Hygiene is extremely important during and after an electrical outage caused by a natural disaster, it's important.

  I've been writing about electrical power outages lately, my last two blogs have talked about being prepared for a one-week outage and the second was written about outages that extend for a month or longer. I chose power outages because most of the time when a natural disaster strikes the first casualty is our electrical system. The state of California Legislature is talking about a mandatory requirement for electric utilities to shut the electrical transmission lines down when a wildfire breaks out. The wildfires we experienced last year, 2017, have been suspected of being started by problems in the distribution system, and there are plenty of them in the remote areas of the state. It's a little-known fact to those who live outside of the state that it is actually an area with a lot of desolate country. It's not a long journey to be in the middle of nowhere, even when close to one of the big cities when the electrical service is interrupted in one of those areas all conveniences are lost.

It could be caused by the electric distribution system.

  There is another concern we have to deal with during a blackout, and that is how to keep clean, hygiene and sanitation. To keep diseases from spreading like the wildfire that may have been the start of this event it is important to pay attention to our personal hygiene. Clean water is once again the most important ingredient of cleanliness as well, it is essential for scrubbing our hands and in case someone suffers an injury. Keeping clean is especially important during and after a flood, the flood water carries an enormous amount of chemicals, oils, and waste from various processes. The water we use for hygiene should be when at all possible as clean as the water we drink if that is not a possibility the use of raw water with plenty of soap will answer the call. Be careful not to get the dirty water in your mouth, nose, or eyes, the viruses and bacteria can be deadly.
  Use water that has been boiled for at least 30 minutes, by adding a few drops of unscented chlorine bleach it will be safe for drinking or washing of hands. When washing hands they need to be scrubbed well, remember it is a compromising situation, work up a sudsy lather being sure to wash all areas of the hands. Paying particular attention to the spaces between the fingers and under fingernails. (Link to the importance of clean hands) They need to be scrubbed for a minimum of 20 seconds, if we count to 30 that will ensure it has been at least 20 seconds It is best to rinse our hands well under running water, but most locals will not have water service during an electrical outage, if you do use the water that comes out of the tap. If tap water is not available, or if it is and a directive has been issued by a government agency that the tap water is not safe, it must be boiled. During a natural disaster, it is fairly common for all of the water to be declared unsafe. Finish with drying our hands with the cleanest towel available or let them air dry, we need to wash our hands often during a compromised situation. Commercially built sanitation centers are available, some include enclosures with a shower, toilet, and sink with a water reservoir of some sort. It's quite simple to build a temporary sanitation center as well consisting of a jug of clean water, soap, and a hand towel or clean rag. Washing hands with soap and clean water are the best way to combat germs, if clean water and soap are not available then a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol will work on unsoiled hands. Alcohol-based sanitizers eliminate a lot of germs, however not all of them that soap and water will, and they do not work when one's hands are dirty.

All we will need is one.

  Never use flood water, or contaminated water under any circumstances for drinking, cleaning, or cooking, even if it is filtered, and boiled.
  Bathing is a little different, water that has not been boiled or filtered may be used for bathing or in a shower, be very careful not to swallow it or splash the water in your eyes, nose, or ears. If the person has any open wounds, rashes, scrapes, or blisters, untreated water should not be relied upon for a bath or shower. If flooding has occurred and water is pumped from a well it will be contaminated, do not drink the water or use it for hygienic purposes, the well water needs to be lab tested for impurities prior to use. If a well is suspected of being contaminated it is advisable to notify the local, state, tribal or federal health department, they will check it for you.
  The same goes for dental hygiene, only use clean water to brush your teeth, the local authorities can tell you when the tap water is safe to use. It is prudent to have a sanitation center set up, that way a gallon or more of cleaned up water will be readily available for oral hygiene. (Link to the CDC's paper on oral health)
  Someone always has a need for a band-aid, in my younger days it seems to look back I always sported a band-aid somewhere on a finger, toe, or arm. If someone does have an open wound it should never come in contact with flood water. Wash the wound with the cleanest water you have, filtered and boiled is best when kept at a warm temperature. Wash the wound area with plenty of warm water and soap, suds are what carry off germs, and dirt so we want to work up a healthy lather. Application of a wound disinfectant is advisable then covered with a waterproof bandage changed daily will greatly reduce the chance of infection. When the bandage is changed, which should be once a day, wash the wound each time well with cleaned water and soap. If the wound begins to swell, turn red, oozy, or feel warm to the touch, medical attention needs to be sought. We have no idea what is in flood water if it mixes with ocean water combined with some bacteria's which naturally occur in salt water infection will almost always be sure to follow.
  During natural disasters, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Wildfires, and Floods the risk of injury is high. Rapid response to even the smallest wound can mean the difference between it healing with no problems and getting infected with dire consequences. Always wash your hands prior to cleaning and dressing a wound, then wash them again after the wound is dressed. If water is not available use of an alcohol solution of at least 60% will suffice.
  Wounds and other injuries can happen in the blink of an eye, it makes little difference if the event has been of a one-minute duration or one month's time. Medical help during the first hours of a natural disaster will not be available, certainly. There are some instances when medical attention will be needed as soon as possible, such as an animal bite. If the injury is caused by a foreign object, soil, wood sliver, metal or steel shaving, snake or insect bites, medical help should be sought as soon as possible.

I'm going to let this guy stitch me up? Maybe. 

If an old wound starts to weep, swell up, get hot to the touch, turns deep red or begins draining, immediate help is needed. I many years ago suffered a deep gash just above my right knee. it was caused when I accidentally gouged it with a steel grinder that had an aluminum oxide cutting disc attached. The injury was about 2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, and 1/2 inch deep, I received a bunch of stitches, I have had a lot of stitches in my life. The wound got infected, badly, it displayed all of the symptoms described above as an alarm to seek medical attention. I went to the doctor, it was grossly swelled to about 1/2 again the size of my leg, and it hurt. The doctor treated it, that hurt as well, then he told me if I had done that 10 years prior to that my leg would have had to be amputated. 10 years earlier would have been the mid 70's, that experience taught me to take wounds very seriously. It's prudent to keep them clean, covered, and completely dry, infections are easy to set in under the right conditions. I still have the scar as a reminder. During the Civil war, infection in wounds killed as many or more soldiers as the fighting did. (Follow this Link to a first aid kit)
  No matter what happens water is always part of the answer, whether cleaning, drinking, or eating, electric utility outages and water go hand and hand. It's prudent to have a case or two of water on hand at all times, we don't know when we will be in need of it. It's more important than food, we can live a few weeks hungry and three days thirsty. There are places in Puerto Rico still without electrical power or water, it has been months, maybe we should take that to heart.
  Thank you for reading and sharing my blog, Give some thought to rotating water through your pantry, it will become second nature in short order. Thanks again for reading.
jacquesandkate  EmergencyKitsPlus.com