Category: Disaster Relief

Universities, like all of aspects of society, have needed to adapt during the current pandemic. Colleges and COVID can create superspreader events, which is why it is essential for college campuses to create additional space for their students. Now they can, with clear span tents.

Several months ago, we thought that COVID-19 would be under control by now. We assumed that colleges would start up in the fall, things would be running smoothly, and knowledge would be flowing as usual.

Well, knowledge is flowing, but in a way that is anything but usual. Colleges and COVID have been an issue throughout the United States. Regardless of any and all precautions taken, the coronavirus has continued to increase and impact all areas of our lives – including life at the many colleges and universities around our country.

Higher education institutions have taken steps, thankfully, to help campus life press forward while keeping students and faculty safe. How are they doing it? Many are taking advantage of the many benefits and abilities that come with clear span structures, aka COVID tents.

Universities, Colleges and COVID: CDC Considerations

There have been many people from all walks of life trying to determine the best way to make it through this worldwide pandemic in a healthy way. The three main points most can agree on are: practicing 6ft social distancing, washing hands often, and wearing a mask.

When it comes to students returning to college campuses, though, the Center for Disease Control has a few additional suggestions to keep everyone safe:

• Avoid placing personal items on public surfaces, such as placing cell phones on desks.
• Wipe down your desk with disinfectant wipes before you sit down.
• Skip seats and/or rows so that you can maintain a physical distance between you and your classmates.
• Avoid sharing items with roommates or classmates.
• Never share food, straws, utensils, and the like with others.
• Avoid self-serve food stations and opt for grab-n-go selections.
• Before you start your day, make sure you have your mask, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer with you.

If available, the CDC requests that students choose to attend colleges and universities remotely – or at least as many classes as possible. This cuts down your exposure to others in the classroom.

Learning Structures and Classrooms

Colleges and universities are all about learning so they, of course, will have classrooms galore. However, since they are brick and mortar classrooms, those at capacity can’t very well socially distance, can they? We have learned above that students should be skipping seats or rows to maintain adequate spacing.

One way this can be done is through a tent structure. Designed to be durable and functional, tents can work as temporary classroom space, offering all the perks of an indoor space. From flooring to lighting and all the space imaginable, classrooms can be set up to allow for the recommended guidelines to be met – while still allowing students and professors to focus on education.

Dining Halls

Dining halls are a huge part of campus life. Because many students live on campus, they have to have access to meals. Though with the coronavirus pandemic, gathering in large groups – or any groups at all – is quite discouraged.

Eating together is common. It is that one chance out of a busy day to put down the books and connect with friends over dinner. Due to COVID, colleges and universities have had to make changes to this, as well. Just as restaurants in many cities have reduced capacity or have closed to in-person dining altogether, so have schools. Many have even gone to grab-n-go meals only as the CDC has recommended.

To keep the spirits of students up, many colleges and universities are opting for COVID tents. These clear span structures can allow a dining facility to be larger, more spread out, and very well ventilated. Rather than grabbing a meal and eating it alone in a dorm room, these tents allow for socially distanced dining – allowing students to eat together while not necessarily being together.

Library Space and Study Halls

Students that attend universities require a place to study. For many, it has always been going to the library or study hall. Unfortunately, with COVID, the number of students allowed in these facilities at one time has severely dropped. Think about it – how often do students head to the library and have to search for an open space to sit and study? With space limited, this number is greater.

COVID tents offer the perfect space for these students. Because they can be designed to meet the demand, colleges and universities can offer a socially distanced area for students to hit the books without risk.

Remember – clear span structures can come in all sizes. And they can be large enough to house anyone who needs a place to study. By getting creative with space under the tent, spreading out tables or desks for students to sit at, and investing in an HVAC system to keep the ventilation up, it can all be a nice change of scenery for students.

Giving Back

American Pavilion offers an annual general scholarship for college and university students in the United States. We value the hard work these students put into their future – our future – and want to give something back.

