Being prepared is the first step to staying safe in the outdoors. Before venturing out on your trip, spend some time researching the potential hazards of terrain, weather, and wildlife that you might encounter, and pack items that will promote your safety and comfort.

• Know first aid: On a casual family outing, at least one responsible adult should be skilled in first aid. Manual skills such as mouth-to-mouth breathing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the application of bandages and splints, should be practiced beforehand. Become familiar with the rescue techniques pertinent to the environment in which you will be traveling.
• Carry the right equipment: Be prepared for foul weather conditions. Always assume you will be forced to spend an unexpected night outdoors. Carry warm clothing and waterproof rain gear. Carry survival equipment such as maps, a GPS or compass, waterproof matches, a knife, nonperishable food, a flashlight and first-aid supplies.
• Carry a first-aid kit: First-aid kits should be designed according to the environment to be encountered, number of travelers, medical training of the party leaders, and distance from sophisticated medical care. Remember to bring along pediatric doses when traveling with children. First-aid supplies should be packed to be readily accessible and marked clearly to allow for quick identification. It’s helpful to organize supplies in resealable plastic bags by categories such as “wound care” and “allergic reactions.”

Whether swimming in the ocean or on a boat in a lake, follow these tips for staying safe by the water.

• Anticipate ocean stings: Stings from contact with jellyfish, fire coral, hydroids, or anemones can range in severity from mild burning to severe pain with generalized illness. Make sure your beach bag includes a small bottle (labeled) of half vinegar, half rubbing alcohol that can be used to decontaminate wounds and provide pain relief. Seawater can also be used to rinse a sting, but fresh water or ice can worsen the effects of sea-life venom. Also, adults and children can both use a combination sunblock and jellyfish protective lotion to help prevent the stings of many species.
• Avoid shark attacks: One of the most obvious ways to avoid shark attacks is to avoid swimming in shark-infested waters, particularly at dusk and after dark. When swimming in the ocean, swim in groups. Sharks tend to attack single swimmers. When diving, avoid deep drop-offs, murky water, or areas near sewage outlets.  If you do encounter a shark, do not provoke it.  Leave the water with slow, purposeful movement and do not splash or panic.
• Manage motion sickness: Most boaters and divers adapt to motion after a few days, but may require treatment until they do. If you become nauseated on board a ship, stay on deck. Splash your face with cold water and keep your eyes fixed on a steady point in the distance. Anti-nausea medications can be taken as a preventive, and wristbands that apply pressure or electrical stimulation to acupuncture points can be used before or after symptoms begin.

Check in tomorrow for tips on how to be prepared for your outdoor adventure.

Follow these tips for a fun and safe excursion, whether playing in a park or hiking up a mountain.

• Prevent blisters: Foot blisters have probably ended more outings than all major illnesses combined. To minimize the friction generated by walking, limit the load you are carrying. Use a padded insole or arch support to evenly distribute pressure over the bottom surface of the foot. Make sure shoes fit properly and are broken in, and try on new shoes in the evening because feet tend to swell during the day. Wearing a synthetic liner sock under an outer sock can wick moisture away from the skin surface and prevent friction on the skin.
• Check for ticks: Search the skin and scalp thoroughly for ticks after hiking in wooded areas or walking through grassy fields, and remove any ticks with a tweezers by grasping the tick close to its mouthparts and pulling it straight out. Even if you are dressed appropriately for “tick country” tiny ticks may sneak under gaps in clothing protection and latch on to their human hosts.
• Treat poison ivy, sumac, and oak: After contact with poison ivy, sumac, or oak, wash the affected area of the skin with soap and cool water, or use rubbing alcohol to remove the resin (the substance in the plants that causes rashes). Commercial poison ivy washes are also available. Wash all clothes, sleeping bags, and pets with soap and water because the resin can persist for years, particularly on woolen garments and blankets. Once a rash has occurred, calamine lotion can be used to soothe, cool, and dry the skin. Soaking in an oatmeal bath or in a bath of tepid water with baking soda and linnet starch may also calm itchy and irritated skin.
• Avoid altitude sickness: When hiking in the mountains, avoid sudden or direct ascent to a sleeping altitude above 9,020 feet; the rate of ascent should not exceed 1,500 feet per day at altitudes above 8,000 feet. Adjusting to high altitude requires gradual exposure to the lower oxygen content of the air. When traveling at high altitudes, avoid the use of alcohol, stay warm, stay hydrated, avoid exhaustion, keep out of the wind, and eat regularly to avoid weight loss.

Tomorrow, I’ll give tips on staying safe by the water.

Good fortune favors the well-prepared. Severe weather, wild animals, rugged terrain, and equipment failure all conspire to create or complicate medical hardships that must be diagnosed swiftly and remedied with certainty. However, with some advance preparation, individuals and families planning vacations or outdoor excursions can become familiar with adverse situations and be prepared to handle them.

• Use common sense: Many accidents occur because people ignore warning signs or don’t anticipate problems. Pay attention to rangers, posted warnings, weather reports, and the experience of seasoned guides. The art of outdoor medicine absolutely depends on observation, anticipation, and resourcefulness. The cardinal rule is to act conservatively and not take unnecessary risks when making the decision to continue a journey or to postpone travel and seek formal medical attention.
• Stay hydrated: Most people underestimate their fluid requirements. The average minimum recommendation for an adult man is two to three liters of liquid a day, but this requirement can double in hot temperatures, during heavy exercise, at high altitudes, or in cold, dry air. Carry supplies for water disinfection if natural sources of safe drinking water will not be available.
• Protect your skin: Sunscreen should be applied to cool, dry skin for optimal absorption, and at least 10 minutes before swimming. In general, most sunscreens should be re-applied every 20 minutes to two hours. Be aware that use of insect repellent containing DEET lowers the effectiveness of sunscreen by a factor of one-third. On the other hand, taking aspirin or ibuprofen six hours before sun exposure may help protect the sun-sensitive person. Mild to moderate sunburn may be treated with cool, wet compresses applied for 10 to 20 minutes.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s tips on staying safe while playing, hiking, or climbing outdoors.