A Story From the Field: The Volunteer Who Helped Everyone but Himself

Ek (not his real name) leads a volunteer team at a rescue foundation in Wang Noi. During the peak of the flood he took the boats out every day from five in the morning until late at night. More than thirty volunteers joined at the busiest point. Every one of them came back to the centre soaked through. They pulled off their boots and left them in a heap outside the door, hung their uniforms on a steel rail behind the building, and collapsed onto mattresses in the shared rest room for a few hours before heading out again.

Only when the water began to fall did Ek finally have time to look around. The rest room smelled of damp, rubber and mud so strongly that several team members had started sleeping in their vehicles instead. Black spots had appeared on many of the mattresses. The steel lockers had water stains. Uniforms hung out to dry never quite dried, because it rained every afternoon. The life jackets had a sour, fermented smell. In the equipment room, ropes, gloves and the stretchers used to carry patients were all piled together.

Before long, one volunteer developed an itchy rash on his legs and an infected cut on his foot. Another had a cough that would not go away. Ek realised that for a whole month, everyone had been standing in floodwater that had flowed through homes, drains and animal pens, and yet nobody had ever properly disinfected the equipment or the rooms where they slept. He decided that before the centre accepted its next mission, it needed to be genuinely clean again.

The Risks Rescue Workers Face After the Water Recedes

Germs carried back on equipment

Floodwater that passes through communities can carry bacteria such as E. coli and the organisms that cause leptospirosis, known in Thailand as "rat urine disease." These cling to boots, gloves, ropes, stretchers and boat decks, and every mission brings a fresh load back into the station. Without a disinfection routine, the station itself slowly becomes a reservoir of contamination.

Frequent cuts and scrapes

Wading through water, climbing fences and lifting heavy loads means rescue workers almost always have small abrasions on their hands and legs. Those tiny wounds are easy entry points for bacteria, raising the risk of skin infections and leptospirosis.

Shared rest rooms become mold incubators

When dozens of people bring moisture indoors at the same time, mattresses, blankets and walls stay damp for days. Mold grows, musty odors build up, and anyone with allergies or asthma starts to suffer. Poor sleep then reduces alertness on the next mission, which is a safety issue in itself.

Uniforms and life jackets that never fully dry

Fabrics and foam that stay damp collect bacteria and mold, which causes odors and can irritate the skin. A life jacket that smells is not just unpleasant. It is a sign that something is growing inside it.

Readiness for the next emergency

If equipment deteriorates or several team members fall ill at the same time, the centre's ability to respond to the next emergency drops immediately. Recovery for rescuers is not a luxury. It is part of keeping the community safe.

Why Hosing Down and Sun-Drying Is Not Enough

• Rinsing off the mud. This makes things look clean, but it does not kill germs. If the gear does not dry completely afterwards, the moisture actually helps bacteria and mold grow.
• Soaking everything in strong bleach. Concentrated bleach can weaken fabric, straps and rubber parts, fade high-visibility colours and leave a harsh smell that irritates skin. Rescue gear has to be strong and reliable, so damaging it is a real cost.
• Relying on sunshine. In the rainy season there simply is not enough sun. Uniforms and mattresses may feel dry on the surface while staying damp deep inside.
• Spraying deodorizer. This covers the smell for a while, but the mold in the mattresses and the rest room is still there.
• No separation between clean and dirty. When contaminated gear sits next to clean gear, germs keep circulating and the problem never really ends.

Cleaning removes mud. Disinfection kills germs on surfaces. Ozone treatment reaches the air and breaks down odor molecules in enclosed rooms. A rescue centre needs all three, plus a simple system to keep it that way.

The Solution: Chemgene HLD4H Fogging for Buildings and Gear, Then Ozone for Rest Rooms

WHD provides a professional disinfection service using Chemgene HLD4H disinfectant through ULV (ultra-low volume) fogging equipment. The fine mist covers vehicle bays, equipment stores, changing rooms, lockers, bathrooms and shared rest rooms evenly. Equipment that has already been rinsed of mud, such as boots, gloves, helmets, stretchers and boat decks, is misted on every side. The team then uses a professional ozone treatment service in rest rooms and changing rooms to reduce airborne mold spores and break down the musty odors that have soaked into mattresses, curtains and walls.

