Be ready for anything when you go hiking with kids.
It is crucial that to be prepared for accidents when you go hiking with kids. Here are a few tips on why it is important and what it means to always be prepared.
My family and I just returned from a two night trip to the mountains. One of my favorite things to do is go hiking or backpacking with my family. Most of the time I am just having fun as we go exploring and walk. However, this trip reminded me that we always need to be prepared for the unknown because my wife had an accident.
How I Was Reminded One Accident Can Turn A Fun Trip Into An Emergency
On our recent trip we did a through hike, the first two days we had done before and the last day was all new. I thought the last day would be a simple, short day of hiking, but it turned out to be much longer and challenging than expected. The hike involved a lot of route finding and crossing multiple creeks.
We were all having fun still as we got ready to cross the first creek. I found a narrow spot and hopped across. Then as our son prepared to cross he hesitated and wanted some helping hands. Before we knew what was happening my wife was pulled by my son into the water with her bag on. A few minutes later she was out of the water and had a huge bump half way up her lower leg that looked like a broken bone.
In that one glance my trip went from being full of frivolity to being a scary and serious situation. Luckily, she had not broken her leg, and that bump was just a huge bruise that popped out. That moment really hit home to me the importance of always being ready for an emergency when you go hiking.
If she had broken her leg we were a five hour hike away from a remote trailhead with no other people in the immediate vicinity. What would we do?
5 Tips To Always Be Prepared For Accidents When Hiking With Kids
Here are a few of the most important things you can do to always be ready for an emergency when you go hiking with kids.
A first aid kit should always be with your hiking gear.
Always Carry A First Aid Kit
You should make a habit of always carrying a first aid kit with you when you go hiking. That will allow you to take care of any minor emergencies that arise and allow you to get help. In addition to having the first aid gear you should know how to use it. This includes knowing how to make a simple splint for broken arms or legs.
Tell Someone Your Plans
Before you go hiking you should always tell someone your plans. This will allow them to know if you are late coming back in case something happened. Then they could try to get help for you or begin searching for you.
Bring Your Phone
A phone may not work in a lot of places, but you should bring it along just in case. If it works the phone will allow you to call for help.
Always Carry The Essential Items When Hiking With Kids
The list of essential items is called essential items for a reason. It includes everything that you may need in case something happens and you get stuck out in the mountains.
Teach your kids how to be safe around wildlife.
Teach Your Kids Some Safety Measures
Some of the things that you can teach your kids before you go hiking is what to do in case they get lost or how to be safe around wildlife. Both of these will hopefully never be needed, but they may prove valuable.