Team Rubicon - Get your saw on!

After an EF1 tornado tore through Wyoming & Kentwood, MI in July 2014 I was looking to help. After poking around the internet for an hour or two and attempting to contact the Red Cross, someone on a Facebook Group mentioned Team Rubicon. So I did some quick research, found that they appeared to know what they were doing, and offered up my tractor to the response, Operation: Honor Walk. After my first day with the Team I was hooked! With four Operations, a number of service projects, chainsaw and ICS-300 training under my belt, I continue to support the Team.

Team Rubicon unites the skills of veterans with civilian first responders (and kick azz civilians like myself), to rapidly deploy disaster relief teams throughout the U.S. and world. From tornadoes to hurricanes, floods to fires, TR has had a hand in every major natural disaster State-side since Sandy, with exponential growth in response over the past few years. The Team is regionalized the same as FEMA and works hand-in-hand with official emergency management on every deployment (Operation).

The rules are simple: 1) Don't Be A duck, 2) Get chit Done!, 3) Don't frick It Up. Every member of TR is background checked (for security within the homes we work and barracks) and goes thru the minimal Module 1 training, complete with Incident Command System 100 & 700 online training to be deployable. Beyond that, you can be a grunt, or work your way into leadership, from the state district level up to region management. The Team is administered by full-time professionals at HQ in El Segundo, CA.

Of particular interest to this forum, TR does a LOT of saw work. They are a Stihl shop, but that doesn't matter when the "bat signal" goes up. All sawyers attend TR specific chainsaw training - whether you're certified by another entity or not - giving everyone the same knowledge and skills to be safe in the field. There are no shortcuts when it comes to safety on-Op. Cutting in a tornado debris field is far different than your back 40.

Cool thing is, you deploy at your availability and within your skill set. You might not always run a saw, but you'll make the difference for someone in need. There are opportunities for everyone within TR, including those with invisible scars of battle. In addition to providing storm cleanup, TR gives purpose to those who've taken off the uniform - civilian reintegration and suicide prevention are the hallmarks of the organization.

You have what it takes. Join today, and Be Ready to serve tomorrow!

 

that's just pretty danged AWESOME!