Shipping Containers for Emergencies & Disaster Management

Ask anyone – the need to be prepared for the growing number of natural disasters and unexpected situations is increasing daily

Whenever disaster strikes, the team here at TargetBox frequently hears about how shipping containers could play a much larger role in addressing immediate needs and in post-disaster recovery, helping to create a better future for everyone affected.

We agree!

The same reasons that so many home and business owners buy shipping containers are the same reasons that they could play invaluable roles in disaster management. Containers are some of the most affordable structures that money can buy, and allow a large number to be purchased at low prices. They can be modified or filled with supplies prior to disaster striking so that they are ready to be transported via convenient transport trucks for use within just a few hours.

Sea Cans Are Able to Withstand Natural Disasters

Shipping containers have the strength to take a beating. Out of all of the awful photos we see after a devastating tornado or hurricane has struck a city, it is often the port photos showing the toppled shipping containers that makes us realize that most of them have only dents, with their contents likely still in usable condition.

Shipping Containers for Supply Storage

The mobility and speed of shipping container supply storage makes it the best solution for rapid supply delivery. A single 20-foot shipping container can fit more than 55,000 water bottles or 1,150 cubic feet of bandages and blankets. How many tens of thousands of face masks could be stored, ready to be used at a moment’s notice if another pandemic hits Canada? Certainly enough to provide urgent materials to an entire town desperate for assistance.

Mobile First Aid Stations

Immediate healthcare needs are often at the forefront of first responders when they enter a disaster zone. Being able to provide clean, safe, fully stocked health facilities right within an area filled with destruction can not only expedite services, but be a lifesaver at crucial moments. A single 40-foot shipping container could be outfitted into a mobile triage unit with six beds, power systems and medical equipment. Modified shipping containers create an easily sanitized solution which can be mobilized in mere moments.

Shipping Container Temporary Housing

Some innovative thinkers use shipping containers to build their permanent off-grid homes, but in the case of emergency management, a single modified shipping container can house a small family in relative comfort.

A 40-foot shipping container could fit a kitchen, living room, washroom and bedroom, complete with windows and heating/cooling systems. Giving survivors a comfortable, strong and safe home will help them recuperate, and do so more quickly than unreliable, insecure and dangerous tents.

Shipping Containers: The Safe Option When Disaster Strikes

Although we live in a world where we never wish disasters will disrupt our lives, with the COVID-19 pandemic we now fully understand that we need to be prepared for the worst. Storing essential supplies and rethinking shipping container uses today will help us to react to growing threats which will save lives in the future.

To learn more about shipping containers’ ability to withstand storms, be modified to suit healthcare needs and be a fast housing solution for those vulnerable people who need it most, contact us. We have an inventory of containers from 10 feet to 40 feet ready to meet the needs of Canada’s crises.