LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hurricane Ian may be hundreds of miles away from Kentuckiana, but local organizations are doing what they can to help to help those impacted in Florida as the storm barrels toward the state's western coast.
Tuesday, WaterStep announced it's working overtime to make sure it can answer the call when it comes.
WaterStep strives to create clean water after natural disasters; it's a long-time nonprofit that collects gently used shoe donations and uses them for cash for its water sanitizing equipment.
The equipment serves as a filtration system that creates water that is safe for drinking, cleaning, bathing, washing clothes and even cooking.
The organization said just one of its generator-operated mini-water treatment systems can provide up to 10,000 gallons of water each day. Plus they’ve also been used during several recent disasters, including the flooding in eastern Kentucky.
Joe Jacobi, director of manufacturing for WaterStep, said the non-profit constantly prepares for the worst so it can make the best out of a bad situation.
"Good water is good medicine, and so this is actually, in a sense, a healthcare organization at the very ground level - talking about safe water, talking about sanitation, talking about disinfection” Jacobi said. “We are in a process of building not for a particular thing like the current hurricanes, we already have inventory on the shelf. Should that need arise, we have equipment to ship. You don't want an emergency and then have to try to build equipment very quickly for that and get it shipped.”
WaterStep also reminds everyone that September is National Preparedness Month, so make sure you have a plan and prepare for disasters.
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