MONROE COUNTY, TN, January 24, 2022
Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones today announced that the Sheriff’s Office has implemented hospital-grade UV-C light technology into its disinfection protocols to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens in the County jail and other facilities. The Sheriff’s Office partnered with Command Sourcing, Inc., an industry leader in corrections technology support, to deploy R-Zero’s flagship UV-C disinfection device, Arc.
UV-C light is a proven disinfection technology that can eliminate 99.99% of illness-causing microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The Arc unit purchased by the County can disinfect the air and surfaces in a 1,000 sq. ft. room in just seven minutes, freeing up time and resources for the County.
The Sheriff’s Office purchased Arc through a grant from the state of Tennessee’s Office of Criminal Justice Programs. The funding originated from Fiscal Year 2022 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding CFDA 16.034. There is no cost to Monroe County taxpayers. The Sheriff’s office will be using Arc to disinfect the courthouse, the jail, the public and office areas of the Justice Center, and the non-collocated courtroom in downtown Madisonville. A grant is currently pending to obtain a third unit to further bolster disinfection in the confinement areas and protect correction officers as well as inmates.
“UV-C light significantly reduces the risk of coronavirus transmission and other infectious diseases common in correctional facilities including hepatitis, tuberculosis, and influenza,” said R-Zero’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Richard Wade. “The technology has long been used by hospitals as one of the most efficient and effective ways to disinfect air, water, and surfaces, but historically, hospital-grade units have been cost-prohibitive for most organizations. Now, our partnership with Command Sourcing, Inc., helps bring R-Zero’s hospital-grade UV-C technology to county jails and other facilities at a fraction of the price.”
Command Sourcing, Inc., is a Corrections and Law Enforcement technology and supply company focused on biosecurity and safety. For a full view of their offerings and to reach them, visit www.commandsourcing.com.
R-Zero is the first biosafety company dedicated to making the spaces where we all live, learn, work, and play safer and clinically clean. Founded to help organizations protect what matters most, R-Zero’s suite of thoughtfully-designed, hospital-grade technologies and science-backed protocols reduce the transmission of microorganisms - from the coronavirus to the viruses that cause the common cold. R-Zero’s flagship product, Arc is a hospital-grade, germicidal UV-C device, proven to destroy 99.99% of surface-borne and airborne microorganisms that can cause illness. Arc can disinfect the air and surfaces in a 1,000 square foot space in just 7 minutes. BLE and LTE-M connectivity shares usage data in real time, providing organizations with an auditable trail of all disinfection activities. For more information, visit www.rzero.com.
Dr. Richard Wade is a leading expert in biosafety. He has spent the last 43 years in microbiological contamination, toxicology, and risk management roles for corporate and governmental bodies, including as Deputy Chief for Occupational Health at Cal/OSHA. Dr. Wade was a co-author of Standards of Healthcare of Correctional Institutions published by the American Public Health Association to advise the Supreme Court on issues related to healthcare and the spread of infectious diseases in jails and prisons.
Media Contacts:
Deputy Rick Lavoie / Monroe County Sheriff's Office
423-442-3911
[email protected]
Amy Foster / R-Zero
347-502-9539
[email protected]
Chief Chris White prepares the R-Zero Arc disinfection device, which quickly eliminate 99.99% of illness-causing microorganisms