while. Camping in your backyard allows you to keep an eye on things, whereas being stuck in a relief center would leave your home vulnerable to thieves and vandals and give you ready access to additional supplies if it is safe to re-enter your structures. In cold weather you will probably be more comfortable sleeping in a dome tent in your house than in an unheated bedroom. Keep your options mobile, as some disasters require evacuation. If local authorities tell you to evacuation, pack up and get out. Don't try to stay behind and play hero. Remember Harry Truman (not the president, the owner of the Mt St Helens Lodge who refused to leave when the famous volcanic eruption of 1980 was eminent). He is now under 150 feet of volcanic landslide debris!
Note: to be successful as a Disaster Recover Vehicle your RV must be accessible when disaster strikes. Recently we were in a Level 3 Evacuation zone (Get Out Now!) for the Holiday Farm fire near our home in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. My wife used our pickup to evacuate. Because of the way our motorhome is parked, nosed in with a motorcycle trailer still attached behind it, it was not feasible for her to use it for the evacuation, even though it would have been of great value since we wouldn't be allowed back into our home for a couple of weeks.
Be safe!
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