Feature
Artist’s impression of pop-up medical facility designed by Harry The Hirer
Adapting with the times With events on hold and warehouses full of equipment, Harry The Hirer has turned its focus to an industry in need. By Brittney Levinson.
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he sudden outbreak of COVID-19, and the travel and event restrictions that have resulted, has been hard-hitting for an industry built upon face-to-face gatherings. In mere weeks, conferences, meetings and major events, some years in the making, were forced to postpone or cancel, leaving all facets of the industry in limbo. For event hire and production company Harry the Hirer, the impact was immediate. “The first couple of weeks of this crisis were really daunting,” says Harry The Hirer NSW general manager Matt Hancock. With a 700-person workforce and a healthy inventory of event equipment across its 100,000 square metres of warehouse space, Harry The Hirer wasn’t about to close doors straight away. Instead, they got in touch with state government and health departments to find out where they could help the healthcare sector in a time of great need. Following these discussions, the last few weeks has seen Harry The Hirer develop a range of initiatives to support hospitals and medical organisations throughout the pandemic. One initiative that has been successfully deployed is temporary drive-through COVID-19 testing stations for the general public in Sydney and Melbourne. Complete with shelter, storage and furniture for healthcare workers, directional signage and fencing, the drive-through facilities have enabled more testing to be conducted and freed up in-demand hospitals and medical clinics. 14 Spice Winter 2020
In addition, Harry The Hirer is supplying general structure for COVID-19 testing within various hospitals and respiratory clinics across Sydney and Melbourne. “These are projects we have successfully delivered and that we hope are making a difference to the community,” says Hancock. The company has also designed a range of pop-up hospitals, triage facilities and ambulance bays, which are ready to be deployed if needed. “Our hope is that this never has to be deployed but it's comforting to know that we have a solution now that can be deployed if it is required,” says Hancock.
A learning experience Adapting their product for the medical sector has been a new experience for the team at Harry The Hirer, and one that has been beneficial in a challenging time. “We've done a lot of medical exhibitions, but this is a whole new ballgame for us,” says Hancock. “We've quickly become experts on a range of different things. It's been a learning experience.” While a portion of the company’s workforce has been stood down during this time, the new initiatives have allowed Harry The Hirer to retain some staff and keep doors open. “A key focus for us has been to keep the doors open and to be here ready when we’re needed,” says Hancock. “And really, it's given us something to focus on.”
