Campsite Kitchen Safety
This essential camp rule dictates that you must never leave food scraps or dishwater near your sleeping area to avoid inviting unwanted nocturnal visitors.
What is "Leave No Trace"
Before you strike a match or light a lightweight backpacking stove, you must clear away all leaves, twigs, and debris down to the bare dirt in a circle of this diameter.
What is 10 feet?
In areas known for active wildlife, these are the only three things allowed inside your personal tent at night, completely excluding any food or aromatic items.
What are clothes, sleeping gear, and yourself?
This is the maximum amount of time in hours that perishable foods like raw meat or dairy can safely sit out in the danger zone before they must be thrown away.
What is 2 hours?
If a scout accidentally burns their hand on a hot camp stove burner, this is the immediate first step to treat the injury before applying any bandages.
What is run cool water over the burn?
When washing patrol gear in the backcountry, this is the minimum distance in feet you must be from any natural water source to dump your strained gray water.
What is 200 feet?
If your camp Dutch oven suddenly erupts into a grease fire while frying up morning bacon, this is the absolute worst liquid you could throw on it.
When executing a traditional bear hang to protect your patrol’s rations, the food bag must be suspended at least this many feet off the ground and this many feet out from the trunk.
What is 12 feet up and 4 feet out?
This simple, vital physical action must be performed by every scout for at least twenty seconds with soap and clean water before touching any food or kitchen equipment.
What is washing your hands?
This common kitchen substance should never be put on a fresh camp burn, despite an old myth claiming it soothes the skin, because it traps heat and breeds bacteria.
What is butter?
To properly sanitize your patrol’s cooking utensils using the three-bucket method, this chemical liquid or tablet must be added to the third and final rinse bucket.
What is bleach?
Wrapping a tight, improvised wind shield completely around the base of a canister backpacking stove can trap too much heat, causing this dangerous equipment failure.
What is canister explosion?
This specific type of heavy-duty, hard-sided container is increasingly required by park rangers in high-alpine environments where trees are too small or scarce to support a bear hang.
What is a bear canister?
To guarantee that harmful bacteria like salmonella are completely destroyed, this is the minimum internal temperature in degrees Fahrenheit that a camp-cooked chicken breast must reach.
If a scout severely cuts their finger while chopping vegetables for the patrol stew, this is the primary method used to stop the bleeding while elevating the wound.
What is direct pressure/compression?
This common pocket multi-tool item should never be used to stir a hot pot of trail chili because its folding hinges trap bacteria and transfer toxic manufacturing oils.
What is a pocket knife?
This type of resinous, sappy campfire wood should be completely avoided for cooking coals because it pops dangerously and leaves a toxic, foul-tasting soot on food.
What is softwood?
This is the strict layout strategy, named after a geometric shape, that dictates your sleeping tents should be upwind and at least 100 yards away from both your cooking and food storage areas.
What is the Bear Safety Triangle?
This is the precise temperature range, spanning from 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, where foodborne bacteria multiply most rapidly.
What is the danger zone?
This is the immediate first aid treatment for a scout who begins choking on a piece of poorly chewed trail jerky and can no longer cough or speak.
What is the Heimlich manuever?
This is the term for the invisible transfer of harmful bacteria from raw meat to ready-to-eat foods, such as using an unwashed cutting board for both raw chicken and vegetables.
What is cross-contamination?
When utilizing charcoal briquettes for a Dutch oven, this simple mathematical rule of thumb helps you determine the total number of briquettes needed based on the oven's diameter.
What is the rule of 14?
If you accidentally spill sweet drink mix or cooking grease on your hiking pants during dinner prep, this is the action you must take before going to sleep.
What is change into clean clothes and store the soiled pants in the bear bag or canister?
When checking if a campfire-cooked ground beef patty is safe to consume, you should never rely on the visual color of the meat, but instead use this specific pocket tool.
What is a food thermometer?
This severe, systemic allergic reaction can be triggered by accidental exposure to food allergens like peanuts or shellfish in the camp kitchen, requiring the immediate use of an EpiPen,
What is anaphylaxis?