December 17, 1988
They could never be described as luxurious, but thousands of empty cargo containers within easy reach of empty cargo containers within easy reach of Soviet Armenia can be made available as safe, temporary housing for earthquake victims. At a time when hundreds are dying each night because they lack shelter, surplus containers are available at less than $1,000 apiece in every port in Europe, Asia and the United States.
The idea is not untested or far-out. Containers like those carried on ships in world trade or hauled along the nation’s highways have been put to varied uses for many years. Many American citizens in remote areas already have adapted a simple acetylene torch to cut windows, doors and chimney vents through the walls and roofs of metal cargo carriers.
But even without these refinements, a single modular steel box 8 feet tall and 20 feet long can provide secure, emergency quarters for 25 people. Their own body heat isn’t enough to provide comfort, but it will keep those seeking shelter from freezing.
What I am proposing is the equivalent of the temporary relief that was the best the Soviet people, and for that matter the British and other allies, could get during the worst days of World War II. In this case, it was nature rather than a foreign power that proved to be the enemy.
The containers can also serve the vital function of carrying food, clothing and other supplies to areas where air and ground transport are lacking. Bypassing the jammed airport at Yerevan, containers can be flown directly by military helicopter to remote villages where they are needed. Or they can be transported by cargo planes and dropped by parachute.
In either case, they can arrive fully loaded. There is no point in dropping empties from the sky when supplies are available at shipping points and are sorely needed.
One special quality of the cargo modules is that they are, in fact, so strong that they can be dropped from the air directly without chutes—though obviously that would be less desirable. In addition, the parachutes themselves are also useful, both as insulation and as protection for supplies that would otherwise be exposed to the elements.
Many of these cargo carriers could begin their service in the United States. In spite of the importance of speed, it is difficult in most circumstances to arrange prompt overseas deliveries of sleeping bags and other cold-weather gear because of shipping and handling difficulties. But these problems can be solved speedily if we load containers here and take them directly to where they are needed.
Even in areas where the housing need is enormous, cargo containers can be expected at best to provide only temporary shelter. But temporary will surely take on a special meaning in parts of Armenia where almost all the housing will have to be replaced. It will take years before new accommodations can be put in place in sufficient quantity to serve the hundreds of thousands of homeless in Soviet Armenia.
During this intervening period, ingenious Soviet citizens can be expected to adapt any modules they get into relatively comfortable living units, strong enough to survive a quake many times stronger than the one that destroyed the un-reinforced homes and apartment houses in the nation.
Perhaps the simples plan a family could follow would be to set two containers side by side to make a small, two-bedroom dwelling. Only commonly available welding and cutting equipment would be needed to tie the two units together and make openings for access and air. Slabs of insulation could then be fastened in place and covered with plywood to provide a warm home.
This is just one example that comes to mind. Shipping modules are capable of being used in a wide variety of configurations. The uses and shapes that residents would select would be determined by local needs.
One use for some containers would be to replace sewer systems that were destroyed in the earthquake. A single container buried in the ground could serve as a septic tank for 60 or more families.
I think one of the most attractive things about the plan is that it places great emphasis on Soviet self-reliance. The Soviets broke precedent by welcoming help from other countries in the overwhelming crisis, but quite clearly, they are a proud people who want to stand on their own feet as quickly as possible.
It would be up to them, for example, to fit the new shelters with basic heating and plumbing equipment. The residents would do the labor on making the shelters habitable.
What a wonderful piece of symbolism it would be if Soviet military equipment no longer needed as a result of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s decision to reduce the nation’s armed forces by 500,000 troops could be melted down and put to civilian use in rebuilding Soviet Armenia.
Copyright © 1988 Dr. Bill Wattenburg
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