Shipping Container Disaster Relief Outpost

Hello, my name is Dexter Opps, and I go to Powell High School in Powell Wyoming. In my area, there has been a lot of flooding. I have helped repair flood-damaged buildings, and it is a lot of work. So when I saw the Make It Modular Challenge, I thought that shipping containers would make for a perfect disaster relief outpost. They are inexpensive, durable, portable, and the right size. A company like the Red Cross could implement an entrepreneurial pop-up like this to help coordinate rescue efforts. Even if families had emergency supplies, natural disasters can ruin the supplies, so these outposts could be very helpful. The design has plenty of shelving space for emergency supplies. It also can be equipped with a solar array and battery backup to provide power for disaster relief efforts.

Supplies

Materials

Shipping container
Steel square tube (for shelves)
1/8 in thick steel plate (for shelves)
Paint
Blankets
First aid kits
Meal kits
Hygiene kits
Clothes
Flashlights
Water bottles

Optional

Solar panels
Battery backup
Electrical inverter
Satellite dish

Tools

Welder
Metal saw
Drill/driver

Step 1: Cut Holes

Cut the holes in the side and the front of the container.

Step 2: Paint the Container

In this step you paint the container. I chose white so it would be noticeable.

Step 3: Add Shelves

In this step you add the shelves to the container walls. The flat part of the shelves is designed to be made of 1/8 in steel sheet; there are also supports to help keep the plate from bending.

Step 4: Stock Shelves

Stock the shelves with emergency supplies including but not limited to:

Blankets
First aid kits
Meal kits
Hygiene kits
Clothes
Flashlights
Water

Step 5: Add Labels

Next you label everything for easy access.

Step 6: Install Electronics(optional)

Now you can mount the solar panel, battery backup, lights, satellite communications dish, and air conditioning.

Step 7: Make a Physical Model

Most of the model is 3d printed and hot glued together. The solar panel in the model functions, and has a working battery backup system. The simplicity of the model shows how easy it would be to mass produce these outposts.

Step 8: Conclusion

Designing and prototyping this model has taught me a lot about CAD design and other very powerful tools. I would love to see something like this implemented into disaster relief efforts; thank you for following my instructable, and have a great day.