A second Team Rubicon element, dubbed TR-Chicago, is currently assembling and making tentative plans to deploy on a moments notice, pending assessment reports from TR-A.  TR-Chicago is being coordinated by Jeff Lang and Bob Thomann (aka Trauma Bob), and may also include Dr. Mauricio Consalter, Zak Beck, Seth Teske, and Kerem Korkmaz.  Planning for a “stand-by” operation is difficult, because team members must change shifts for their jobs, collect donations and supplies, pack bags, and say goodbye to loved ones; all without knowing for certain that their number will be called.   If you are in the Chicago, IL area, and can help with logistics or coordination in anyway, contact Team Rubicon via this blog.  Thank you.

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Filed under: Chile, News, Request for Help by Jake on February 28, 2010
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TR ID Badges

Team Rubicon is now deploying with ID badges in order to streamline processes at border checkpoints.

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Filed under: Chile, Photos by Jake on February 28, 2010
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Med Prep

Former Army Special Forces medic Mark Hayward and Los Angeles Firefighter Zach Smith consolidate and prep thousands of dollars worth of medical supplies donated by the Beverly Hills Fire Department and METT-T.  Tomorrow, Team Rubicon is linking up with MedLine, a medical distribution company that is donating thousands of dollars in supplies more.

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Filed under: Chile, News, Photos by Jake on February 28, 2010
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Team Rubicon’s advance element, now assembled in Los Angeles, continues to prepare for travel into Chile.  Signals from the Chilean government are mixed.  This morning’s charter flight from LA into southern Chile was refused clearance to fly into the country, with yesterday evening’s official position of the US State Department being that Chilean authorities “have the situation under control.”  At the same time, AP reports a statement this morning by Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet that “we face a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort” to recover.  Concepcion province is under martial law after episodes of looting last night, and President Bachelet has stated that Chile will accept certain offers of international help and specifically needs field hospitals and rescuers to help relieve workers who have been laboring frantically for more than a day.

(more…)

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Filed under: Chile, News by Jake on February 28, 2010
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“She said the country needs field hospitals and…damage assessment experts — as well as rescuers to help relieve workers who have been laboring frantically for more than a day.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100228/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_chile_earthquake

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Filed under: Chile, News by William on February 28, 2010
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Preparations Commence

Team Rubicon’s Clay Hunt runs a diagnostics test on a 308 Systems Tac-Pak, a tactical satellite communications system that TR will use to establish communications in and around the city of Concepcion, Chile.  Chilean officials have stated publicly that communications breakdowns are plaguing coordination efforts.  This Tac-Pak was recently used by TR in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and proved to be an invaluable tool to communicate with TR support personnel in the United States.

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Filed under: Chile, Photos by Jake on February 28, 2010
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TR-A has assembled in Los Angeles, CA and is conducting final gear and administrative preparation for departure for Argentina. Please continue to send TR-A updates of the situation on the ground in Chile as things progress, this is a grassroots effort, and we need the TR Nation to be our eyes and ears while we prepare over the next 12 hours!!

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Filed under: Chile, News by Jake on February 28, 2010
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Team Rubicon’s initial detachment (Alpha) has solidified an itinerary for travel into Chile.  To avoid the bottleneck occurring in Santiago, Chile, TR-A has elected instead to travel to Mendoza, Argentina.  Once in Mendoza, TR-A will secure local transportation into Chile via a southern crossing along Rt 40.  TR-A should have ‘boots on the ground’ sometime Tuesday.  Your continued support is needed and appreciated.  HELP US HELP CHILE!

View Larger Map

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Filed under: Chile, News by Jake on February 28, 2010
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Sticking to our grassroots, well, roots, Team Rubicon member Zach Smith has secured first aid donations from the Beverly Hills Fire Department.  The BHFD donated thousands of dollars worth of bandages, wound cleaning solution and bags, with the final approval coming from Battalion Chief Dwight Simpson.

Let’s make sure we thank Beverly Hills’ heroes!

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Filed under: Chile, News by Jake on February 27, 2010
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Team Rubicon members Jake Wood, Zach Smith, Clay Hunt, William McNulty and Mark Hayward are currently assembling at a staging area in Los Angeles.  Flights into Chile have been placed on a 72 hour moratorium at all airports.  TR is currently exploring options to fly into either Mendoza, Argentina or Bariloche, Argentina, where it will rent vehicles for a cross border journey into the Disaster Zone (DZ).

The goal of this element is to insert this medical response team into the towns located SW of Concepcion, closest to the epicenter of the earthquake.  Early reports are of logjams at the Santiago Airport, and the majority of aid is being directed to the large city of Concepcion.  Team Rubicon believes that there will be a delayed response to push medical aid out to the less populated areas.

Stand by for further info.

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Filed under: Chile, News, Request for Help by Jake on February 27, 2010
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