How fast can you deliver during an emergency?
Speed depends on road conditions and how many other calls are already stacked up, but our disaster response protocol puts trucks in motion the moment a shelter or command post confirms an address. A standard delivery needs about 60 feet of straight clearance behind the truck, so downed trees or flooded culverts on the approach can slow things more than distance does. Sweetwater sits 3.1 miles northeast of Tamiami and Westchester is 4.4 miles east, both close enough that we can shuttle units between staging sites the same day if a shelter closes and another opens. During active flooding we lean on emergency porta potty rental stock rather than special-order units, because that inventory is already winterized and ready to move. For county fairgrounds or large shelter sites, we also pull from our restroom trailer rental fleet when plumbing needs to feel more like a normal bathroom for people who have already lost enough. If your site has no power, ask about a temporary power pole or a light tower rental so night staff and volunteers aren't working in the dark.
What sanitation do shelters and relief sites actually need?
A shelter housing displaced residents is closer to a workplace than a backyard party, and OSHA 1926.51(c) sets the baseline most disaster planners use anyway: one toilet for 20 workers or fewer, scaling up from there. We size shelter deployments the same way, then add units for the general population sheltering, not just staff. Every deployment includes at least one accessible unit, consistent with ADA Standards 213.2, which requires 5 percent of clustered single-user toilets to be accessible and never fewer than one. Our ADA accessible porta potty units meet the 60 inch turning circle called for under ADA Standards 304.3.1, which matters when someone is navigating a shelter parking lot in a wheelchair with a cane in one hand. Standard units carry a 60 to 70 gallon holding tank, enough capacity that a crowded shelter doesn't need servicing every few hours. For handwashing, 29 CFR 1910.141(d)and(2) requires soap and towels or a hand-drying device, not just sanitizer, so our handwashing station rental and portable sink rental units both ship with that setup standard. Grouping toilets, sinks, and lighting together at one cluster point cuts confusion when people are already stressed and moving in the dark.
Can you handle septic and gray water backups after flooding?
Yes, and this is often the more urgent call, because a septic system that backs up during a flood turns a bad situation into a health hazard fast. A residential septic tank is typically pumped every 3 to 5 years under normal conditions, but flood intrusion can force an emergency pump-out on tanks that were nowhere near due. Our emergency septic service crews run the same trucks used for scheduled septic pumping service work, so there's no separate fleet waiting on standby that might not show. If a commercial kitchen at a relief site has a grease interceptor, remember it needs pumping once fats, oils, grease, and solids reach 25 percent of liquid depth, a threshold that comes faster when a kitchen is running nonstop to feed evacuees. Ask about grease trap pumping if your shelter is running a full mess hall. For sites needing a self-contained option while lines are being repaired, a holding tank rental buys time without depending on municipal sewer at all. We also bring roll-off dumpster rental units for storm debris, since flooded drywall and ruined furniture pile up fast and OSHA 1926.25 housekeeping rules still apply even in a disaster staging yard.
| unit | duration | typical | notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| standard | day | $150 | fastest deploy, shelter default |
| standard | week | $200 | multi-day sheltering |
| ada | day | $230 | required at every cluster site |
| septic | day | $250 | emergency pump-out |
For longer relief operations we also set up temporary fence rental around staging areas to keep donated supplies and equipment secure, and a storage container rental works well for keeping bottled water and dry goods off wet ground. Tamiami's flat terrain floods slowly but stays wet long after the rain stops, which is exactly when the second wave of service calls comes in.
Do you prioritize hospitals and shelters over regular customers?
Yes, during declared emergencies we shift dispatch priority to shelters, hospitals, and municipal command posts first. Regular commercial accounts get rescheduled, not canceled. We communicate delays directly rather than leaving customers guessing about delivery windows.
How many toilets does a 200-person shelter need?
Using the OSHA 1926.51(c) ratio as a planning baseline, a 200-person shelter needs roughly 10 standard units, plus at least one ADA unit under ADA Standards 213.2. Actual counts shift based on staff versus resident population.
Can you deliver if roads are partially flooded?
Often yes, if there's a passable route with the 60 feet of straight clearance our trucks need behind the drop point. Our dispatcher will scout alternate routes through Kendale Lakes or Westwood Lakes before ruling out a delivery.
Do you provide handwashing stations separately from toilets?
Yes. Our hand sanitizer station rental and portable sink units can deploy alone or alongside toilets. Shelters often need extra hand-washing capacity near meal service, separate from restroom clusters entirely.
What if we don't know how many units we need yet?
That's normal in a fast-moving emergency. Call anyway and we'll estimate from expected shelter population, then adjust as numbers firm up. Check our how many porta potties do I need guide for the math we use.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.