TEXTILES.ORG
Tent Rental Division (TRD) Boot Camp events are back! In early August approximately 60 tent professionals gathered at Classic Tents & Events in Norcross, Ga., for a boot camp dedicated to educating teams and promoting safety during tent installations.
While TRD Boot Camps have typically been one-day training events in the past, this year’s event included a networking reception held on the evening of Aug. 3. During the reception, attendees had the opportunity to mingle and connect with fellow industry experts. According to Allison Corcoran, project manager at Allsite Structure Rentals, the diversity of the participants—both in their companies and geographical locations—brought together a wide range of talent. “I was able to make some good connections within the industry, and it was fun meeting the different participants.” Corcoran noted that it was also helpful to discuss challenges and get input from other attendees.
On Aug. 4, the official TRD Boot Camp training event got underway. Michael Tharpe, TRD Chairman, held a welcome session for attendees and Steve Belliveau, Vice Chairman of the TRD, followed with an educational session on the basics of tenting and safety. After the classroom education, event attendees rotated through learning stations that were led by industry experts. Session topics included tent repair, taught by Tharpe, squaring a tent, taught by Belliveau, and staking and ballasting techniques taught by Joe Langehaug, Southeast regional sales manager at Losberger De Boer.
During the afternoon, attendees enjoyed a barbecue lunch provided by Classic Tents & Events. “We wanted to make our training event memorable, therefore Southern hospitality was included and our favorite restaurant catered lunch,” says Steven Eisenstein, president of Classic Tents & Events.
The remainder of the day included equipment demos, interactive tenting exercises, hands-on practice sessions that featured frame tent and small structure installations, and even a tour of Classic Tents & Events warehouse. “One big takeaway was Classic Tents & Events’ state-of-the-art warehouse,” says Langehaug. “[The tour] gave installers a chance to compare notes after seeing the company’s new tent washing area, how they store their equipment, and how they label and track their items.”
Overall, the TRD boot camp was a success. “The people in our industry are very eager to share their knowledge, and it goes a long way,” says Eisenstein. “We had fantastic support from our sponsors, and everyone was glad to be out.”