Tsunami and flood shelter system unveiled

A Puerto Rican inventor gets a patent for a groundbreaking shelter system that could prove to be an invaluable contribution to emergency preparedness.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Wednesday July 28, 2010 – An inventor from Puerto Rico has unveiled a revolutionary shelter system that could become the first line of defense for governments against two of the most devastating natural events on the planet, tsunamis and major floods.

Miguel Serrano, a 41-year-old land development consultant, said that after watching the devastation and aftermath of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and hurricane Katrina events, he committed himself to designing a preparedness tool capable of offering an effective level of protection against such catastrophic events.

"The end result is a revolutionary shelter system that is both highly effective, and cost efficient", he said.

This new system, for which a US patent has been allowed, is called the Storm, Tornado And Tsunami Interconnected Modules (STATIM) Shelter System.

In essence, it is an enclosable hull comprised of a series of pre-cast concrete modules, similar to large diameter concrete drainage pipes.

Once assembled via gasketed joints, and a post-tensioned cables technique, it provides a water-tight environment with positive buoyancy and self-righting capability. Inside, the shelters are equipped with secure seating arrangements for as many as 50 occupants, ventilation, and various options of survival gear and supplies capable of sustaining the occupants during and after the actual event, until available rescue resources can assist.

The STATIM Shelter can be considered the equivalent of an "inland" life boat.

"Concrete is a low cost material readily available worldwide, doesn't require skilled labour, and has a long life cycle. Additionally, it is strong and provides the necessary mass and inertia for the shelters to safely handle the initial event forces.” explained Serrano.

“The modular concept and post-tensioning technique allows for off-site mass manufacturing, ease of transportability, and rapid final assembly once the modules arrive to the final installation sites”.

The system is already receiving rave reviews from governments and other prospective users, such as coastal resorts and industrial facilities operators.

“Our focus now is on advancing the prototype development and testing phase in order to expedite global implementation” Serrano said. “The STATIM Shelter is a straight forward approach which clearly represents a major breakthrough on how humanity will address these threats from now on.”