Dec-2020
Hamilton company develops hospital rooms from shipping containers during COVID-19
A Hamilton company is in talks with the province about funding a creative solution to the COVID-19 crisis in hospitals and long-term care. Fero International Inc., which specializes in disaster relief solutions, has developed ICUs and operating rooms out of shipping containers. A simpler version of the units can be used to isolate infected patients in long-term care. And, their CEO says, the company will soon work on developing units to support distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, expected to arrive in Canada this month.
Sabrina Fiorellino is the CEO of Fero International Inc., a Hamilton-based company proposing to build mobile units from shipping containers for hospitals and long-term care homes to help with infection control and capacity during the pandemic. “Our goals are to save lives where and when needed,” said CEO Sabrina Fiorellino. “The elderly in the homes are dying, and I think us as a population are not doing enough to protect the elderly.” What the inside of the Fero mobile hospital unit could look like with a patient and medical equipment.
Fero is building the medical units at AVL Manufacturing on Queen Street North. AVL was previously developing its own triage units for COVID-19 patients, but Fiorellino says once the company’s owners and owners of another company, Eightx40 Management Inc., came together to found Fero, they combined their expertise to developed new units. Each room of the medical unit has its own HVAC filter, temperature control and air pressure system for greater flexibility.
“When you’re intubating a patient with a vent, aerosols get in the air, and this puts people at risk,” said Fiorellino, who has a background in law and construction. “The recommendation when you’re doing this type of procedure is to do it in a negative pressure room.”
Fero International Inc. is a Hamilton-based company proposing to build mobile units from shipping containers for hospitals and long-term care homes to help with infection control and capacity during the pandemic. The connections on the unit for oxygen and air. The units can be connected together with an airtight seal, and attach to an existing building or exist separately.
Read the full Hamilton Spectator article here