The big picture

Code discussions loom over a busy tent and event season.

By Jill Lafferty, Editor

Much of the North American tent rental industry is at the height of its busy season—and it shows on my Facebook news feed. InTents readers are posting photos and descriptions of tent installations and everything underneath—stunning fabric treatments, fun lounge arrangements, simple white and gold color schemes under clear tents, rustic chic decor under sailcloth tents, and massive clearspan setups for sporting events and festivals.

While Midwest event planners and festival producers have been executing rain plans and evacuations, members of the industry in California are finding smart solutions for dealing with the ongoing drought. In a July Facebook post, Abbey Party Rents SF of Dale City, Calif., explains how the company is saving an estimated 150,000 gallons of water this year through the purchase of a Teeco Solutions water recycle mechanism for its tent washing machine and a shift from water barrels to concrete ballast with the help of Block ’n Roll™ products.

With all of the demands and long hours of the high season, it can be easy to focus only on what needs to get done today and take eyes off of the big picture. That would be a mistake. With looming code proposals that would directly affect the industry, the Tent Rental Division of IFAI has reestablished the TRD Code Committee with the goal of working with the Life Safety Section of the Fire Code Action Committee of the International Code Council.

The professionals involved in this effort volunteer their time for the benefit of the entire industry, despite their own busy seasons and schedules. TRD steering committee member Tom Markel—an IFAI Outstanding Volunteer Award recipient in 2014—offers an update on code proposals.

The best chance for a positive outcome regarding codes is for tent professionals to open a dialog with code officials on all levels, educating them on the facts of the industry. If you aren’t a TRD member, there’s never been a better time to become one and add your voice to the discussion.