Preparing For Disaster Response With Portable Morgue Trailers

Preparation for a disaster or a mass fatality event doesn’t just involve administering health care or distributing food and water to people in need. It also means being ready to handle the influx of deceased victims that are the result of such an incident, and doing so in a way that is dignified and sanitary. 

Not every local health department is equipped to accommodate such a surge, and as the recent novel coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated, disasters really can happen anywhere and at any time. Unfortunately, most local health departments in America are still underprepared for mass casualty.

When a tragedy overwhelms a local facility’s ability to handle the bodies, a portable morgue trailer from Penn Care is necessary to provide adequate and respectful housing for the victims. 

What is a Portable Morgue Trailer?

A portable morgue trailer, or mobile morgue trailer, is a trailer that is equipped to act as a temporary holding location for deceased victims after a mass fatality incident. Mobile morgue trailers are commonly found in less developed countries following large natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes, because these countries usually have extremely limited morgue and mortuary capacity (especially in rural areas). 

Portable morgue trailers provide a valuable stopgap measure so that victims can still be stored with dignity. Mobile morgues also help to prevent the spread of disease, although the Pan-American Health Organization says that most agents that led to past epidemics (such as smallpox, cholera, or typhoid) cannot live long in a human body after death. 

More recently, in first-world countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the need for extra storage for the deceased. All over Europe, Asia and the United States, the death toll from COVID-19 caused the victims to pile up in hospital morgues until refrigerated trailers were brought in to provide the necessary additional cold storage space. 

Quick Deployment for a Mass Casualty Incident is Key

In the event of a disaster resulting in a large number of fatalities, rapid refrigeration of the deceased is an absolute must so that they can be properly identified and processed. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to provide proper accommodation until the victims can be claimed by family or loved ones. 

Remains may also require decontamination due to radiation, chemical or other agents. In this case, a mobile morgue is the best solution until the bodies of individuals can be properly readied for pickup. 

In many cases, the area of incidence may be an active crime scene. If that is the situation, there might be a need for storage of victims for weeks (or even months) until all victims have been found or identified and the scene has been properly investigated.

Whatever the reason or need, quick deployment and proactive preparation for a disaster is imperative for mass casualty incidents, no matter where they occur throughout the world.

Cold Storage of Remains Anywhere It’s Needed

A portable morgue unit brings the storage of bodies to the site of the disaster, where it’s needed most. A mass shooting might occur in a densely packed shopping mall or a crowded urban area. Or, there might be an overwhelmed morgue facility in a city hospital. Or, the situation could be a site of urban destruction, like the World Trade Center site in New York or the recent condo collapse in Florida. 

Wherever it’s needed, a mobile morgue provides the necessary repository of remains. 

Types of Mobile Morgue Trailers

There are different types of trailers available, depending on budget and population of the area to be served. Penn Care utilizes trusted Acela morgue unit products.

More About Acela

Based in Belgrade, Montana, Acela Truck has over 100 years of combined experience in the automotive and transportation industries. Typically known for their manufacturing of fire and rescue trucks, COVID-19 has changed the business landscape and offered the company an avenue to provide reliable mobile refrigeration units to areas in need of additional refrigerated cadaver storage.

Acela is one of the largest manufacturers of purpose-built morgue trailers and portable mortuary surge solutions in North America. Acela is well positioned to provide agencies and institutions with high-quality disaster mortuary surge solutions to meet a wide variety of needs and budgets, and is a trusted manufacturer for Penn Care.

17’ to 31’ Mobile Morgue Trailer

These trailers can hold between 16 to 48 cadavers, and are constructed to maintain a temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit in 110 degree ambient temperatures. 

They come equipped with motion-sensing lighting, ramps for ease of entry and can be towed by most pickup trucks or SUVs. 

From an escalating multi-casualty incident to a pandemic-caused mortuary surge scenario, we have the solutions to meet your specific needs. These refrigerated trailers are constructed with aluminum or composite interior walls, have heavy-duty aluminum rolling racks and are known for their 30+ year lifespan.

Standard specifications include the following: 

• 17’ to 31’ Interior Length 
• 4″ Nominal Closed-Cell Polyurethane Insulation
• Maintains 35 °F (1°C) in 110 °F (43°C) Ambient Temps.
• Bumper-Pull (Towed with Most Pick-ups or SUVs)
• Low Floor, Easy-Access Ramp Systems
• Motion-Sensing Interior Lighting
• Seamless, Heavy-Duty Commercial Flooring
• Aluminum or Composite Interior Walls
• Aluminum Rolling Racks and Trays
• 30+ Year Lifespan

Popular options include the following:

• Generator Backup Power 
• Audible/Visual Alarms
• Transfer Switches
• Exterior Scene Lighting
• SafetyLock Tray Locking System
• Collapsing Rolling Rack Systems
• Solar Battery Chargers Maintenance
• Storage Solutions

53’ Mobile Morgue Trailer

The 53-foot morgue trailer comes with a self contained refrigeration unit, 14 four-tray aluminum cadaver racks, and ultimately has the capacity for up to 90 victims. These units are often referred to as mobile morgue expansion trailers (MMETs).

