Eventstar, Miami, Fla., a American Rental Association (ARA) member, sent two clearspan structures and two tents in response to a request for relief in Haiti, following the earthquake that devastated the Port-au-Prince area. The initial call for help was received by the company on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Eventstar was asked to erect a temporary structure to serve as an emergency hospital to handle approximately 300 patients affected by the earthquake in Haiti. The company sent two 50-ft.-by-115-ft. clearspan structures for the hospital and operating room structures and two 60-ft.-by-120-ft. pole tents for storage and staff sleeping, says Gerry Melendez of Eventstar.

Within hours of the initial call Eventstar had mobilized all the needed equipment and delivered it to the airport to be loaded into cargo planes departing that same evening for Haiti. It was shipped with other humanitarian relief related cargo.

By Sunday morning, Jan. 17, Eventstar had a crew of 15 men along with Alain Perez, president of Eventstar, on the ground erecting the emergency hospital structure, which according to the Miami Herald, became “the largest functioning hospital in Haiti.” Perez’s message to his team during the deployment was, “this is about saving lives. We all have to make this happen in record time. Every minute could mean a life we can save.” The hospital was up and running later that day.

Equipment sent by Eventstar included tent structures, raised wood flooring, sound attenuated power generation, power distribution, air conditioning units, lighting, glass doors, portable showers, latrines, tables, chairs, food cooking equipment, fuel tanks, water tanks, bladders, storage containers and water purifications systems.