Military contractor DHS Technologies has donated a 304ft² shelter to the O’Higgins Region of Chile to support recovery efforts following the February earthquake that devastated much of the South American country.
DHS Technologies announced its donation on 16 June during the Rebuild Chile Expo, a three day event held in the Chilean capital of Santiago at which American companies showcased how their technology could be used to support rebuild efforts across the country.
Once delivered early next month, the shelter will be used as temporary housing in Matanzas, a small fishing community in the O’Higgins Region and one of the cities most damaged by the quake.
“The people in Matanzas have been greatly affected by this disaster, and many of them are still without a home. We are honored to know that our shelter will be used to assist these individuals as they work to rebuild their community,” says Jeff Jackson, DHS Technologies’ vice president of business development.
The shelter is part of DHS Technologies’ line of deployable rapid assembly shelter (DRASH) systems that have been used by military forces from around the world for more than 25 years. Able to provide personnel with an independently operational, mobile facility complete with power and air conditioning, the shelters have also been deployed extensively for use during humanitarian and disaster relief operations across the globe.
Most recently, DRASH systems have been deployed to support relief efforts in Haiti following its January earthquake as well as in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro after massive flooding destroyed thousands of homes across the region late last year.