BELTON, S.C. - Healthcare professionals expect a significant surge in H1N1 influenza cases during the fast-approaching flu season. More than half of the United States population could ultimately be infected, with deaths expected to reach, or quite possibly, exceed 90,000, according to the latest forecast released by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Viruses like H1N1 are notoriously unpredictable; leaving everyone asking one question: ARE WE READY?
Up-to-date and frequent information on seasonal and H1N1 influenza generously flows from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) into the hands of national and state officials. Advice and interventions are offered. Hand sanitizing stations are being installed at every corner of school campuses. Pharmacies are being stocked with additional doses of Tamiflu. A vaccination for H1N1 is due to be released in late October. With all these steps in place, however, deaths could still be more sudden and dramatic than projected; thus leaving everyone asking yet another 
question: ARE WE READY? Are the medical examiners, hospital morgues, and coroners ready to handle the expected, or unexpected, casualties?
Most hospitals have a preparedness plan in place and had the opportunity to test it during the initial outbreak of H1N1. Not all agencies are prepared though, increasing their vulnerability to much more than infection. The H1N1 and seasonal influenza will hinder agencies that are not prepared. Mortuary Response Solutions™ (MRS) offers training and equipment to assist agencies in becoming better prepared for mass fatalities resulting from influenza pandemics.
MRS has worked with military, federal and state agencies, and private firms to employ a total solution to mass fatalities. The solution: portable cold storage capability. In response to overwhelmed resources during a pandemic, MRS has designed, engineered and tested the MERCSystem™ (Mortuary Enhanced Remains Cooling System). The MERCSystem™ is the first direct contact cooling system using liquid cooling technology to store human remains. The MERCSystem™ can be introduced to agencies through the new IRIS remains recovery platform. IRIS is uniquely tailored to fit the needs of each agency and is the only human remains recovery system that is completely portable, scalable and interoperable. IRIS uses the technology of the MERCSystem™ to adapt to any response requirement. A high ranking U.S. Government Official said, “The MERCSystem offers the most advanced, state-of-the-art technology that the mass fatality and mass disaster community has seen in 25 years.”
“This technology is critical to responding to the uncertainties of a mass fatality incident,” said Michael Richardson, President of MRS. Richardson hopes that their training and equipment can alleviate the preparedness gaps existing worldwide.
About MRS MRS is the leader in mass fatality response equipment. With over 15 years of experience, MRS takes pride in providing state-of-the-art solutions to assist in developing comprehensive, results driven, mass fatality management plans. For details about this media advisory or Mortuary Response Solutions, visit www.mortuaryresponse.com.
For more information, contact: Lauren Taylor, Marketing Director Trailerlogic, LLC Mortuary Response Solutions Phone: 864-261-5151 Ext. 8105 Email: lmt@trailerlogic.com