How WHD works at fire stations and rescue foundations

1. Survey and zoning. The team helps divide the site into a dirty zone, where gear returns from missions, and a clean zone, where ready-to-use equipment is stored. The work order is planned so emergency response is never interrupted.
2. Mud first. Heavy mud is rinsed off equipment and floors with clean water, and mattresses or fabrics with heavy mold growth are discarded.
3. ULV fogging of the building. Vehicle bays, equipment rooms, lockers, bathrooms and rest rooms are fogged thoroughly.
4. Equipment disinfection. Gear that touched floodwater is misted or wiped with Chemgene HLD4H, then left to dry fully in the clean zone. Breathing apparatus and other specialised safety equipment is cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Ozone treatment of rest rooms and changing rooms. Rooms are sealed and treated with a controlled ozone dose matched to their size. Rubber gear, rescue ropes and electronics are removed first, because high ozone concentrations can make rubber age faster.
6. Ventilation. Doors and windows are opened until the ozone has dissipated before the team returns.
7. Re-check and a routine for the future. The team checks odor and condition, then helps set up a simple post-mission disinfection routine the volunteers can run themselves.

Rescue Vehicles, Ambulances and Boats: The Spots Everyone Forgets

During a flood operation, rescue vehicles and patient transport vans carry people who are soaked in floodwater several times a day. Floors, seats, grab handles and wheeled stretchers collect far more mud and moisture than most teams realise. Flat-bottomed boats come back with mud and debris packed into every seam of the deck. If they are parked in the bay without being washed and disinfected, the smell drifts into the building and germs travel back on the hands of the crew.

The WHD team can mist the passenger compartments of vehicles, wheeled stretchers and boat decks after the mud has been rinsed off. If a vehicle cabin has a musty smell, a controlled ozone treatment can be carried out with the doors closed, followed by full ventilation before the vehicle goes back into service. Removable medical devices and electronics are taken out first.

It is also worth wiping down the driver's area: the steering wheel, gear lever, door handles, radio handset and seat belt buckles. These are touched constantly by crew members coming straight from the water, and they are easy to overlook because they do not look dirty. A quick daily wipe with a disinfectant spray keeps them from becoming a hidden route for germs to travel between shifts and between team members.

A Four-Stage Recovery Plan for Rescue Centres

Stage 1: As the missions ease off, gather all equipment in the dirty zone, inspect it and set aside anything damaged.

Stage 2: Rinse the mud from equipment, vehicles and floors. Throw away mattresses and fabrics with heavy mold growth.

Stage 3: Book WHD to fog the entire building and disinfect the equipment, then ozone-treat the rest rooms and changing rooms.

Stage 4: Set up a permanent clean zone, post the post-mission disinfection steps on the wall, and put a disinfectant spray bottle in every vehicle.

10 Reasons Wang Noi Rescue Teams Restore Their Centres With WHD

1. The whole building disinfected in one visit with ULV fogging.
2. Proper care for life-saving equipment using Chemgene HLD4H.
3. Rest rooms that smell fresh again after ozone treatment, so the team can actually sleep.
4. Lower risk of skin infections and leptospirosis from gear that touched floodwater.
5. Fewer mold spores that trigger allergies and lingering coughs.
6. Careful use of ozone, with rubber gear and electronics removed first.
7. Zoned work, so the station can keep answering emergency calls.
8. A clean-zone and dirty-zone system that keeps working on future missions.
9. Dust mite removal for mattresses available through the dust mite removal service.
10. Disinfectant on board every vehicle with portable Chemgene HLD4H spray.

Before and After

In the Client's Words

"We were so busy helping other people that we forgot to look after ourselves. When the WHD team fogged the whole centre, treated the rest room with ozone and showed us how to separate dirty gear from clean gear, the young volunteers moved back inside to sleep. Nobody has to sleep in the trucks anymore. It feels like we are truly ready to go out and help people again."

— Volunteer team leader at a rescue foundation in Wang Noi (a scenario based on real field situations)

A Post-Mission Disinfection Routine Your Team Can Run Every Time

1. Take off uniforms and boots in the dirty zone before entering the building.
2. Rinse the mud off all equipment with clean water.
3. Spray or wipe equipment with disinfectant, then let it dry completely.
4. Wash uniforms separately from everyday clothes.
5. Wash hands, shower and dress any wounds as soon as you return.
6. Move dried equipment to the clean zone.
7. If you develop fever, muscle pain or red eyes after wading through floodwater, see a doctor promptly and mention the flood exposure.

Keep the routine short and visual, with a picture for each step, so that tired volunteers coming back late at night can follow it without thinking. Post this routine on the wall of the dirty zone and in every vehicle. When it becomes a habit, the centre stays clean between professional treatments, and new volunteers learn the system from their first day.

