Hanging
camping lanterns are an excellent addition to any campsite. These
lanterns provide an ambience when hanging that most other lights simply
can’t provide. While these lanterns are nice to have, it is
important to follow safety precautions.
There are a number of safety precautions to follow when hanging camping
lanterns. They range from the very obvious to the not-so-obvious.
A few of these suggestions are included in the following paragraphs.
Following these guidelines will lead to a better camping experience
for you and your fellow campers.
Stay strong
One of the most important things you can do when hanging camping
lanterns is to be sure that the device you are using to do the hanging
is strong enough to withstand anything. Often, wire is best to use
when hanging a lantern. Rope may also be used, but because rope can
easily burn, precaution should be taken.
“Leaf” it alone
While hanging camping lanterns on trees is a popular spot, you must
be careful that there are no openings in the lantern to where a leaf
from the tree could fall. A leaf, especially a dry one, could lead
to a fire starting in your lantern. If using a fuel-powered lantern,
things could escalate from bad to worse quite quickly.
If there is an opening in your lantern, you should not try to cover
it. It’s there for a reason. Instead, take your lantern and
hang it somewhere else where there is less of a threat of some kind
of foreign object falling into it.
Heads up
If you have hanging camping lanterns at your campsite, you should
ensure that they are not going to be obstacles to people who are walking,
running, or playing nearby. You should hang the lanterns high enough
so that it doesn’t bump the head of someone who isn’t
paying careful attention to the lantern’s location.
Step by step
One good way to be able to hang a camping lantern high enough up
so that it doesn’t become a nuisance, is to bring a small or
medium-sized step ladder with you. Hanging camping lanterns while
on a ladder can be dangerous, so if you are camping with someone else,
ask them to steady the ladder for you while you proceed to hang the
lantern.
If you follow these guideline, hanging camping lanterns will be significantly
less risky and your time in the outdoors will be much more enjoyable.