With everything going on in the world around us, it is easy to forget the things that matter. And, here at American Pavilion, we value our youth and we support local colleges and universities – and we want to do our part. But, it is also why we want you to see how important it is for students to have a safe and comfortable place to call home while away at school.

Even though many college-age students tend to go with the flow, it is so important to remember that they are incredibly impacted by this coronavirus pandemic, too. College life is something that people look back on their whole lives – re-living the college experience over and over. It is supposed to bring fond memories, immense grown, and the building of lasting relationships.

COVID is hindering all of this.

With the help of clear span tent structures, colleges and universities can create socially distanced space for students to have a more normal college experience. Those schools, like Purdue University, that have already started implementing this have been very successful.

Give your students the space they deserve. Literally.

COVID-19 testing is more important than ever as cases continue to rise. Utilizing clear span structures can improve the efficiency and availability of COVID testing sites. 

The coronavirus pandemic that has made its way into our lives doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. Cases are on the rise – and who knows when things will slow down. We are heading into the busiest time of year for shopping, social gatherings, events, and travel. That means there is a very real chance that the cases will continue to rise in the foreseeable future.

Many who are choosing to partake in these activities are spending hours and hours in line to get tested before getting together – some never even get the opportunity. And, with this new spread in communities that hadn’t seen many in the past, mistakes made by others should be lessons learned.

It’s safe to say we can all agree that we need more COVID testing sites. It is crucial as we attempt to live life fully – yet safely. With many options on the table, it has become more and more evident that clear span structures are the go-to choice for effective and thorough management of COVID-19 testing facilities.

The Importance of Available COVID Testing Sites

Back in the spring of 2020, when the coronavirus was very new to us, testing was scarce. Sure, it was possible to get tested, but the number of tests was limited and only certain individuals could have access – primarily those with symptoms and/or underlying conditions.

States and local governments opened up COVID testing sites around the country. However, these locations were busy, had long lines, and were often chaotic scenes. While the idea was there, the functionality was not. It’s still not in many places.

If we ever hope to combat this deadly virus, we need to have quick and easy access to COVID-19 testing.

Streamline Testing

While some places have walk-up testing sites, many have a drive-thru testing option. No matter which option you choose, the testing itself needs to be streamlined. Those who need to get tested need to be able to get it done in a reasonable amount of time – without exposing themselves to others.

At the same time, those healthcare workers who are risking their lives at these facilities need to be ensured a safe environment to get the job done. They need to be able to access the individual who is getting tested without being exposed to potential germs.

COVID testing sites need to be well-functioning so that they may administer as many tests as possible all the while maintaining proper social distancing in a well-ventilated space.

Safety for Healthcare Workers

While everyone who needs to be tested may visit the testing sites sporadically, healthcare workers are there constantly. They are working day in and day out at these makeshift testing sites, praying that they can remain safe.

Ready for the truth? We need our healthcare workers. Therefore, we need them to be safe.

Nobody needs to be standing out in the rain to give COVID tests. Nobody needs to be subjected to frigid temperatures for hours on a shift due to outdoor testing. And nobody should be forced to remain in an area where germs could be hovering constantly.

A clear span tent can keep our healthcare workers safe by providing them a safe space to work. The sturdy metal frame with the durable fabric covering can provide shelter from wind, rain, snow, ice, and either too cold or too hot temperatures. Also, with an HVAC system, ventilation can be at an all-time high, allowing germs to be removed from the covered space at a high rate.

That’s how we protect our healthcare workers.

Flexibility for Testing Facilities

Many COVID testing sites are being held in places like shopping center parking lots, stadium parking lots, baseball fields, and more. Whatever space is chosen, it obviously needs to be able to accommodate a lot of traffic. Unfortunately, the problem comes with how to keep everyone safe. How do you keep testing moving, especially in inclement weather? How do you create well-moving lines to keep the tests flowing at a high-functioning rate?

Choosing to set things up at a stadium or empty field is wonderful, but it leaves you very little in the way of coverage, protection, safety, and structure.

