Portable Sanitation Association International

Page 7 PSAI Industry Retrospective - the 70s THE ARAB OIL EMBARGO 1973-1974 THE FIRST TEST OF THE PSA One of the first major issues that the new Portable Sanitation Association encountered was the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973. On October 16, 1973, OPEC announced that the price of oil would increase by 70 percent in response to U.S. support of Israel in Yom Kippur War. In November, there was a 25 percent cut in Arab oil production and another 5 percent in January 1974. e effect in the U.S. was gas rationing on an odd-even rationing system whereby odd numbered plates could fill up on odd days and even plates on even days. President Nixon asked stations to voluntarily not sell gas on Saturday nights and on Sundays. According to sources, 90 percent of stations complied resulting in long lines for gas on weekdays. According to AAA, in the last week of February 1974, 20 percent of American gas stations had no fuel at all. PSA Board Member Al Hilde made several trips to Washington, DC to lobby the U.S. Government to issue an exemption to rationing for the industry. Al and his group were successful in this effort as the Government ruled that "for health reasons the portable sanitation industry would be granted critical health status." e Oil Embargo ended in March 1973, but OPEC's influence on oil prices and the U.S. economy continued to worsen throughout the 70s. e was the first of many instances where the PSA brought positive change for the good of the entire industry. MID-1970s: ASSOCIATION STATISTICS Association records show that by mid-decade, membership had grown to 193 Regular Members and 27 Associate Members. MORE CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY AND MORE FOND MEMORIES Another pioneer in the industry, Gayle Humphries, produced his first stainless steel tank in 1978. Gayle remembers one of the first people that he met in the PSA, Clyde Sansom. "Clyde gave me advice that I remember to this day, 'Keep it simple and you will succeed.' He was right and I have never stopped trying to improve this industry." Gayle is a long-standing Member of the Association and has fond memories of "the early days." He remembers giving a sales presentation at the PSA Convention in Las Vegas in the early 1970s. "I wasn't too keen on giving the talk with people like Bill Reynolds, Sr, Harvey Heather, and Clyde Sansom in the audience. I actually thought about not doing it. You know what? I did it because I wanted to give back to the Association. ey must have really liked it because I was the only speaker that got a standing ovation." Kathy Craon mentions an important fact about the 1970s. ere were no ADA laws during this era as ADA legislation did not become Federal Law until 1990. She recalls that Braun Industries of Rochester, Indiana produced a fiberglass handicapped unit which was "a good idea but the need at this time was not that great to induce other manufacturers to produce such a model." According to Kathy, Braun became Olympic and then Olympia Industries." CONCLUSIONS e portable sanitation industry grew from small independent entrepreneurs serving their local area in the 1950s and 60s to a nationwide industry supported by a formal trade association in 1971. Handmade wooden units evolved into plastic manufactured units that were sold nationwide. Pick-up trucks with modified exhaust systems gave way to dedicated service trucks with powerful vacuum systems. As the 1970s ended, this emerging industry was gaining acceptance and prestige due in great part to the efforts and hard work of the Portable Sanitation Association.

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