Hurricane season is here, and for coastal facilities and offshore installations, that also means the possibility of significant damage to equipment and facilities. When these events happen and bring production to a halt, it is imperative to get the equipment repaired and the facilities back up and running. A major hurdle in beginning a recovery project quickly is to find housing near the location. The hurricane that damaged your facility will often also damage the surrounding hotels that would typically house your workers. The hotels that remain operational run out of openings immediately. That means that the repair process usually begins with sourcing temporary accommodation packages to house the repair crew, operation personnel, or other essential personnel.

Armoda supplies temporary accommodation packages for hurricane recovery projects. Based on our experience with these projects, we have found that companies that include accommodation packages in their disaster recovery plans can shorten their downtime and get their facilities back to producing sooner. In this article, we will go over what to consider when creating an accommodation package for disaster recovery and the common types of accommodation and support modules that are utilized.

Creating an Accommodation Package for Disaster Recovery

Every location has its own unique needs. These are general areas to consider when creating a disaster recovery accommodation package:

How many people will require temporary housing?

The number of people who need housing is the most impactful number in creating an accommodations package. It determines everything from the number of modules, the type of modules, and the amount of auxiliary equipment needed to run the package.

How much space is available?

The amount of space available at your facility determines the layout of the package and what equipment will be needed. If there is a small area at the facility for the package, then stacking the accommodation modules can provide the required units to complete the project in the smaller space. If there is a larger area at the facility, then the modules do not need to be stacked and can reduce the number of auxiliary equipment required.

What type of accommodations will be necessary?

Once an estimated number of people has been established, it is time to consider what types of modules would be needed. For example, in addition to sleeping modules, your project could require galley and dining, office space, laundry facilities, offices, or workshops. In most cases, the hurricane has impacted the businesses around the facility, and access to local food and other amenities is limited or non-existent. All of these should be considered when creating your accommodation package.

Accommodations Used for Post Hurricane Recovery

Accommodation Modules

Accommodation modules can sleep anywhere from one to 12 personnel per unit. They come in sizes ranging from 20’L x 8’W to 42’L x 12’W. The modules include bunk beds equipped with privacy curtains and storage lockers for clothing and other personal items. They also include wet units with showers, toilets, and sinks for the occupants.

Support Modules

Because many of the surrounding businesses are also impacted by the hurricane, support modules are necessary to supply the crew with a place to eat, office space, other workspaces, and storage.

• Galley Modules: a fully functional kitchen with all stainless-steel commercial grade appliances for durability.
• Dining Module: when paired with a galley module, the diner module provides a table and seating for meals; these two modules can be linked together through internal corridors for easy internal movement between the two without having to exit the modules.
• Office Module: can be set up to provide desk space, storage, and conferencing space.
• Laundry Module: enables the crew to clean their clothing onsite. They are divided into two rooms. One is equipped with washers and dryers as well as counter space for folding, and the second has additional office, recreation space, or storage space.
• Flex Module: open modules that can be customized into any design layout. They can be used for additional offices, gym space, or any other facility support required.
• Workshop Module: setup with a steel workbench, vices, tool hangers, and storage racks; these modules provide all the necessities needed to keep a maintenance crew working.

Auxiliary Equipment

Auxiliary equipment is vital for disaster recovery projects. It allows the accommodation package to operate independently from local utilities that are, in most cases, offline.

• Generators: provide power so the package can be set up and running, even if local power is offline.
• Holding Tanks and Sump Pumps: provide sewage capabilities if local utilities can’t be accessed.
• Water Tanks and Pressure Sets: provide safe potable water to the accommodation, galley, laundry, and sleeper modules.
• Platforms and Stairways: for packages with limited space, platforms and stairways allow for stacking of modules.

Having a disaster recovery plan that includes a temporary accommodation package enables quicker deployment of repair crews and, in turn, shorter downtime of your facility. If you need to create an accommodation package for your disaster recovery plan, contact us today. Armoda has a fleet of accommodation modules that can cover all your recovery project needs and the experience to create the ideal accommodation package for your facility.