Temporary Emergency & Disaster Recovery Structures

What can emergency clearspan buildings be used for?

Whatever’s triggered your emergency response, we’ve got a structure to match.

Fire and flood recovery

Fast-turnaround replacement spaces for fire, flood or structural damage.

Emergency storage

Replacement storage after warehouse loss or extra space for seasonal stock.

RAAC response for education 

Temporary classrooms, exam halls, canteens and gymnasiums for education campuses.

Emergency accommodation

Modular accommodation, canteen facilities and humanitarian shelter for asylum seekers.

Temporary mortuary & cold store

HTA-approved temporary mortuary and cold store solutions, with refrigerated storage, body tray racking and freezing capability.

Temporary medical centres 

Extra clinical spaces for hospitals and NHS trusts, from receptions to full ward extensions.

Emergency residential accommodation for asylum seekers

We build modular emergency temporary accommodation and canteen facilities for asylum seekers to full building regulations. This ensures the structures are genuinely fit to live in for as long as they’re needed, rather than just providing shelter for one or two nights. We can build on almost any surface or location without the need for major (or even minor) civils works. This means provision can go exactly where it’s needed, rather than where existing housing or hotel stock is available.

What’s included as standard

• Clearspan structure with insulated sandwich panel wall and roofs
• Internal subdivisions with fire-resistant walls and ceilings
• Structural floor system (no concrete slab required) 
• Integrated shower and toilet facilities
• Choice of floor coverings, from carpet to commercial-grade non-slip vinyl
• Lighting and power distribution
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
• Lockable doors, secure access and alarm systems
• In-house design team producing 2D & 3D renders
• Compliance with building regulations

Temporary mortuary & cold store solutions

Fews was the leading supplier of temporary mortuary and body storage facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, we deliver two solutions; our hard shell (containerised) units and our temporary buildings. Our hard shell units are ideal for rapid, self-contained body storage (up to 18 bodies per container), while our temporary structures are suitable for larger-scale needs (100+ bodies). Both solutions are built to store the deceased hygienically and with dignity, and both are approved by the Human Tissue Authority.

Fews stocks both solutions and deployment can be made in very quick timescales:

• Hard shell – within 24 hours of instruction
• Temporary buildings – within 72 hours of instruction

Hard shell (containerised) – what’s included as standard

• ISO shipping container (20ft long x 8ft wide x 8’6″ high)
• Storage for up to 18 bodies per container, or 9 with the bariatric configuration
• Refrigerated storage with telematics and ability to freeze to -21°C
• Stainless steel pull-out trays and full-width roller racking
• Electric bariatric trolley
• Low profile access ramps and a pull-out privacy roof for loading
• Human Tissue Authority and Home Office approved

Temporary building – what’s included as standard

• Modular sizes to suit capacity requirements 
• Insulated floors, walls, ceilings and doors with DDA-compliant ramps
• Low-temperature chillers with backup provision and telematics
• Racking system with 4 shelves per module (2 for bariatric) and stainless steel body trays
• Electric bariatric trolley
• Secure loading bay for privacy
• Human Tissue Authority and Home Office approved

Why emergency response teams choose Fews

• Rapid deployment: our owned inventory is in stock and can be deployed in exceptionally quick timescales
• A safe pair of hands: as a family business with 26 years in the industry, safety runs through everything we do
• Built to last: our temporary structures can stand proud for three months to twenty years or more, some designs unique to Fews
• Trusted by major institutions: including the NHS, Home Office, King’s College Hospital and Kent Resilience Team 
• Fully accredited: CHAS Elite, SafeContractor, Constructionline Silver, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
• Genuinely sustainable: powered by a solar and biomass headquarters, with a sustainable cleaning process for every structure
• One dedicated team: project managed from first enquiry to sign-off, so you have a single point of contact throughout

How we manage site safety

• Paperwork delivered upfront: every install gets its own risk assessment, method statement and document pack delivered before we arrive on site
• Engineered for safety: we assess wind loading, ground conditions and anchoring before the build begins, with calculations available on request
• Trained for the job: our crews are trained for working at height, using specialist plant and manual handling, with supervisors holding formal safety qualifications
• A dedicated point of contact: one person is fully responsible for every install and has the authority to stop the job if needed
• Inspected before handover: each structure is inspected, signed off and certified by our team, and we re-inspect long-term structures on a set schedule
• Fully covered on site: first aid trained staff and full employers’ and public liability cover is included with all jobs for your peace of mind