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Tips for first aid kits, sanitation when disaster strikes

By Alva Muhammad | Last updated: Nov 27, 2014 - 1:09:50 PM

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Firefighters from West End Hose Company in Depew, N.Y. help a stuck motorist on Transit Road, Nov. 18. Several feet of lake-effect snow paralyzed the Buffalo area Nov. 18, forcing state troopers to deliver blankets and other supplies to motorists stranded on the New York State Thruway and adding an ominous note to a wintry season that’s already snarling travel and numbing fingers from the Midwest to the Carolinas. Photo: AP/Wide World photos

Good sanitation will be crucial during a disaster.  Medical experts tell us that the average person produces about 1.5 liters of urine and one pound of feces each day.  Multiply this by the number of people in your home and you can see why good sanitation is important.

So, what can you do?

If the bathroom is available in your home and you have at least one source of running water, you can use the toilet as normal, then immediately fill the toilet bowl itself with water from a bucket until the toilet flushes automatically.  This water doesn’t have to be clean enough for drinking to suit this purpose.

If there is no running water in the house, you can line the toilet bowl with a heavy-duty plastic bag and put kitty litter in the bag. After using the toilet, allow the kitty litter to absorb liquid and odor.  After a few uses, the bag should be tied off and disposed of outside.  If trash collection is still available, then utilize the service.  If trash collection is not available, then bury it in a hole that is at least 12 inches deep.  It should also be far enough from any potential sources of water that it will not spread disease.

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If the bathroom is not available, but another private area is an option, you can use a large bucket, and the trash-bag-and-kitty-litter method mentioned above. The seat from the toilet can be used on the bucket, or an improvised seat of two pieces of wood is also effective.

Be sure to add cat litter and trash bags to your emergency supplies for disposal of human waste.  For those who can afford to do so, add a portable toilet to your emergency supply kit.  

Our homes are usually the safest place to be during a disaster. But what if someone is hurt and needs medical attention?  In a disaster, hospitals will be overcrowded and even getting to an emergency room may not be possible for days.  Each of us should have a first aid kit at home, and we should become familiar with basic first aid.

There are first aid kits available at drugstores and discount stores, or you can make your own with items from a dollar store.  Here is a checklist to get you started:

· Two pairs of Latex, Nitrile or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex)

· Sterile dressings (gauze or pads) to stop bleeding

· Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect

· Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection

· Burn ointment to prevent infection

· Adhesive bandages (Band-aids) in a variety of sizes

· Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant

· Thermometer

· Extra prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should frequently rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.

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· Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies

· Scissors

· Tweezers

· Tube of petroleum jelly or other wound protectant

· Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever

· Anti-diarrhea medication

· Antacid (for upset stomach)

· Baking Soda

· Table Salt

· Laxative

· Aspirin or Ibuprofen

· First aid manual

This list is just a starting point.  You know your family better than anyone else, so add to this list to suit your needs.  Store your emergency first aid kit in a safe place.  You may be tempted to use this kit for everyday first aid needs, but I encourage you to keep your kit intact until a true emergency arises. Remember, we can prepare today to survive tomorrow!

Alva Muhammad is certified in multiple aspects of disaster preparedness and incident management. She is a public policy analyst and volunteers her time teaching basic disaster preparedness to community groups and vulnerable populations. Follow her on Twitter @originalalva.