[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hurricanes leave behind a lot of destruction, but they also leave us with valuable lessons and provide us with opportunities to train and prepare for the next one.
When preparing emergency preparedness kits, many have failed to identify one of the most basic human needs in times of disaster apart from clean water, food, and shelter; the need to use the bathroom. From first responders to volunteers and civilians, people need a restroom and with no running water after a hurricane, it’s not that simple.
But, here are some safe and sanitary solutions that allow people to always be prepared in the devastation that follows a hurricane. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Waste Bags for First Responders During Search and Rescue Operations
While everyone else is evacuating, first responders mobilize, rush into the hurricane’s path to aid in disaster preparation and provide aid as quickly as possible. In the aftermath, flooding doesn’t only make it challenging for first responders to reach civilians trapped in their homes, but it also means no access to toilets.
With no accessible or functioning bathroom in sight, portable waste bags offer first responders a sanitary, convenient, and portable solution. Waste Bags use waste alleviation and gelling technology to fulfill sanitary toilet functions.
The Brief Relief Liquid Waste Bag is an individually packaged bag for urine while the Disposa-John is a triple barrier bag for liquid and solid waste. The liquid waste bag has a wide opening with a semi-rigid rim, which means both men and women can use it; its one-way valve prevents spillage.
For added hygiene, the portable waste bags include antimicrobial wipes. All Brief Relief waste bags contain a sophisticated blend of polymers and enzymes that break down and convert wastes into a deodorized gel. The portable waste bags are odor-free, puncture-resistant, spill-proof, and landfill-safe. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Portable Lavatory Systems for Civilians at Evacuation Centers
Because water is typically one of the first utilities to be shut off after a calamity, using the bathroom in an evacuation center or other shelters such as schools will not be an option – leaving porta-potties as the go-to bathroom solution to accommodate the community.
However, we have learned that overcrowding leads to health issues at evacuation centers. Living in such close proximity and the sharing of toilet facilities that may not be getting cleaned as often as they should ultimately can lead to the spread of disease.
Brief Relief offers a solution that is a more sanitary alternative to porta-potties that eliminates contamination and spread of viruses and bacteria.
The Brief Relief Portable Lavatory System comes complete with a privacy shelter, commode, and supply of waste bags. Unlike the porta-potty, a portable lavatory system doesn’t need to be serviced. Because roads may be inaccessible after a hurricane, trucks may not be able to remove out the sewage from the porta-potties’ collection tanks regularly.
With the portable lavatory system, you will have privacy and a commode that is the height of a regular toilet. Because all Brief Relief waste bags are non-toxic and landfill-safe, they’re safe to dispose of in any regular trash can. [/vc_column_text][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
To learn more about how Brief Relief helps both hurricane first responders and the civilians they support, please visit our products page.
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