Hurricane response teams are a joint effort between civilians, first responders, and national guard members of the affected area. Their job is to help keep people safe during the event of a hurricane and the following aftermath. The job that these brave people sign up for is not easy and require trekking through waist high flood waters, high winds, and dealing with compromised electrical infrastructure

Hurricane Response Teams

Floods follow hurricanes like a shadow. So while working on a hurricane response team will be dealing with lots and lots of flood water. Flood water is filled with bacteria, human waste, and fungi. If your shoes aren't both water proof and sealed tight, infection can set in quick.

Cause for Concern

-Sharp Debris-

While working a hurricane response you will have to wade through murky water filled with the debri and wreckage of the storm. Some of this debris can be sharp. So with improper footing and/or footware, some of the debris and go straight through the shoe

-Flood Water-

-Unstable Surfaces-

When a hurricane passes through it leaves a lot of water. This water will coat every nook and cranny in the affected area making everything, a massive slip-n'-slide. This makes surfaces very unstable which can be very dangerous for those working hurricane response.

Symptoms

Hurricane response teams can suffer things like...

Infections ranging from minor fungal, to some bacterial infections where the only option is amputation

Cut or puncture wounds from the debris and rubble

Falls and other alike injuries due to improper footwear

Treatment

Although prevention is always better than treatment, we do have ways of helping those that have been affected by the hazards of being a part of a hurricane response team.

Antibiotics have been quite effective at helping those that have suffered infections relating to flood water.

Physical injuries are treatable by conventional medicine.

Current Method of Protection

Prevention. of these hazards include heavy steel toed boots, large waterproof overalls, as well as more conventional rain gear

Problems With Protection

Not always waterproof

Cumbersome

Gap from leg to shoe

Lacks ventilation

Lacks ventilation

Cumbersome

Proposed Solution