Survival kit for summer holidays

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 18

Survival kit for summer holidays

Summer holidays are ruined too often by negligence. . Adequate preparation is necessary before setting out on vacation, and prior to. undertaking recreational activities.

Trampers need to be well equipped. ■ z Swimmers should always be alert to the possible dangers they are prone to. It is most important that they do riot wear unsuitable clothing, such as jeans, in the water. They should also check the area they intend to swim in.

By using-logic and commonsense, as well as thinking of ’ others, accidents can be kept to a minimum this summer. Children need to be well catered for on a long car iourney. Unless they are properly looke after, they can become restless, noisy, and fretful.

To avoid this situation, parents should ensure that children get a good night’s sleep before the trip. If it is necessary for them to take travel sickness tablets, the correct dosage should be taken at the recommended time. Tablets are available from your local chemist. “Dull” patches of a journey can be brightened up by playing games, or doing some light reading.Some board games are available with magnetic bases, and these are ideal for travelling. Keep a wet facecloth in a plastic bag, and a towel on hand. The flannel can cool passengers down while travelling on a hot day. and the towel is useful for cleaning up minor spillages. An empty icecream container is handy to keep odds and ends in, and can be used in an emergency. Ensure that the vehicle is well packed. Avoid unnecessary luggage inside the car, as it limits passenger space, and can be lethal in an accident. Fishing rods should be carried in the boot or on available extension roof sockets. The car should be well ventilated. Food between meal breaks, while travelling, should be limited. Fresh fruit and a few glucose sweets are sufficent. Avoid fatty food intake before a long journey. Proper swimming gear is essentia! for anyone intending to take . a. dip — whether it be in a swimming pool, lake or the sea. Several drowning accidents each summer are caused by people failing to heed this rule. Swimming while wearing jeans has been a contributing factor to many

summer drownings. Clothing weighs a person down in water. It can also billow up and strangle in a very short time. always strip to your underwear before taking to the water in cases of extreme emergency. Unfamiliar swimming spots should be treated with caution. Even those known from previous years should be checked — a year’s river or tidal

action may have changed underwater contours. Care when diving into a swimming area is essential — many underwater obstacles are not visible from the surface. It is wise to allow at least an hour between eating and swimming. The time elapse is especially ' important if swimming in the sea, because there is no reprieve from the wave action.

Be litter-conscious when on holiday. Carelessness could make someone else’s holiday a misery. Broken glass can make people immobile for the rest of their holiday; empty cans left on the roadside can momentarily blind a driver if the sun catches them. Adequate refuse disposal facilities are usually available at holiday resorts — they should be used. Unwanted food should be buried if no rubbish facilities are available. The disposal of cans and bottles requires thought at all times. Obey signs relating to pet restrictions. Tramping is an increasingly popular pastime. However, adequate planning and precautions are essential if the tramp is to be a happy one. It is important to learn the basic tramping skills before venturing out. Muscles need to get accustomed to the amount of physical exertion that will be placed on them. Practice in long-distance walking is advisable, especially if normal occupations do not entail physical activities.

Warm woolleh clothing and sturdy boots or shoes on the tramp are essential.

Watch for signs • of fatigue, and .rest. Also treat any signs of blisters.

Take wet-weather gear, even if the weather is good when you set out. Overnight equipment should be of reasonable standard and age. Check tents, sleeping bags and other gear for wear, as they can .lose their effectiveness.

Inform the park board and a reliable adult about where the tramping party is going, and what time it expects to be back. Never tramp alone, even if the area is familiar. Each tramping party should consist of at least four people, then if someone is injured, one person can stay with the injured, and two can go for help. Fire risk is ever present during the dry summer months, It is vital for trampers to bury camp fires with dirt after use. Failure to do this can result in the fire flaring up after they have left the site. It could also overtake the trampers, or trap following trampers. And don’t forget — leave the site as it was found unspoiled. That way the beauty of the area can be retained for others to see, too.