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If you're preparing a response plan for hurricane season, then these four tips will prevent your disaster relief efforts from potentially creating a public health disaster of a very different kind. Keep reading to discover how you can maintain proper hygiene and distancing under these stressful and sometimes chaotic conditions.

You can easily underestimate how much waste disaster relief efforts can generate. Many people will flee their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs, and this can mean providing evacuees with everything from clothing to toothbrushes. Many of these items include disposable, one-use packages that will change hands numerous times before finally getting where they need to go.

With so many people touching these items, they can become a potential source of infection. Having enough dumpsters on-site ensures that discarded waste does not become a vector for disease. When selecting dumpsters for a relief site, consider both capacity and access, and be sure enough are available to place in all high-use areas.

Typical considerations for restroom and shower facilities are relatively straightforward: do you have enough to meet the needs of your relief personnel and those affected by the disaster? In the world of COVID19, making this determination can be more difficult. Not only do you need to provide adequate facilities, but you must also ensure that those facilities do not become too overcrowded.

When selecting portable restroom trailers, be sure that you provide extra capacity to accommodate proper social distancing procedures. If possible, have separate trailers for rescue personnel and evacuees since each group may come from different areas with different rates of infection. This extra capacity can help to prevent spread within your disaster relief site.

Hygiene is essential, and that means that basic cubicle-style portable restrooms may not be adequate under these conditions. These are high-touch areas, and without amenities such as handwashing or sanitizing stations, they may become potential sources for fomite spread. For this reason, choosing upgraded units that include these features will likely be your best option.

If you must choose standard cubicle units for space or budget reasons, be sure to equip them with optional sanitary add-ons. Every restroom facility should include a way for users to clean their hands before leaving. Additionally, your on-site personnel should clean and disinfect these units as often as is feasible.

After masks and social distancing, handwashing is the most critical thing that individuals can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At a crowded disaster relief site, consistent access to handwashing stations can make or break hygiene efforts. When choosing where to place your stations, always consider traffic levels and the potential for nearby high-touch surfaces.

In general, you should ensure that stations are available near common areas, food service tents, and shelters. Anywhere that people may congregate or touch common-use items will require proper handwashing facilities. You should also ensure that proper waste disposal is available near these stations to prevent used paper towels or other items from being discarded nearby.

Gotta Go Site Service Rentals is proud to assist in all forms of disaster relief efforts. We can provide the facilities you need to get the job done while ensuring high standards of hygiene and safety. Give us a call today to discuss the equipment options that are right for your situation.