Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados can devastate a community without warning. Rescue workers must respond to these incidents by being prepared with the necessary tools and resources to help those in need. Aside from medical equipment and supplies, emergency responders require designated areas for which operations can be launched and victims can be assisted. One vital role in emergency operations, which is often overlooked, is the use of tarps.
Tarps have a wide variety of uses during emergency situations including canopy covers for relief tents, protection for roofing after hurricanes, debris covers, and are also used in triage. In recent years the use of tarps played a significant role in the recovery efforts of major hurricanes such as Katrina. The tarps were primarily used to cover damaged rooftops both before and after the hurricane. Large quantities of tarps were distributed by government agencies to citizens affected by the storms aftermath. The tarps acted as temporary protection until professional repairs could be made. These temporary roofing repairs diverted water away from damaged areas and prevented further damage from occurring.
Tarp covers can be used for numerous applications due to the characteristics of the material. The composition of polyethylene is naturally rot proof and mildew proof as well as, lightweight. The laminated surface of the tarps makes the product waterproof while at the same time provides a UV protective barrier. Moreover, each cover contains grommets every eighteen inches, which are used to secure the tarp to stable objects. Tarp covers are available in a variety of sizes and colors including high visibility colors such as Yellow, Red and Green. The high visibility colors have proven to be beneficial to medical responders and are often used in triage situations.
Triage is initiated during mass casualty incidents. Medical and emergency responders must act quickly to help those in need and to be able to prioritize injuries based on severity. To accomplish this task, responders use different colors to sort out victims based on injuries and treatment needs. The high visibility tarps are placed on the ground and used during these triage situations. The four primary colors used for triage are Green, Yellow, Red and Black.
In addition to medical response and distribution, tarps are also a valuable asset in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The clean up process after a natural disaster can go on for years depending on the severity. Tarps are greatly beneficial during the construction process of rebuilding. As a multi purpose cover, tarps can be used on slopes to prevent erosion as well as, used as debris covers and protection for supplies and equipment. The heavy-duty polyethylene material is durable yet lightweight, which allows workers to use the tarps repeatedly as well as, easily move the tarp covers from one location to another.
During a natural disaster many resources are used to help those in need. There are many obvious resources that take part in these efforts as well as many smaller resources that must not be overlooked. Tarps have been a beneficial asset in past operations and will continue to play a vital and important role in future emergency recovery efforts.
