Going camping this Summer? Be Safe in the Great Outdoors!

Whether it is a quick weekend trip or a long adventure with the entire family, camping is always a summer favorite. Camping is a fun and challenging family activity. It’s also important to keep everyone safe.

State Farm Insurance recommends the following camping tips to keep your family safe:

• Choose your campground and neighbors wisely: Protect your campsite just as you would your house. For many, campgrounds are a home away from home during camping season. Make camping safety a priority on your next trip.
• Be weather wise: Keep an eye on current and predicted weather conditions. Know the signs for approaching storms or changing weather conditions. Avoid bare ridge tops, exposed places, lone trees, streams, and rocks during lightning storms. Find shelter in a densely forested area at a lower elevation. Even in the summer, exposure to wind and rain can result in hypothermia.
• Learn basic first aid: Learn basic first aid so you will know how to identify and treat injuries and illnesses. Carry a first aid kit with you. Learn how to identify the symptoms of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hypothermia, and dehydration, and know how to treat them.

• Make camp before dark: Traveling after darkness has resulted in many accidents from falls, so travel only during daylight. Set up camp well away from the edge of cliffs, and learn the terrain during daylight. If you have to leave camp after dark, stay in areas you have seen in daylight, go with a friend, and always use a good flashlight.
• Think before you drink!: No matter how clean or pure stream water looks, it's likely to contain water-borne parasites and microorganisms that can cause discomfort and sometimes serious illness. Pack your water in, or purify through chemical treatment.