Enter the clear span tent.

This flexible solution can bring so much to the COVID-19 testing sites. Whether you are dealing with a large city or a smaller suburb, you can find a clear span tent to meet your needs. Easily customizable, there is a size just right for you.

Drive-thru sites, like the one set up by American Pavilion at Miller Park, may have one lane or multiple lanes traveling through the tented space. The size of the tent will be dependent on the size of the testing location itself – or how impacted it is going to be. Because these tents are constructed easily and without any guy lines, they can be erected anywhere. Their aluminum frame works to provide a wide-open space for you to work with when organizing your space.

Additional Benefits of Clear Span Structures as Testing Sites

You’ve heard of the benefits of using clear span tents for COVID testing sites. You may have even seen some in your area. There are so many benefits to these structures, you won’t want to miss out on how they can help your community fight back against COVID-19.

Clearspan tents provide perfect testing site solutions:

• Customized so you have the perfect size tent for your community’s needs.
• Create the exact number of drive-thru lanes with a specified number of warehouse doors on either end for convenience.
• Add special lighting so testing can continue after hours if needed.
• Enjoy the opened, pole-free design so you can create the best layout for testing to meet your specific needs.
• Use an HVAC system for increased ventilation, cooling, and heating depending on the current weather conditions.

We should also mention that clear span tents are super easy to construct and deconstruct. If the testing need increases, you can rest easy knowing you will have the space to handle the demand in no time.

Final Thought

While we may not want to be dealing with COVID-19 all these months later, we are. The best thing we can do is make smarter choices when it comes to testing – and that means utilizing all the benefits of a clear span tent.

The coronavirus pandemic has left its imprint in all sorts of industries – especially healthcare. During this time, it’s important to support healthcare workers, and now we can – with temporary structures.

Life has been turned upside down for so many of us in recent months, especially those on the front line. Every one of these medical professionals is at the forefront of fighting the deadly virus. They truly are our essential workers and our heroes.

As communities across the country begin moving through the recommended reopening phases, we often forget that hospitals (and other healthcare facilities) are still in the fight. They have been open this entire time and still need to be at the top of their game.

The Benefits of Temporary Structures for Healthcare Workers

While concerns rise about social distancing and keeping everyone safe, accommodations need to be made for doctors, nurses, EMTs, and other medical professionals to get jobs done while maintaining the healthiest environment for everyone involved.

Those who oversee the medical facilities and such in the healthcare industry have made good use of all resources available – including temporary structures. Let’s take a look at 7 ways in which temporary structures can benefits healthcare workers.

Benefit #1: Create Additional Space

One of the most famous phrases that 2020 is going to be known for years from now is social distancing. The CDC and medical experts have advised time and time again that remaining distant from others are crucial to protect one’s health.

So, when you have a facility that seems to be of great demand – such as hospitals, doctor offices, urgent care centers – how do you maintain social distance and still meet the need? After all, we have heard quite often that those in hotspot areas have hospitals that are at full capacity. Some even overflowing! How can you keep your distance while still handling the influx?

Temporary structures benefit medical facilities by creating additional space. Whether they are to be used for things such as break rooms for overworked medical professionals, additional space for patients or something else doesn’t matter. What matters is that when our frontline workers need more space, they can get it from a temporary tent structure.

Benefit #2: Ability to Follow the Need

Hospitals are spread out through our country. Sometimes, though, when a situation arises – such as COVID clusters – hospitals are needed greatly in specific communities. Whether their hospitals can’t meet capacity or they need one closer to the people, temporary structures can follow the need. Healthcare professionals can get to the sickest quickly.

Benefit #3: Maintain the Health and Safety of Patients

Just as social distancing is necessary for everyone in our medical facilities, this is going to include the patients. You simply cannot mix COVID-19 diagnosed or exposed individuals with those who are simply there for other health-related issues.

