How to Use Tarpaulins in Disaster Relief Efforts

Whenever there is a calamity like hurricanes, floods, or quakes disaster relief organizations and relief groups are on the ground to offer assistance in delivering the necessary items to the affected areas. Another must-have but not-so-well-known piece of kit is the all-around Tarpaulin. Tarpaulins, or tarps as they are sometimes called, can be used in a range of capacities that make them a useful tool for emergency response personnel. Here are some of the top ways relief workers can utilize tarps when providing disaster assistance: 

Shelter Construction

Shelter is one of the most important necessities when it comes to any kind of calamity that may have struck. If houses are destroyed or have damaged roofs, then the tarp can help provide temporary shelter. In the shelter, it can be used to fashion improved waterproof covers for the hole in the roof by pulling on the tarpaulin. They can also be used to make temporary shelter by stretching them between trees or other temporary poles to create some form of shelter. The generally utilized industrial-grade tarps are made of a water-resistant fabric that shields inhabitants and possessions from outside elements. Good rope and stakes are required to properly make the tarps into tangible structures that can be used in the construction of shelter.

Debris Coverage

After natural disasters such as storms, floods, and the like, there will always be a massive accumulation of waste products occasioned by the calamity. When this waste is improperly disposed of, it may include sharp objects such as shattered glass, nails, spoilt foodstuffs, chemicals, and many others. In extreme cases, where the debris piles are close to houses, the tarps can be placed over the debris to shield the surrounding neighborhoods. This minimizes the chance of bacteria from rot to spread and also ensures that no harm comes from chemicals present in the environment. It also helps to shield residents, humanitarian, and volunteering personnel from getting in touch with risky debris as the process of clearing up goes on.

Medical Facility Partitions

When disasters occur, and there is a need for the construction of an emergency medical treatment facility, the use of tarps can turn open areas into proper treatment settings. The possibility of small hospitalization can be arranged by suspending the tarps on ropes or a portable framework to create division. This may comprise isolation wards, wards for sorting incoming patients, drug distribution centers, surgery rooms, and so on. The non-porous nature of such tarps makes them convenient when it comes to cleaning since one has to ensure cleanliness in clinical settings including the makeshift ones.

Supply Protection

An organization providing food, medicine, and other essential items is crucial in disaster-stricken areas where the infrastructure is affected. These essentials have to be safeguarded by relief organizations not only while in transit and during distribution but also after they have arrived at the destination point. Loose tarps, for example, can be used as covers for pallets of perishable foods, boxes of medical supplies, etc. Proper coverage protects the supplies from acquiring excessive dirt, rain, wind or sun which may affect the supplies during the mobilization of the relief.

Ground Moisture Barriers

It is therefore extremely important that areas of operation are keenly monitored and organized so as not to be overcome by rain, flooding, or any excess moisture in the course of disaster relief. For functional spaces that need to remain functional, the Canvas Tarpaulin can be laid on the ground and anchored to the ground with stakes or weights to help hold them in place. The tarp moisture barrier can be placed on top of gravel or pallets which might be put down initially for an improved layer of drainage. It frees up dry ground for disaster response teams to walk on instead of sinking into the mud as well as making areas that are clean for cooking, treating the sick, etc.

Water Collection Systems

Some people do not even have access to clean water regularly and if storms or floods affect the source of water, it becomes a very valuable element. There are several ways in which tarps can be made to allow one to harvest fresh rainwater that falls on them. If a tarp is stretched in a somewhat like a V-shape, then the water on it is allowed to flow down into the collection barrels or tanks. The material of the container is impermeable to ensure that all the water collected is channeled directly to the base tank. The water from this method is not instantly safe for drinking but if collected in large quantities it will go a long way to provide reasonable emergency water supplies.

Final Thoughts

When responding to humanitarian crises, agencies and organizations focus on the core essentials of survival; shelter is usually one of the last priorities to be addressed in the delivery of aid supplies. Nevertheless, these flexible and robust layers of reinforced material have numerous uses in temporary shelters, trash and debris, protection for supplies, and much more. it is also important to note that disaster relief organizations should always ensure that they have enough Tarps in their stock to be used during disaster relief operations. 

If only more effort and thought were applied toward utilizing tarps, they would suffice in solving several crucial issues that occur in disaster relief efforts. When employed in the right manner, these versatile protection structures that come in the form of a sheet make a massive difference in the lives as well as the functioning of relief agencies and the affected populations.