These refrigerated trailers also have the same temperature-maintaining capability as the 17- and 31-foot morgue trailers, but can accommodate the challenging demands of immediate mass storage of decedents.

Standard specifications for Penn Care’s Acela mobile morgue expansion trailers (MMETs) include the following:

• 53-Foot Insulated/Refrigerated Semi-Trailer
• Self-Contained Refrigeration Unit
• 48-Inch Wide x 24-Foot Long/ 1,500 lb. Capacity Rear Access Ramp with Handrails (Color-Coded Assembly)
• Rear Insulated Wall with Integrated Cooler Door for Easy Access
• Interior LED Lighting (120VAC)
• (14) 4-Tray Aluminum (Lightweight) Heavy- Duty Rolling Cadaver Racks
• (56) Aluminum (Lightweight) Heavy Duty Cadaver Trays with Cam Straps
• Rear Motion-Controlled LED Area//Ramp Lighting
• 100′ HD Power Cable for Interior Lighting
• Crates and straps to secure all loose items
• Wrenches for Railing Securement
• Manuals, Guides, Etc

Optional equipment for the 53-foot Acela refrigerated trailers from Penn Care include additional racks and trays.

Pandemic Lessons for Mass Fatality

Most of the science community agrees that the next pandemic will happen, it’s just a question of when. Lessons learned from our experience with COVID-19 help us weather the coming storm (whenever it may be), but unfortunately, many will pass away in the process. 

Hospitals and local health departments need to be prepared, not just to care for the sick but also to have a way to deal with those who have already passed. When regular morgues are full and funeral homes are overwhelmed, mobile morgue trailers provide a trusted intermediary.

Importance of Mobile Morgues During COVID-19

In the height of the coronavirus surge, the pace of COVID- related deaths accelerated quickly, especially in states like California, Texas and New York. Emergency services throughout the state of California launched plans to address the fallout, including a multi-casualty plan and a coroner mutual aid plan (which helped to add 88 refrigerated trailers that were distributed across the state).

Throughout Texas, not only were public health officials working to convert convention centers into overflow hospitals, but they were also preparing for a surge in death rates. Nueces and Travis County public officials were both quick to note that they were in the process of ordering and acquiring refrigerated units to accommodate the increasing number of bodies.

New York City, which was hit especially hard by COVID-19, utilized countless mobile morgues units to store hundreds of bodies of people who had passed in the city during the pandemic’s surge.

Being Prepared for When Tragedy Occurs

Many of Penn Care’s loyal customers realize the importance of being prepared: being proactive instead of reactive. To that end, many who end up purchasing a portable mobile morgue trailer also want additional products to have on hand when disaster hits.

In addition to our refrigerated trailers, Penn Care is also your go-to resource for generators, mobile cadaver lifts, and aluminum rack and tray systems.

Generators

Adequate, convenient power is a must — and anything less than the dependability and proven performance of Kubota is a gamble. Penn Care offers Kubota GL Series generators that are made to deliver reliable power with a durable, convenient design (plus a wealth of features that maximize usability and enhance your peace of mind).

The Kubota GL offers compact design, low emissions, easy one-side maintenance, and is available in gas or diesel.

Mobile Cadaver Tray Lift

Cadaver lifts are designed to assist the loading and unloading of body trays from mortuary refrigerators and Mobile Morgue Expansion Trailers (MMETs). Penn Care’s cadaver lifts are designed with a narrow body to allow ease of movement through congested work areas and narrow aisles.

Our lifts are foot pump controlled, have a 1000 lb weight capacity, and raise to a height of 62” high.

Rack and Tray Systems

Acela’s rack and tray systems for morgue trailers are trusted and reliable. They offer a fully-welded aluminum construction, have a max width of 2’1” and a max length of 7’2”. They utilize protective tube caps, have swivel and lock casters and have a 7.5” clearance at the bottom of the unit.

Penn Care’s Mobile Morgue Trailers: Readiness for Any Disaster

Disaster comes in many forms. A mass shooting can end lives in seconds. A hurricane or earthquake can rip an entire city apart. And, a pandemic can be slow and silent, unfolding over months and years while it steals those we love.

Penn Care has the resources to help with the aftermath of any of these scenarios and more – our portable morgue trailers are just a small part of our many trusted products. Call us today and we’ll assess your needs to find the best solution.