Introduction to Field Sanitation

Introduction to Field Sanitation.

Field Sanitation is one of the most important things a unit has to consider. Often overlooked improper sanitation can take a operational unit to its knees. Personal hygiene to proper placement and building of latrines will be covered in this course.

Personal Hygiene:

Personal hygiene is something that is often forgotten about during field exorcises but it is very important to a operators health. At the end of this section a list of personal hygiene items that should be kept in your equipment along with other required items.

Hand washing should be done when ever you are preparing to eat or after having contact with plants or equipment. Wash your hands often using potable water and soap. If potable water is not available hand sanitizer can be used. This will not be covered much more than this as this should be common sense.

Showering in the field should be done at least once a week. If shower facility's are not available a wash cloth and soap with potable water will be sufficient to maintain hygiene. Making sure that the following areas are to be cleaned; Armpits, feet, genital at minimum. Making sure that your dry said areas completely.

Feet should be kept dry by changing your socks often also using a foot powder. Checking your feet and keeping them dry is very important. Any questions for possible problems should be brought to your unit medic. If you have a foot injury will put you out of commission and make you more of a burden on your fellow unit members.

Oral Hygiene should be done just as if you were at home. Brushing twice a day as well as flossing will help prevent cavity's and other oral injures.

Water Purification:

Potable water or drinking water is something that should never be overlooked. Used for personal hygiene to cooking clean water is something that a unit should never be without. Water can be carried in with the unit or found and purified in the field. The minimum amount of water needed by each operator depends on the temperature and the amount of exertion that is being done.

Each unit member should carry with them water purification tablets each individual company has different amounts of and directions to use their tablets so we will no go into amounts to use or time with personal tablets.

Water purification devices, there are a few different devices or filters offered these days to purify water. Such as pump filters that take the water directly from the source to the container. Straw type filters that you can drink directly from the source or put in to a drinking container and drink from there. There are also UV purification devices that when put in the drinking container kill the bacteria using Ultra Violet light over a certain amount of time.

When purifying larger amounts of water such as Five (5) Gallons or more chlorine can be used. Unscented household bleach can be used a chart will be included at the end of this course packet. A minimum of Thirty (30) minutes should be waited before using water purified in this fashion.

Boiling is another option to purify water for individual use. Boiling times vary it is recommended that Ten (10) minutes or more will be sufficient to make it potable.

Latrines:

Proper size and placement of latrines will be determined by unit size and water source location. Latrines should be no closer that 300 feet down wind and down hill of unit food facility's and no closer than 100 feet from the ground water source. Bivouacked areas should be no closer than 100 feet of any latrine. Diagrams will be included in this packet.

Cat holes are to be used while the unit is on the move to be used by an individual. Cat hole size should be roughly Twelve (12) inches around by Six and a half (6.5) inches deep. When finished completely fill hole and pack dirt.

Straddle trench latrines are to be used by units that are in place for up to Three (3) days. The trench is to be One (1) foot wide by Two and a half feet deep (2.5) and atleast Four (4) feet long. Each trench will be sufficiant for Two (2) operators. For mulitple trenches place at least Two (2) feet apart. Layer with dirt after each use. Stop using when filled to One (1) foot of top of hole. When done using latrine fill hole completely and pack down.