Business Relocation Services is a moving company. As the name says, relocating offices is its specialty.
Preparing hospitals for a surge of pandemic patients, well, that's something else. But when the request came, owner Jesus Linares says he did not hesitate.
“It’s a no brainer to me that why wouldn’t you want to help those in need, especially those on the frontlines, that are giving everything they have to help and heal those that are hurting right now,” said Linares.
The company was first hired to clear 200,000 square feet of storage and office space at NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem in March.
Then on April 3rd — Queens Hospital Center called.
“Saying ‘Listen, we need you. Other companies have said no, we have no one really to turn to right now,'” said Matthew Linares, Jesus’s son and the company’s vice president.
The number of daily hospitalizations in the city was peaking, and the hospital was in the middle of it. Linares says it was a big decision for the company.
He says no one to work was forced to work — but many stepped up.
Like Ryan McDade, who took on 12 hour shifts, seven days a week in protective gear.
“I was definitely a little hesitant at first. Especially when I heard it was in the hospitals and the crazy things that were going on. But I swear, this has been a life changing experience,” said McDade.
The movers became the muscle for exhausted doctors and nurses — helping to move equipment, supplies, gurneys and even the deceased.
“It was definitely hard to deal with at first, but knowing we’re doing a good deed and helping to fight this keeps me driven,” said McDade.
“You see the difference you’re making in and out, helping all the doctors and nurses and you want to keep going back,” said Kyle Strehle, an employee with Business Relocation Services.
By April 7th, Linares says BRS had more than 30 people working at six hospitals in the region.
“These hospitals are massive. So you’re talking about a three block radius hospital—you bring it from one side of the hospital to the other. Hundreds of gurneys a day. Clearing out random rooms they weren’t planning on using for hospital beds,” said Matthew Linares.
Harlem Hospital's CEO tells NY1 the BRS movers were integral to its preparedness efforts and that it would not have been able to handle the surge in patients without them.
Lineras says as new hospitalizations decline, his team has finally been able to scale back. A brave group of movers, who helped the city meet a health crisis head on.