There has been a lot of talk about individuals becoming more ill because they were afraid to go to the ER due to cardiovascular issues or other emergency medical concerns. Many have even talked themselves out of it. Why? Because those with COVID-19 are in ERs and who wants to risk getting exposed? Understandable, but costly. A decision to avoid seeking medical treatment could cost a life.

To combat this issue, hospitals have turned to temporary structures to allow for these individuals to get checked out while reducing the chance of contracting the virus. In addition, healthcare workers who are at greater risk can often choose to handle these less-risky patients. It’s a win for everyone involved.

Benefit #4: All Necessary Professional Requirements are Met

Hospitals and medical facilities have certain needs. They need to have sanitary conditions, stable flooring, proper lighting, and so on. With temporary structures, all requirements can be met – and all customizations can be made. In fact, the space itself can be created as equivalent to that of their brick and mortar facility.

Benefit #5: Provide an Area for Storage

Along with social distancing, PPE is going to also be a term from 2020 that will go down in history. There is a good chance that just 9 months ago, nobody even knew what the acronym stood for. Little did we know that this personal protection equipment was going to be the talk of many debates.

This equipment is what keeps our healthcare workers safe when they show up to do what they were trained to do. Things like masks, shields, gowns, and suits allow them to treat highly contagious patients without risking their own lives – or the lives of their co-workers or loved ones.

Unfortunately, when this pandemic hit, PPE was hard to come by. Since then, hospitals have been increasing their stock. They need to be ready if there is a resurgence. But, with hospitals so full, where can they stock this surplus?

Healthcare professionals have discovered that temporary structures can be used as storage areas for things such as PPE and other medical equipment. That way, when the time comes, they are prepared to keep workers safe.

Benefit #6: Ensuring Safety for All with Patient Screening

One of the best ways to reduce the spread of the coronavirus – and reduce the chance that it is unknowingly spread throughout a facility – is to require patient screening. Of course, having this take place within the hospital or medical office seems like a terrible idea. You don’t want the potentially infected person to even walk in that front door.

By setting up temporary structures, healthcare workers can rest easy knowing that they will have a heads up when someone who does present with symptoms arrives.

Benefit #7: Time is Always of the Essence – Especially Concerning Life

Finally, life is precious. And healthcare workers strive to preserve it. But they can’t do anything to stop time. Therefore, if a temporary structure can be used in any way to make their job a bit more functional and safer, then it can provide benefits. These structures allow healthcare workers to focus on what they do best – save lives.

Final Thought

Experts warn that we haven’t seen the end of the coronavirus pandemic just yet. Thankfully, we are finding ways to help those at the heart of the fight – the healthcare workers – by utilizing temporary structures.

Clear span structures are being utilized around the country to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Are portable classroom tents the solution for reopening schools?

Since COVID-19 came into our lives, life has been different. The majority of parents, teachers, and administrators (and maybe a few students) were holding out hope that school would re-open as usual come this fall.

Unfortunately, the global pandemic had another idea.

Here we are, ready to get our kids back in school and regain a bit of normalcy, but we still need to take extra precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy. But, how do you do that when you are already at capacity? How do you create extra space out of permanently designed, brick and mortar schools?

Portable classroom tents may very well be the solution that can make the safe reopening of schools possible.

Social Distancing Requirements

One of the biggest and most frequently discussed measures for keeping kids – and teachers – healthy and free from the spread of this deadly virus is to practice social distancing. Workplaces, retail stores, and restaurants have already put these measures into place.

Here’s the thing, though. Restaurant owners can operate at a lower capacity, having patrons wait outdoors until space opens up inside. This helps them follow the social distancing guidelines and keeps everyone safe. But, could you imagine if schools made the kids line up outdoors and only allow a percentage in at a time? How would that even work?

It can’t work. And, that is precisely why you need another solution for social distancing.

Portable classroom tents offer you additional space so that you may spread out your students. This may be for overflow classes to move students outside of the building. Or, it can be used for larger classes so that they can still be together, but have more space to be socially distanced.