Why Rest Matters as Much as Equipment

Rescue organisations put enormous effort into maintaining boats, engines, pumps and vehicles. It is just as important to maintain the people. A volunteer who sleeps badly because of a stuffy, musty room makes slower decisions, gets tired faster in the water and is more likely to be injured. A team member who keeps coughing through the night keeps everyone else awake too.

A clean, fresh rest room is therefore a piece of operational equipment in its own right. It is where the team recovers between shifts, where they eat, talk through the day's missions and support each other after difficult rescues. Investing in a professional clean-up after a long operation is a way of saying thank you to the people who gave so much, and of making sure they are fit and ready when the next emergency comes.

An Item-by-Item Guide to Rescue Equipment

Not every piece of gear should be treated the same way. Here is a practical way to think about the most common items that come back from a flood mission.

• Rubber boots and waders. Rinse inside and out, mist or wipe with Chemgene HLD4H, then stand them upside down on a rack so the inside can dry. Avoid long, high-concentration ozone exposure, which can make rubber crack sooner.
• Gloves. Disposable gloves should be thrown away after each mission. Reusable work gloves can be washed, disinfected and dried completely before reuse.
• Helmets. Remove the inner padding if possible, wash it separately, and wipe the shell and straps with disinfectant.
• Life jackets. Rinse in clean water, mist with disinfectant, then hang in a well-ventilated, shaded place until the foam is fully dry. Check buckles and straps for damage while you are at it.
• Rescue ropes and webbing. Follow the manufacturer's care guidelines. Rinse out mud, avoid harsh chemicals that could weaken fibres, and dry away from direct heat before inspection.
• Stretchers and spinal boards. Wash off mud, disinfect every surface including handles and straps, and dry before returning them to the vehicle.
• Boat decks and paddles. Hose out debris from seams and corners, then mist with disinfectant and leave to dry before storage.
• Uniforms. Wash separately from household laundry, using the hottest setting the fabric allows, and dry thoroughly before storing in the clean zone.

Leptospirosis and Skin Infections: What Every Volunteer Should Know

Leptospirosis is one of the best-known health risks after floods in Thailand. The bacteria live in water and soil contaminated by the urine of rats and other animals, and they can enter the body through cuts, scratches, softened skin after long immersion, or the eyes and mouth. Symptoms often appear days or even a couple of weeks after exposure, which is why many people do not connect them to the flood. Typical signs include sudden fever, headache, severe muscle pain, especially in the calves, and red eyes.

Skin infections are even more common. Hours in dirty water soften the skin and allow bacteria to enter through tiny wounds. A small scrape that looks harmless can become red, swollen and painful within a couple of days.

The message for every team member is simple: clean and cover wounds straight after each mission, keep feet as dry as possible between shifts, and see a doctor quickly if a fever or infected wound develops, mentioning that you have been working in floodwater. Disinfecting equipment and living areas reduces the amount of contamination around the team, but personal care remains essential.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can life jackets and rubber boots be ozone-treated?
High concentrations of ozone can make rubber and some other materials age faster. The team therefore recommends disinfecting these items by misting or wiping them with Chemgene HLD4H instead, and using ozone mainly for rest rooms and changing rooms.

What about breathing apparatus?
Clean and disinfect it strictly according to the manufacturer's manual. The team does not ozone-treat specialised safety equipment.

Does the station have to stop taking calls while the work is done?
No. The team works zone by zone and plans the order so that emergency vehicles and equipment are always ready to roll.

Should mattresses with mold be kept?
Mattresses with mold deep inside the foam should be discarded. Washable items with only surface mold can be washed and dried completely before being brought back into a room that has been ozone-treated.

How long does it take?
It depends on the size of the building and the amount of equipment. In most cases the job, including ventilation time, can be completed within a day.

Does WHD serve Wang Noi?
Yes. WHD serves Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Bangkok and nearby areas. Call 065-556-6294 to book a site survey.

Can volunteers stay on site during the work?
Volunteers can stay in areas that are not being treated. Rooms undergoing ozone treatment are closed and signposted, and nobody should enter until the team has ventilated the room and confirmed it is ready. Fogged areas can usually be used again once the mist has settled and the surfaces have dried, which the team will confirm on the day.

Take Care of the People Who Take Care of Everyone

Let the WHD team restore your station, equipment and rest rooms so they are clean, disinfected and ready for the next mission.

See Disinfection Service – Click Here

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Call 065-556-6294 · LINE @whd268 · Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Services and Reading

• Ozone treatment for odors and chemical residue
• Dust mite removal service
• Master Ozone Generator
• All WHD articles
• Health guidance after floods: WHO Floods Fact Sheet and the Thai Department of Disease Control