Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Roi Maufas quit his job five years ago, bought seven cases of Ramen noodles, and started his company Gorilla Design.
His goal was to build a storm-proof home for his family after fleeing New Orleans with them after Hurricane Katrina hit. But with the occurrence of so many other natural disasters, Maufas' goal grew larger.
"I have a visceral connection to these people. I know what it's like to wake up and find your town gone," Maufas said, speaking specifically of the people of Joplin, Mo.
The city's local newspaper, The Joplin Globe, reported that the EF5 tornado that touched down May 22, 2011 destroyed 6,954 homes and 500 businesses. There were more than 14 football fields of debris left in the 22 mile path of the storm.
I have a visceral connection to these people. I know what it's like to wake up and find your town gone.
–Roi Maufas, Hurricane Katrina survivor
"You have a different perspective on life and what humanity is," Maufas said.
His perspective led him to want to help others ride out storms safely and without losing their homes. "We want to be designing to a higher standard," he explained.
Maufas believes that higher standard can be found in the estimated 20 million shipping containers that can be found inside the continental United States.
"We were looking at an aerial photo of New Orleans trying to figure out where our neighborhood was. It was all flotsam and jetsam," he said. "There, in the middle of the photo, were four or five shipping containers that had floated in and were totally unscathed."
From that photo, an idea was born.
Maufas purchased a shipping container, and with the help of a team of engineers designed a solar-powered, wind-powered disaster shelter.
"It has on-site sewage treatment with a bioremediation toilet," Maufas said. "It has a water filtration system down to .2 microns — that means you can mechanically filter out the E. coli, cholera, salmonella and other water borne illnesses. After it goes through that process, it's treated with ultraviolet light."
There is a shower with hot and cold running water in the unit. Additionally, there is an induction cook top that uses magnetic waves to cook and a microwave convection oven with the ability to bake, broil and microwave in the same unit.
"We want to be designing to net-zero," Maufas said. "I got this idea to form Gorilla Design and specialize in solar and wind storm-proof and earthquake-proof structures."
But Maufas is donating his one and only structure, known as a disaster relief unit, to Joplin. Not only because they need it, he says, but because he feels the need to give it to them.
A visceral reaction to what he saw on television after the Joplin tornado made Maufas realize he may be out of the South, but the child of the South remains in him.
"I saw on TV, after the Joplin tornado, a fellow standing in front of his house who had lost everything. He had a rebel flag on his hat. I did that Pat Robertson thing where I immediately blamed the disaster on the victim," he said. "I caught myself because I was really disgusted. I'm somebody's father. I don't want him to carry those things."
Maufas traveled to Joplin to find the man he says he judged. Though he didn't find him, he found plenty others in need. Then and there, he says he pledged to help.
"So what I'm going to do is give my disaster relief unit to the Grace Baptist Church," Maufas explained. "This is the only one I have, but I'm raising money to build another one. I think that the need is strong enough that it needs to get there now."
The shipping container costs about $45,000 to outfit. In the meantime, he's expanded his goal to include storm-proof, earthquake-proof homes.
You can take a look at some of his designs by clicking HERE.
Email: lprichard@ksl.com
