Case Study – Drug Decontamination

Case Studies

Case Study - Drug Decontamination

Stolen Senior Services Van Found: The Challenge of Biohazard Cleanup

The nine-day search for a missing senior citizen transportation van finally came to an end when the vehicle was discovered abandoned in the parking lot of a nearby McDonald's. This particular van, a vital component of the Johnson County Senior Services (JCSS) fleet, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit, had been stolen over a week prior during a routine patient delivery to the Franciscan Health Cancer Center. JCSS offers its senior citizens many services free of charge, with this van alone having transported over 13,400 seniors the previous year. For over nine days, dispatchers worked overtime and diligently rearranged schedules, doing everything possible to prevent a gap in critical service.

The relief of finding the van was quickly overshadowed by the alarming state of its interior. The vehicle was found in an unsanitary and unusable condition, presenting a clear biohazard risk. Evidence suggested the van had been lived in, but far more concerning was the presence of used needles, a spoon, and trace amounts of a controlled substance, notably heroin. The environment was contaminated with potential bloodborne pathogens and required immediate, specialized attention. The van was now not just a stolen asset, but a dangerous scene requiring comprehensive drug decontamination.

Due to the nature of the contamination-which included both drug-related residue and potential biohazard materials-the van would require extensive professional restoration before it could ever be fit for service and safe for the vulnerable senior population.

This critical and delicate task of complete drug decontamination and disinfection fell to First Onsite, Moore Restoration, an Indianapolis-based service provider experienced in handling high-risk environments. To minimize disruption and ensure accountability, the work was initiated in the parking lot of the Johnson County Sheriff's Office. The target vehicle, a Dodge Caravan, first underwent a rigorous pre-cleaning process to safely remove all hazardous materials, including the used needles and drug paraphernalia.

"This is critical for us. People literally die if they cannot get the life-saving treatments they need…[SteraMist was] a priceless gift. For us, this means more people continue to get their needed appointments, both medical and non-medical."