Helping In the Event of Disaster

When disaster strikes, we can help you respond quickly with disaster relief. Arena has 30 years of experience in executing rapid response projects nationwide in any weather condition and on any terrain.

Following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Rental Management Magazine/June 2021 issue featuring an interview with Jimmy Parks, Vice President, Structures Division.

As providers and efficient installers of the equipment that propels live events, such as tenting, flooring, power generation, catering supplies and more, event rental professionals are among the first-call experts when natural or human-made disasters strike.

Those in the industry who have successfully navigated the critical field of disaster and emergency response know that it takes a special mix of relationship building, inventory capability and fast flexibility to meet the tight deadlines and often grueling demands associated with relief campaigns.

Jimmy Parks, vice president, structures division, Arena Americas, Orlando, says that the first key for successful event rental company involvement in disaster relief projects is to develop relationships with base camp management companies.

“These are the companies that will do a total overlay of a vast relief site,” Parks says. “Because with these sites, it is more than just finding a field and throwing up some tents. There is a whole process that is involved. Base camp management companies work for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) or one of the government facilities directly, handling everything from the tents, floors, food, laundry and shower trailers, on-site safety, layout and flow. Those are the companies that we really like to work for because they are managing the full project. We come in and provide the services that are really in our wheelhouse and be the best partner for them that we can be. We try to stick with what we have and what we know — that’s tents, floors, lights and doors.”