www.RogerART.com & www.EarthBall.org & www.OneGlobalCommunity.com

Along this line of thinking... See

http://www.EarthBall.org

Earth Ball Abodes and Greenhouses

Roger@RogerART.com

PORTABLE ON DEMAND SHELTERS PODS Disaster Aid Available In A Neat, Cozy Box

By DAVE SIMANOFF The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 26, 2007

Poke your head through the door, and you won't find the Ritz-Carlton. Heck, you won't even find a Motel 6.

What you will find are two flat seating areas attached to the walls, and a modest table and small kitchen bolted to the two far corners. To your right, you'll see an air conditioner humming away, above a shoulder-height wardrobe that is, like everything else, connected to the wall. Open the narrow door on your left, and you'll find a tiny toilet, sink and shower.

Pull yourself back outside and, after your eyes adjust to the sunlight, you'll see that everything you just saw fits inside an improbably small box - specifically, a white, 8-by-16-foot container stamped with the familiar red-and-black logo of PODS, or Portable On Demand Storage.

After nine years of helping customers store their stuff, the Clearwater-based company is taking on a more daunting logistical challenge - and a new business proposition. It's trying to help emergency agencies find places to put people, not just things, after disasters such as hurricanes, fires and earthquakes.

The company developed its Portable On Demand Shelter unit after hearing that people were living in its storage units after the 2004 hurricanes in Florida and after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. PODS storage units aren't designed to be shelters, founder and Chief Executive Officer Peter Warhurst said.

PODS asked motor home manufacturer R-Vision of Warsaw, Ind., to retrofit one of its storage units. The resulting prototype is something that's pleasant, convenient and easy to deploy after a disaster - but not so comfy that anyone would want to live there longer than necessary, Warhurst said.

"I don't see them being used as vacation homes," he said.
'We'll Be There When You Need Us'

On Wednesday, the company showed its Portable On Demand Shelter prototype to about 80 prospective buyers at its company headquarters in Clearwater. Depending on extras, the shelter units cost $10,000 to $13,000 each. They would be stored in PODS warehouses and deployed by PODS logistics teams when necessary.

"We'll be there when you need us," he said. The PODS network reaches 70 percent of the U.S. population, he said, and more than 400 truck drivers are trained to serve on its rapid response team.

On Wednesday, a PODS worker unloaded the shelter prototype from a truck in less than 10 minutes. PODS storage units can withstand winds up to 110 mph, or even greater winds if the units are tethered to the ground, Warhurst said.

Most of the people who saw the PODS prototype said they were impressed - but few appeared ready to open their checkbooks just yet.

"It seems to have an application," said Tom de Yampert, manager of Housing and Community Development for St. Petersburg.

Financially, it wouldn't make much sense for each municipality to own its own shelters, he said. It might be more sensible for government entities to band together and own many shelters as a group, he said.

"That's worth reviewing," he said.

Bob Ballou, the division chief heading up emergency management and administration for St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue, said he might suggest some shelters be configured as sleeping quarters for emergency workers. Separate shelters could be set up as bathrooms and washrooms, he said.

The PODS prototype "is a great start" and "just the beginning," he said.

PODS officials say they're talking with state and federal emergency management officials.

James McIntyre, the media relations contact for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, declined to comment. The agency provides housing after national emergencies, often in the form of mobile homes nicknamed FEMA trailers.
Not All Disaster Agencies Are Interested

Jay Williams, managing director of the Florida Association of Insurance Agent Member Services, thinks insurance companies will consider buying PODS shelters as temporary housing for customers who have lost their homes. A PODS shelter would allow a family to remain on their property while repairs are made, he said.

"It's a great alternative to putting someone in a hotel," he said. In some cases, hotel rooms may not be available after a disaster, he said.

Not every company or agency that deals with disaster recovery is a potential PODS customer. For example, the American Red Cross isn't likely to buy PODS shelters because the organization is focused mainly on immediate disaster relief.

"I don't think we've ever really used a portable shelter," said Chad Magnuson, director of disaster services for the American Red Cross of Tampa Bay.

Red Cross workers typically find shelter in churches, schools and community centers, he said. Other organizations, such as FEMA, provide housing to people affected by disasters.

Warhurst expects that his company will make money from the portable shelters, but he says the effort is about more than just profit.

"We'll be able to make money, sure," he said, "but this goes all the way back to my roots: I was a firefighter, a paramedic. I want us to be a community partner."

Privately owned, PODS is franchised in 47 states, Australia and Canada. It has 123,000 units in use and has served more than 800,000 customers.

Reporter Dave Simanoff can be reached at dsimanoff@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7762.