Airmen Use Fog Machines to Disinfect Classrooms

 Dec. 3, 2020 | BY AIR FORCE SENIOR AIRMAN SERAIAH WOLF

The 17th Civil Engineer Squadron employed a different approach to disinfecting classrooms at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. Taking extra precautions for their own safety, Omar Martinez and Walter Miller, members of the civil engineer squadron, used fog machines to disinfect classroom surfaces at the school-age program and the Child Development Center.

This disinfectant is safe to breathe and be around while it is being sprayed. During the 20 minute re-entry time frame, the chemical bonds to any gems on the surfaces and kills them.

"The time the chemical is left alone on the surface is called wet time," Martinez said. "It also dries during the time that it bonds to the germs. Since it is a no rinse needed chemical, you are then good to go."

Each individual organization is responsible for the daily disinfecting of their offices. The staff wipe down the high-traffic areas every day. 

"We do this when we are requested," Miller said. "This is usually if one of the children has had an especially runny nose or if someone just wants to go the extra step to make sure even the hard to reach areas are taken care of."

This method of disinfecting is more efficient when it comes to disinfecting large areas.

"The chemical that we use is known to be 99.999% effective in killing different viruses," Martinez said. "This is why we are using this method. It is more likely to kill everything we want it to."

Back in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the flight chief for the child and youth programs reached out for help to deep clean all of the classrooms and toys. A group of fire and intelligence students volunteered and cleaned all of the classroom surfaces and toys to help protect the children across the base. 

During this time, we all stand together, six feet apart, being there for each other in ways no one could have anticipated, but it is more important now than ever. When in quarantine, reach out to fellow wingmen, friends and battle buddies through social media. Take advantage of the new ways to interact, socialize, and watch movies and shows together. Always follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines and help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

(Air Force Senior Airman Seraiah Wolf is assigned to 17th Training Wing Public Affairs.)