Free Showers Deploy Weekly

Refresh Lancaster is a mobile shower and medical care service unit offered by a partnership involving Lancaster EMS, LancCo MyHome, and a local entity depending on the area of the county where the unit deploys. The current schedule puts the unit at a location from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

On Mondays, the unit is in Columbia at Columbia Presbyterian Church, 360 Locust St. Columbia, and on Tuesdays, it sets up at ECHOS, 61 E. Washington St., Elizabethtown. In New Holland, the local partner is CrossNet Ministries, so the unit is at 110 W. Franklin St., each Wednesday, and on Fridays, the unit is at Union Community Care, 304 N. Water St., Lancaster. Alexa Morales, community paramedic technician and shower trailer lead, noted that a place is needed in Ephrata to deploy on Thursdays. Morales would like to add a second early morning deployment in the city of Lancaster where children could shower prior to school. She would also like to find places in Solanco, Pequea Valley, and East Lampeter to offer the service.

The unit offers two private showers to accommodate families and children, along with clean towels and toiletry kits. Women's hygiene kits, made up by the Lancaster Pilot Club, include encouraging cards, nail files, wipes, mouthwash, lip balm, shampoo, and conditioner. Items for men include razors and shave gel. "We have socks, underwear, bras, undershirts, and we have some things for children too," stated Morales, who added that a partnership with GROVE, a cleaning supply company, helps stock the kits and provides cleaning supplies for families. The unit also offers pregnancy tests and resources.

But Refresh is more than just a place to freshen up. Lancaster EMS offers a community care medicine program, which visits homes of those referred by Lancaster General Health or who qualify under insurance. "The goal is to help prevent unnecessary hospital stays," said Morales, who noted limiting emergency room visits is another aim of the program. "I am fully capable and stocked to monitor vitals and in the near future, we will be doing diabetic screenings through (Lancaster General Health)," said Morales, who also has phlebotomy training, but noted she would need to be informed ahead of the need for a blood draw. "If someone is in a diabetic emergency, I have glucose to try to help reverse that," she added. "We have ways to help with medical aspects."

While the trailer can carry 40 gallons of water, Morales noted it is better to hook up to a water source at the location than to haul water, so weather is sometimes an issue. "If it's below freezing, we will not deploy because our water lines will freeze," she explained, adding that another issue is high winds that make it difficult to haul the trailer safely. "If we don't bring the trailer, I will still go out in the truck or the ambulance or another vehicle to at least provide medical attention," said Morales.

Readers who would like to know more about the program may call 717-690-6538 or email alexandra_morales@lemsa.com.