COVID-19 our manufacturing, and never had a shortage of any embalming chemicals. We increased production of our primary disinfectant spray, and between increased production and some limits on quantities being ordered at one time, have been able to keep our customers supplied. So, what is the takeaway from this pandemic for funeral service? In a nutshell, I would say the Boy Scout motto is accurate: “Be prepared.” When you determine what your inventory should be for your preparation room supplies, hope for the best but anticipate the worst. I am sure many of us now keep a little more toilet paper, waterless disinfectant and antibacterial soap at our houses. I know I do. I would recommend you look back at 2020 and see what your supply needs were. Determine how much PPE, disinfectant and embalming chemicals you would use in 6 months, and make sure you keep that amount always on-hand. There is no practical way to expedite deliveries from overseas where most PPE are manufactured. The ships can only sail so fast, and companies such as Dodge can only store a certain amount of inventory due to the size of our warehouses. To avoid shortages in the future, having supplies that will carry you through several months would be the best failsafe measure you can take. What we do not want to do is ignore the recent history of SARS, Ebola and COVID-19, and make ourselves vulnerable to another situation such as this when it occurs. Dodge is currently determining how we can react more nimbly to whatever our next major world event is. We are doing what we need to do to “be prepared.” Tim Collison, CFSP, is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Michigan. He graduated from Wayne State University’s Department of Mortuary Science. Tim is now chief operating officer and vice president of sales and marketing for The Dodge Company. He is also a member of the company’s research and development program. Tim has been a regular presenter at The Dodge Institute Seminars and clinics, and a contributing editor to The Dodge Magazine on the topics of mortuary cosmetology and restorative arts. Tim has been a presenter and lecturer to groups of funeral service professionals for over 30 years. The Dodge Company is proud to be an OGR Endorsed Supplier, and supports the membership with contributions toward OGR’s continuing education programs. Members are also able to get a 25% freight discount on eligible product purchases over $250, and a 50% freight discount on elibible product purchases of $500. OGR’s ne rofe OGR.org/Learning-Library on-demand to fit your schedule to f e el your NOW OPEN 20 www.ogr.org | Spring 2021 ewo ine LEARNING LIBRAR Professional deelopment webina webi rs
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