I began working at the local Hospital when I was 16. So basically, I've worked in the Health Care industry all my working life. I've worked in Dietary, gotta start somewhere, Surgery, Housekeeping and Laundry.

I'll tell you some about the place I work now.

I work at a County owned 470 bed Nursing Home. I am the Assistant Director of Environmental Services. Which means I help run the Housekeeping and Laundry Departments, with my primary duties in the Laundry. I've been doing this since here September 28, 1992.

THE EQUIPMENT:

4 - 450 lb. open pocket washers

1 - 300 lb. open pocket washer

1 - 50 lb. open pocket washer

Open pockets are the same as the front loading machines you can find in Laundry Mats. To give you an idea of how much these washers hold, one 450 will hold the equivalent to 18 regular top loading home machines.

2 - 400 lb dryers

1 - 200 lb. dryer

2 - flat work Ironer's along with sheet feeders and folders.

2 - Small Piece Folders, for folding bath towels and patient gowns.

1 - Garment Steam Tunnel, for the removal of wrinkles and drying of Residents clothing. We don't have the time to hand press each piece of clothing.

We also have a water reclamation system that is used. This system was installed when they built this Laundry. With this system, we reuse the final rinse at the end of one load and use it at the beginning of another.

In August 2004, an Ozone system was installed. This was installed for an energy program the county entered into. A heat reclamation system was also installed the year before. This system was hooked into the exhaust ducts of the dryer. The heat heading out is caught by a wheel, similar to that of a car radiator, and is picked up by the fresh air coming in.

We also have a couple of conveyor systems we use to move the finished product to central areas to be wrapped in plastic material.

My main function is to oversee the overall operation of the department. I have 2 supervisors who oversee the daily operation and a staff of 28.