The idea behind these social distancing guidelines is always to keep individuals 6ft apart from one another to slow the spread. Portable classroom tents make this possible!

Efficient and Timely Erection

School is starting quickly. In many states, it has already started. In others, it has been delayed while administrators work tirelessly to find solutions that will be functional and beneficial to keep kids and teachers safe. And, it’s not easy – this is all unchartered territory.

What we do know is that whatever solution is chosen, it needs to be fast and efficient. Kids need to get back into the classroom.

Unlike your typical school portable, portable classroom tents can be ordered and constructed, ready to go, in no time.

They are simple to erect and will not cause any delays in your reopening timeline. And, the best part is that you don’t have to worry about having the perfect location for their construction. These tents can be placed on nearly any surface. So, if you have to spread out your school’s population onto the football field or into the parking lot, no problem!

Extra Space for Classrooms and More

Face it – schools need more room, in general, to protect our students and staff. Classrooms are the place where kids spend most of their days while at school. So, naturally, they are going to need to have extra space to social distance. But, what about other areas of the school?

The front office is one where you will find anybody and everybody that comes to the school. It may be a student coming late from a doctor’s appointment or a parent coming to remove a student early for an appointment. Maybe it is a delivery driver. Or even the mail carrier. The point is, all of these people gathered into the front main office is not good during this pandemic.

The nurse’s office is another area that may need some attention. Especially when there is good chance kids with any sort of symptoms are going to be sent to the nurse to be checked. And, then we have those that present with a COVID-19 symptom. How will you handle them? You surely can’t allow these students to sit in the same nurse’s office as the kid who fell and scraped his knee, right?

Teachers need their space for breaks, meetings, and so forth. These areas are going to need to be extended, as well, to allow for social distancing.

As you can tell, there are many areas of a school that will require additional space for a safe reopening. And portable classroom tents can provide this much-needed space.

Increased Ventilation for Safety

Germs can spread so quickly through the air. That’s why it has been recommended that everyone try to maintain a safe, 6ft distance. We don’t need to stop there, though. Having everyone in one room – socially distanced – without proper ventilation will leave you breathing in the germs. After all, we know that these germs can travel through the air.

The CDC has recommended that schools with the ability to do so should consider outdoor classrooms or opening windows in classrooms just to allow for that extra ventilation. In many places, though, these windows don’t open. And outdoor classrooms with no overhead covering can be uncomfortable and distracting.

A portable classroom tent, however, is a very viable option for those seeking more ventilation. While they can be designed to be more permanent structures using an installed HVAC system, they can also be equipped with easy-to-open sidewalls, windows, and such to allow for the free flow of air in and out of the tented space.

Customized Portable Classroom Tents to Meet Your Needs

Your solution may not be the same as the solution needed by the next school. To get the most for your students and staff, you need a customized solution. Portable classroom tents can be customized to meet your desired needs. From sizing to flooring, lighting, and more. You will be able to get exactly what you need to safely reopen your school.

Conclusion

The truth is, we don’t know how long COVID-19 will be around to impact our lives. And, while staying home and minimizing outside contact is the best way to protect yourself, it isn’t all that feasible. Kids need to go to school. They need social interaction and they need an education.

As long as school administrators take precautions to keep everyone safe and socially distanced (while following other CDC guidelines), we can get through this. And portable classroom tents can help.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the United States, social distancing measures are becoming increasingly more important. How do you follow these requirements with your current existing space? With temporary structures.

For many individuals in the United States, things were supposed to be back to normal by now. The coronavirus would come, it would leave its mark, and then it would move as most things do, right? Wrong.

Several months into the introduction of the virus and the world around us has begun to re-open. Retail stores, restaurants, bars, office buildings, and so forth are beginning to resume operations. Yet, at the same time, the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise in many states.

So, how do we move forward economically while we are being pulled back medically? How can we continue to practice social distancing while still operating businesses? Well, this is where large (15m) temporary structures come in. After all, more space allows for more social distancing, doesn’t it?

