[MR] Safety FYI - Thunderstorms

[Rosine]

   I read with alarm some of the stories coming from Crown Tourney and
thought that this would be a good time to refresh the old-timers and teach
the new-comers some important camping safety tips. (For those of you who
don't know, my husband, Baron ArnBiorn, and I occassionally teach "SCA
camping" and "How to be a CampMaster" at University. The handouts/booklets
are available if you are interested since he will be spending far too many
weekends nursing me and wasn't able to offer the class this year in his
usual way while we were waiting for some action from the medicos.)

**********
   In a lightening or hail storm, seek shelter (either a building,
_wood-poled_ pavilion, car, or cave - not a tree, and especially not
whatever has the highest profile in the area unless it's a building) and DO
NOT LEAVE IT. No collapsing tent, no beautiful garb, no book or lovely
musical instrument is as irreplacable as you are. If you see children out in
the weather, call them in and keep them with you - frightened parents out
looking are bad enough, but frightened parents _and their kids_ out in the
storm doubles the chances of tragedy.

   When pitching a tent, look at your land. If the area seems relatively
clear of growth - be wary. Greenery is pernicious. If it's sparse, that's
because there are ant's nests clumped there, there is poor soil (the best
hope) or, in our rain-prone campsites - - it's a run-off gully (or
drainfield) that regularly washes away the seeds of whatever tries to root.
Manovering around dry tree roots beats hearing "splash" when you roll over
in your sleeping bag.

Never set a ground fire under an overhanging tree, or after digging a fire
pit, start a fire in a pit where there are exposed tree roots - fire can
"ember-burn" up the root system long after the weekend is over. This
happened long ago at Brady -Saunders camp and the ranger there told my hubby
about it so we could include it in our SCA classes (we were already teaching
Boy Scouts this, but had assumed that SCAdians knew it).

Always pack a set of clothes, from undies (w/2 pair o'socks) to shoes, in a
plastic bin or bag that you are sure will stay air-tight, preferrably in
your car. Packing out heavy and soaking gear is bad enough without having to
do it in squeaky wet shoes and soaking clothes which guarentee friction
blisters and chaffing in tender areas.

Try to have some form of distictive ID on you - as simple as a favor from
your home group or as elaborate as a bracelet that has your name incised on
it (very period, btw, if you're viking or roman), it will help the medicos
find someone who knows you and your needs much faster should you lose
conciousness. And never, never, never leave your camp without your
medication - especially your inhaler. A good first-aider is going to look
through your pouch to find ID - finding meds means they have a better
understanding of your possible condition (and this includes bee-sting kits!)


In service in the only format I have right now,
Rosine