A Folding Gazebo as Part of a Mobile Office
How a Mastertent® folding gazebo supports two men in the fight against drug abuse and crime.
Discover how Bureau Drugszaken uses our tents in their daily work throughout the Netherlands.
Jon and Johan Warmerdam, a father-son duo and former police officers with 50 years of combined experience, are combatting drug-related issues, organised crime, and human trafficking in the Netherlands. In an interview, Jon shared that during their police careers, they encountered numerous social problems and realised the necessity of preventive work. This led them to found their companies Bureau Drugszaken in 2007 and Drugsview in 2017, both dedicated to teaching others how to recognize, tackle and prevent these issues.
In their critical work, they offer training and courses to police officers, firefighters, municipal officials, housing association employees, and the RIEC (Regional Information Expertise Centre).
To reach as many people as possible, they travel throughout the Netherlands in their mobile bureau, consisting of a container and a Mastertent® folding gazebo.
What Happens Under the Mastertent® Folding Gazebo?
Primarily, the Mastertent® gazebo is an extension to the container and helps to keep everyone comfortable, dry and well protected from sun, rain and wind. It is where, for drug-related issues, the Warmerdams conduct realistic simulations of drug production processes. By using fake equipment and imitation substances, they replicate the sights and smells of real-world operations. This allows police officers, firefighters, and other participants to recognise these signs and intervene effectively.
Regarding human exploitation, participants learn to identify inappropriate accommodations and understand the living conditions of refugees from Romania or Ukraine in the Netherlands. To highlight human trafficking, Article 273f of the Dutch Criminal Code about human trafficking is printed on one side wall of the gazebo.
Standing out With Peak Flags
Across the Netherlands, Jon and Johan occasionally host open days, inviting the public to their informative workshops. During these events, visibility is crucial to attract a wider audience. They achieve this with two flags, both printed with their company name, on their folding gazebo. Everyone who enters the gazebo gains valuable insights into fire hazards, hidden dangers of subversion, and the violent realities behind cannabis cultivation, synthetic drugs, and cocaine trafficking.
What Is Special About This Folding Gazebo?
To perfectly adapt the folding gazebo to the Warmerdams' mobile bureau, several adjustments to the 4x6 m folding gazebo were made:
- The Height: The folding gazebo was extended in its height to perfectly adapt it to the container. Done this, we needed a solution to seamlessly close the gap between the container and the folding gazebo...
- The Gap: The solution was an additional textile strap with a made-to-measure rain gutter which can be attached to the container and thus prevents rain from entering.
- The Sidewalls: At the bottom, all three sidewalls were extended with special mud flaps to prevent water and dirt from entering, ensuring a comfortable atmosphere in any weather.
- Door and Windows: The front door was made in a special size and positioned to the right, with windows designed to be covered for privacy reasons and reopened to invite new people to come in.
"Bettina, our Mastertent® consultant, was very creative, proposing good solutions for our needs. She had excellent ideas, especially when we needed to close the gap between our container and the folding gazebo. We are always outdoors, so we needed a solid solution to prevent rain and strong winds from entering." - Jon Warmerdam
Tent Accessories That Support Them
We have already mentioned the roof flags, sidewalls and printings for more visibility and sensibilisation of certain topics.
Something else which plays a crucial role in the windy Netherlands are fastening systems. Johan and Jon always use both gazebo weights and tensioning straps and pegs to properly secure the folding gazebo to the ground. This ensures the safety of their equipment, participants, and themselves.
Additionally, they use our LED spotlights to illuminate the gazebo's interior for a cosy atmosphere.
Why Did They Choose Mastertent®?
Previously using a different brand, Jon and Johan could spot the difference when first seeing a Mastertent® folding gazebo:
"We immediately recognised that the Mastertent® gazebo was sturdier than the one we were using. Since we travel a lot with our mobile bureau, having a high-quality tent is crucial. It needs to protect everyone reliably in any weather condition, and the frequent setup and takedown demand impeccable quality."
Another big advantage of their Mastertent® folding gazebo is the innovative Pirontex® textile. It is a special fabric that we have developed in collaboration with our textile manufacturer, because we wanted to offer our clients a more durable, elastic, sustainable and lightfast textile.
We are proud that one of our folding gazebos is helping Drugsview with their important work in the Netherlands. We wish them success in spreading their knowledge about the drug world and in equipping employees with the necessary skills to handle such issues safely.
