​                                                                The Oasis Station ​
 

In 2004 and 2005, our nation was struck by a record number of devastating hurricanes. We all became acutely aware that we were, and still are not prepared to deal with the aftermath. After seeing the needs of survivors, I began trying to think of ways that I might assist the Emergency Services first responders in completing this task.  That is when I came up with "The Oasis Station".  Basically, it is a mobile unit which can be transported to any location, and will be able to dispense both water and ice.
Consulting with the County's Emergency Management, a design was formulated that would best serve the needs of our first responders in emergency situations, and could also be easily adapted for non-emergency purposes.  

The year 2005 was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, twenty-eight tropical and sub-tropical storms formed, with a record fifteen becoming hurricanes. Of these, seven were major hurricanes, and a record- tying five became Category 4 hurricanes, and a record four reached Category 5 strength. There were more than 2,280 deaths, and record damages of over $128 billion USD.

Hurricane Katrina, was the costliest, with a storm surge over 30 feet high that inundated New Orleans, Louisiana. Wilma, was the most intense, with speeds up to 185 mph. They along with Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Rita, Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Cindy, were responsible for the catastrophic damages felt on the United States’ Gulf Coast from eastern Texas to the Florida Panhandle.

When I saw the suffering of the survivors, and the devastation of property caused by these storms, coupled with the slow response of government, I asked myself what I could do to help. I was a salesman for 24 years with a local car dealership, and I had never invented anything in my life. I saw the long lines of cars waiting to get gas and water, and the despair of people who had lost everything. I spent many sleepless nights trying to come up with a way that would make responding to these disasters, faster and more efficient.

I came up with an invention that could revolutionize the way emergency management services could respond. My first invention was a design for a fully mobile unit, able to be called out with just a phone call. I envisioned a fleet of these units to be positioned at strategic area in a county or state, ready to dispense fuel, water, ice, and even satellite telephone communications. I called my invention, the “Oasis Station”. I have consulted with Emergency Management team members, and at their suggestion, I concentrated my efforts on a smaller version of my original design that would dispense water and ice, and would be used by our first responders.

Two long years later (one year of planning, one year of manufacturing), and all of my financial resources have gone into this dream. The “Oasis Station” is now a reality. I have a unit ready to go at a moments notice. It can be brought to any location, can be powered by commercial electric when there is still power available, or by generator. It has water stations on both sides; one side dispensing water into containers, and the other side has stainless steel sinks and faucets for hand washing. A state of the art water filtration system as well as UV light provide pure water. The icemaker can produce up to 165 lbs of ice per hour, or approximately 30 bags per hour. The on board tanks can be filled by three water sources, bulk water from a tanker, ordinary garden hoses, or attached to a fire hydrant.

The advantages of using the Oasis Station vs. the standard means are: no storage needed, no need to stock large amounts of water in bottles or on pallets, faster response in emergencies, multiple units in strategic locations throughout the county, state, or nation, easy to use and can be manned by minimal number of volunteers. During non-emergency times the Oasis Station could also be used for many events within the community, such as sporting events, concerts, arts & craft shows, fairs & carnivals, fund raising, good will events, etc.

On 7/19/2007 we had another reminder of the flawed Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The federal government was melting ice that had been intended for the relief effort, and has been stored for two years at a cost of 12.5 million dollars of taxpayer’s money. The Oasis Station would eliminate the need for any of this, since it is not necessary to store the ice, you only make what is needed, and when it is needed.                           

                        

 

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