Custodians have a new disinfecting tool in their arsenal to zap germs and keep students and employees healthier this school year.
This week, custodians from middle and high school campuses began training on the E-Mist Electrostatic Infection Control System. The new technology uses a wand to deliver a disinfectant, which wraps on to touch points through electrostatic technology. Custodians will no longer spray on and wipe off disinfectant – a practice they have used for decades.
“EPISD is the first and only District in West Texas to employ these types of proactive measures as far as disinfecting and providing that clean and healthy environment for students and staff,” said Amanda Burns, director of custodial services.
“With this new technology, what would take about 15 minutes will now take about one minute tops.”
Custodians gathered Wednesday at Magoffin Middle School for a demonstration and training on the new equipment. Consuelo Cervantes, an assistant head custodian at Chapin High, applied the mist to lockers down the main hallway.
“It’s going to help us a lot,” Cervantes said. “We do a lot of cleaning and with this, it’s faster. And it’ll help a lot with the restrooms.”
Carmen Mata, assistant head custodian at Magoffin, likes that the new technology allows a more efficient clean without disturbing keyboards or items on the desks of employees.
“It’s a quick way to disinfect without touching personal stuff,” she said. 
This system provides custodians a quick turnaround for classrooms especially during flu season.
“If a student has fallen ill at school, when the class goes out to PE, we can go into the classroom and disinfect it so that when the kids come back, the classroom is clean,” Burns said.
E-mist also is being used at central office, the warehouse and other District facilities. Elementary campuses also are employing the GermBlast system, a similar disinfectant system that also uses new technology to kill illness-causing bacteria and viruses.
