UK emergency/instant shelters at London response site?

July 7, 2005 4:54 PM

Does anyone know the make, brand, or availability of the semi-geodesic three-walled pop-up emergency shelters being used in the London tube bombing response?

The shelters being shown have four walls and a top. They are mostly white, though some seem to have a band of color at the bottom. They have what appears to be folding struts for the roof and walls, but they look like they're not the usual scissor-strut kind used for "EZ UP" type shelters. (Those "EZ UP" type instant canopies suck, IMO. They're a pain to set up, they're not wind-resistant, and putting up walls on them in anything but perfect calm is iffy at best. Plus, they're not very durable or well made.)

I've been searching for a while, and can't seem to find anything that looks even remotely like them. The web is drowning in cheap "emergency" and "disaster" products, especially post-9/11.

They look like they would be a very sturdy shelter for everything from emergency preparedness, to camping, to parties, to flea market stalls, and perhaps even Burning Man if they're wind-proof enough and can be easily tied/rebar'ed down.

posted by loquacious to sports, hobbies, & recreation (3 comments total)

I've noticed the tents in the aerial photographs. Check out Fusion Shelters Pop-Up Tents, MasterTent or Speedshelter Emergency Tent. They're similar, but don't look like those depicted in the news photos.
posted by ericb at 5:14 PM on July 7, 2005

Just saw them again on ABC's Nightline. Much more sturdy than those which I cite above. I hope someone knows the source for them.
posted by ericb at 9:19 PM on July 7, 2005

They look a lot like the Fusion ones, but sturdier and basically better. Perhaps they're a custom-contract item specifically for whatever agency is using them over there.

I've been around a lot of gear, emergency/disaster, camping, preparedness and otherwise, and those just look f'ing fantastic.

Pre-emptively, to no one in particular: No, this isn't the only thing I've noticed or observed about the London disaster, but hey, learn wherever you find knowledge, I say. Please pardon my exuberance if you feel offended.
posted by loquacious at 11:55 PM on July 7, 2005