Ministry of Interior offers tips on safe camping

As Qatar begins to experience colder weather many people in Qatar will indulge in desert camping, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has issued some safety tips to ensure a safe camping experience for all.

In an advisory, titled ‘Pleasant season and safe desert trip,’ the Ministry has cautioned the public on preventive measures, traffic safety, fire safety, and safety of children during the camping trip.

The Ministry stressed that people planning to go camping must be prepared well in advance “for the sake of everyone’s safety.”

Preventive measures

Complying with the preventive measures implemented in the State under the decree No. 17/ 1990 on infectious disease, issued by the Council of the Ministers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 disease. The measures include:

- Ensuring the maximum number of four passengers in a vehicle including the driver except for members of the same family.

- Wearing a facemask wherever it is mandatory. 

- Having a green status in the Ehteraz app.

- Maintaining physical distance between yourself and others.

Traffic safety

Before and during the trip:

- Make sure the vehicle you are going to drive to the campsite is safe to use for the purpose.

- Drive with caution and be wary of unusual weather conditions (fog, rain and wind).

- Follow all rules associated with safe driving including: follow speed limits as specified, keep sufficient safety distance between two vehicles, keep your seatbelt fastened, and lookout for wrong overtaking.

-  Refrain from driving in waterlogged areas and do not use brakes suddenly.

- If you plan to ride quad bikes, make sure you follow the required safety measures, which include wearing a helmet and not riding over greenery. Do not allow children to drive these bikes.

Fire safety

Fire while cooking

- Pick a proper place for the stove, away from the tent, generator and petroleum liquids, as well as from winds.

- Keep the fuel used for the generator in a safe and remote location.

Smoking

- Refrain from smoking or using any heat source when checking the generator fuel or when filling it, to prevent fuel ignition.

Electricity and heaters

- Setting up a fire inside the tent for heating or lighting purposes may cause fire-related incidents if people aren’t cautious. There could be suffocation due to burning. Be careful about this and also avoid putting heaters in a place near clothes or keeping the stove on fire at bedtime inside the tent.

- Lamps used inside the tent for lighting must be placed away from clothes.

 - Ensure that you purchase good-quality heaters.

- Place the heater close to the nearest socket that is adequate for the current of the said heater. Do not connect it to a single socket using an extension cable or power strips with another heater or any other device.

-Be very careful when using a gas heater, as it could be more dangerous. Any defect in the gas heater or in its wires and fittings may lead to gas or carbon monoxide leakage, which can cause congestion due to inhalation.

- Also remain alert when operating a heater. Using bad electrical connections or loading it beyond its capacity can cause fires.

- Do not place the heater in corridors, near flammable materials or within the easy reach of children. Don’t leave it working when you go to sleep so that it doesn't become a cause of fire.

Safety of children

- Remind children not to play away from the camping site

- Educate children to always keep the camping area neat and clean.

- Guide them to suitable playing areas that are far from roads and streets and also from excavations and wells.

- Watch over children and do not leave them alone and unattended, inside or outside the tent.

- Make sure you carry a first-aid box with you to the camping site in case of any emergencies.

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