Restaurants

In many areas, restaurants are allowed to open, but they can only operate at a percentage of their normal capacity. And, government officials are pushing outdoor dining if possible to reduce the chance of spreading the infection. All of this allows restaurants to open and stimulate the economy while also allowing local residents the opportunity to get out and experience some normalcy.

There is just one problem (at least) with this scenario – not everyone has the room or ability to have outdoor dining. As a result, this severely limits the number of patrons they are able to serve. Not to mention that the weather in all areas may not be conducive to outdoor dining.

Ready for the solution? A temporary tented structure.

These structures can be erected easily and in a size that fits any space. This means there is more space for dining in a socially distanced, outdoor manner – and the threat of inclement weather no longer needs to be a factor.

Office Buildings

Office buildings during the time of coronavirus can be a breeding ground for germs. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of people working under one roof. Throughout the day, they are going in and out of the doors, through the hallways, using public restrooms and elevators, etc. And, all of this going on in an enclosed space making social distancing difficult. In fact, it can cause many employees with a lot of dread and anxiety about returning to work.

A temporary tent structure will allow you the opportunity to continue business, while also giving employees peace of mind. They can come to work and be comforted by the fact that they are working in a wide-open, socially-distanced space without having to walk through the confines of an office building.

Churches

There has been a lot of debate when it comes to churches. People need their religion and need to practice their faith while having fellowship with others, but should church remain open with the virus running rampant? Unfortunately, with COVID-19 restrictions, churches have not all found a way to make the in-person connection possible.

Some have taken to outdoor, drive-in services while others have created ways to deliver online broadcasts of a church service. While both of these are great solutions for the times we are in, they still leave people feeling distant from one another and wanting the closeness that the church brings.

How can this happen during the pandemic? With a clearspan tent.

A perfect solution for a church’s need, a temporary tent can allow those present to spread out for an outdoor service with the protection overhead from less-than-desirable weather. Of course, adding side-walls is possible if you are simply looking for an indoor setting that is larger than your typical church building so that those in attendance can spread out.

With a lot of unknowns around us right now, being able to offer the church in a safe social distancing manner with a temporary structure can offer communities a lot of relief.

Lunch Rooms and Break Rooms

There are lunchrooms and break rooms in most businesses, no matter what the business type. These could be retail businesses, commercial offices, those who offer a skill or service, etc. By law employers are required to give their employees a certain number of breaks each shift – and many provide a place to use for this break.

During these pandemic times, you absolutely do not want your employees gathering together in these rooms. Doing so would open your company up to the possibility of spreading COVID-19, resulting in unwanted downtime.

Making smart decisions – such as utilizing a temporary structure – can allow employees extra space to take a break or eat lunch while still practicing safe social distancing measures. Due to their versatile nature, these structures can be designed in a size that will fit your needs. They can also be erected on any surface, including your company’s parking lot.

General Contractors

General contractors are used to being outdoors, but they also tend to hover in those small trailers located on the job site. Now, however, is not the time for any small, enclosed space. After all, having just one person infected is enough to shut down an entire project for at least 2 weeks. And, that could cost you big time.

To keep contractors, crew, and various support staff healthy during any construction project, consider the benefits of a temporary construction structure. With sidewalls, windows, flooring, and lighting capabilities – there are options to work just like a small trailer, only bigger and better. You can create an office space in no time with a temporary tented structure – and make sure that it has enough room for everyone to spread out and work safely in the environment.

Customization of Temporary Clearspan Structures

All this talk about temporary structures may have you wondering just how you can use one in your business. Know this – they offer you a completely customizable tent to create any safe and secure spot outdoors. And, sure, small tents work well, but you need space – you need to keep your employees, customers, and crew free from the spread of COVID-19. That’s why you go big. With temporary tents over 50’ (15m), you will have plenty of space for social distancing – and can design it to fit your needs.

As a business owner, do your part to flatten the curve. Invest in a 15m + temporary tent structure to keep your business moving forward in a healthy, socially distanced manner.