of oil applied after each day’s work before theyare stored for the night. Never stow any surveyinggear (especially if made of ferrous material)without checking it thoroughly to make sure it isclean and dry—particularly steel tapes. The reasonfor this is that, in the SEABEEs, we have amultitude of jobs done under variable conditions.Suppose that today you are sent to a job that doesnot require the same equipment you usedyesterday and failed to clean. You are kept on thisjob for a few days. There is a good chance thatthe equipment you used the first day will be rustywhen you return to use it again.Remember that you are liable for payment forany loss of government property caused by yourown negligence.You will be required to sharpen surveyingclearing tools, replace any broken handles,especially those on sledgehammers, and do manyother things. For delicate equipment, consult themanufacturer’s handbook or other applicablepublications before you attempt any servicing orcleaning, and, if necessary, ask your senior EAto explain the correct procedure to follow.PREPARING FOR FIELD PARTY’SESSENTIAL NEEDSYou need to know how to prepare or gatheryour various needs for the day; for example,stakes, hubs, markers, safety gear, drinking water,and food. The preparation of the list of thesethings is the responsibility of your party chief;however, everyone in the survey party shouldreview the list to make sure that everything neededfor that particular job is there. Remember thatyou are concerned with the necessary equipmentnot only for the job, but also for your personalneeds, especially if the job is quite a distance fromyour base camp.In a triangulation survey, for example, yourstations are generally situated in remote places.You may be ferried to your station point byhelicopter or by some other means, depending onthe location and the mode of transportationavailable. Be sure to take extra drinking water tojobs like this, and DO NOT discard your excesswater until you are safely back to your base camp.MAINTAINING FIELD SANITATIONIn the field, devices necessary for maintainingpersonal hygiene and field sanitation must beimprovised. If you are surveying at a remotelocation, it is unlikely that you will find awaterborne sewage system available for your use.The usual alternative is digging a “cat hole” about1 ft deep and covering the feces completely withd i r t.Proper disposal of garbage should also beundertaken during field surveys. Wheneverpossible, avoid burning dry garbage on site.Disposal bags offer a good means of preventinglitter and should be used whenever available.In extremely hot climates, your supply ofpotable water is expected to run low at a fasterrate. To avoid dehydration, you will be requiredto treat your own water or face infections ordiseases, such as dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, andtyphoid fever. It is imperative that water takenfrom any source (such as lakes, rivers, streams,and ponds) be properly treated before beingused, as all these sources are presumed to becontaminated. To treat water for drinking, youcan use either a plastic or aluminum canteen withthe water purification compounds available intablet form (iodine) or in ampule form (calciumhypochlorite). When disinfecting compounds arenot available, boiling the water is another methodfor killing disease-producing organisms. Thestandard source of information for SEABEEs onfield sanitation and personal hygiene is SeabeeCombat Handbook, NAVEDTRA 10479-C2,chapter 8.GIVING VEHICLE PRESTARTCHECKS AND MAINTAININGVEHICLE OPERATIONSIt is likely that the field survey crew will beassigned a vehicle to transport people andequipment to and from the jobsite. Beforeoperating the vehicle, the operator is to give it aprestart check to make sure that it is readyto run.When a vehicle is assigned to you, anoperator’s daily preservice maintenance report isissued at the dispatch office. Use this form torecord or log items in the vehicle requiringattention as observed during the prestart checkand during the working day. Other information,such as mileage readings, operating hours, andfuel consumption may also be required.A complete checklist of the vehicle prestartand operator’s maintenance procedures aredescribed in Equipment Operator 3 & 2, NAV-EDTRA 10640-J1, chapters 2 and 4.12-32
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