How To Address Emergency Hygiene And Sanitation When Preparing A Safety Kit

By Eric Holm


During an emergency situation, many people are not focused on the importance of hygiene and the effect it can have on their health and survival. There are often bigger problems to deal with including obtaining clean water and food and finding a shelter. It is easy to overlook the items needed to stay clean and dispose of waste properly. This is why preparing a safety kit ahead of time and stocking it with the proper supplies is so important.

Emergency sanitation is just as important to survival as having enough water and food. Disease and infection can spread quickly if human waste like urine and stool are not properly discarded and emergency hygiene is not addressed. People attempting to survive in an evacuation center without a proper system for disposing of waste are at risk of becoming ill. In extreme circumstances, the illnesses can be life threatening.

Creating a hygiene kit should be a priority when it comes time to prepare for an emergency or natural disaster. People are also advised to prepare another clean kit to store in the car, van or recreational vehicle. Small children often cannot control their urges and it may be impossible to reach the nearest bathroom in time. Motion sickness may make them nauseous and this can also cause a problem. Having a clean kit to use during a family road trip can come in handy anytime there is an accident.

There are several items that are mandatory for inclusion in a germ kit designed to address emergency hygiene. Most of them are the everyday items typically found in a bathroom. Think about all the various supplies that are used on a daily basis. Make sure to include plenty of toilet paper, facial tissues, deodorant, a toothbrush for each member of the family, shampoo, body soap and some toothpaste. An emergency toilet is a good item to bring along on a family camping trip. Purchase some toilet bags for sanitary waste disposal and self-heating cloths and include those in the hygiene package.

Although you can make your own emergency hygiene and sanitation kit, you really do not have to. There are a lot of kits available in the market. We can help see our "Hygiene and Sanitation" category on our web site and click on these kits on our home page. Surely, you will find one that would fit your needs and that of your family.




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