This afternoon I stood ankle deep in a basement full of mud. Shovels, buckets, mops and brooms were put to good use. Team Rubicon’s Operation: Prairie Dog was in full effect, and my team had boots on the ground in Marseilles, IL. We spent the day gutting flooded, damaged homes. As we worked on our last project, the team’s energy reminded me of a school of Piranhas, attacking the work and devouring it like prey. Before I knew it we were done.

This is my third deployment with Team Rubicon, and each time I volunteer, I feel so honored to be working alongside people who have the same vision and goals as I do. It seems no matter how difficult the job is, we come together as a whole to accomplish that goal. We think and move as one; we don’t know the word “can’t” – it’s not in our vocabulary because we can’t fathom the thought of defeat.  Today was no different. Yes, we looked and smelled like we just crawled out of the sewer, but we wore the dirt and sweat like a badge of honor. This, my friend, is just another day in the wonderful life of a Team Rubicon volunteer.

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Filed under: News, Personal Reflections, Prairie Dog, Region 5, Veterans, Volunteers by Kirk Jackson on April 29, 2013
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Today the team got straight to work at 0900 on the previously established EMS work orders. The external organizations that are working under Team Rubicon immediately went to work on their work orders as well.

The work performed consisted of muck-out and debris removal. Through a discussion with IEMA, they have decided to incorporate Team Rubicon as a separate branch under the already established Operations Section. Additional gear and resources were also prepped for the influx of volunteers anticipated for tomorrow and Sunday.

Four work orders were completed and two remain in progress.

We’ve broken out into four muck strike teams to better accomplish our work orders alongside the expected spontaneous volunteers this weekend.

- Aaron Cook, Team Rubicon Incident Commander

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Filed under: Prairie Dog, Region 5, Region 7 by Mike Lee on April 26, 2013
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With the FOB up and running in Marseilles, IL, Team Rubicon has fully begun flood recovery operations. TR has been in constant contact with local authorities to ensure TR volunteers are being used in the most efficient way possible.

Team Rubicon has also been using Palantir to create and track work orders in the affected area, and is sharing this information with other relief groups.

Team Leader Jeff Volmar pauses to sync up with Palantir back at the FOB

Today, volunteers focused on the homes of first responders – this will allow more first responders to go out and help with the ongoing recovery.

A total of 258 work orders have been created so far. TR plans to accomplish at least 75% of the remaining EMS work orders and 50% of the Southern Baptist work orders over the next 245 hours.

It is imperative that we are able to recruit more volunteers for Operation: Prairie Dog. Any Region 5 or Region 7 volunteer within 250 of LaSalle County, IL should register their availability in OrgAction ASAP.

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Filed under: News, Prairie Dog, Region 5, Region 7 by Mike Lee on April 25, 2013
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TR volunteer and Army veteran Omar Gonzalez mucks out a flooded home on Operation: Prairie Dog.

Jake Leonhard, a Marine Corps veteran and outstanding TR volunteer, removes damaged fencing from a home in Marseilles, IL.

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Filed under: News, Prairie Dog, Region 5, Region 7, Veterans by Mike Lee on April 25, 2013
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We’re honored to invite you to Words on War, a powerful event in support of comprehensive mental healthcare for military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan taking place at IAC HQ in New York City on May 8, 2013. The evening will include a war poetry reading by Jake Gyllenhaal. Additionally, Adam Driver (from HBO’s Girls and major motion picture Lincoln) and Joanne Tucker of Theater of War will be performing a scene from Sophocles’ Ajax, a play that illustrates the timeless psychological effects of war. Please join us at Words of War on May 8th. Be sure to get your tickets soon: bmst.co/wordsofwar

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Filed under: Fundraisers by Mike Lee on April 23, 2013
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Despite there not being any prairie dogs in Illinois, TR deployed several strike teams to the Prairie State for this operation. Over the past week, heavy rains have hammered the Midwest. TR launched two operations, Op: Sandman and Op: Mississippi, to help communities in Wisconsin and Mississippi for the floods. This operation however, is focused on flood recovery.

LaSalle County, which sits on the Fox River, was hit incredibly hard by the flood waters. In the town of Marseilles, for example, over 230 homes and businesses are under four to five feet of water.

Our strike teams, comprised of volunteers from Region 5 and Region 7, hit the ground this morning and immediately began performing damage assessments in the area. Thanks to our friends at Palantir, TR is able to accurately and quickly record and track this data. As of this evening, the teams have cleared several districts and have performed 20+ assessments. Special attention is being paid the homes of first responders, so that recovery efforts can move more quickly.

Additionally, TR is in the process of establishing the Forward Operating Base (FOB) and compiling all needed resources for this operation.

Help support our teams in LaSalle County by donating here: http://bit.ly/12bG6Ta

It is imperative that we are able to recruit more volunteers for Operation: Prairie Dog. Any Region 5 or Region 7 volunteer within 250 of LaSalle County, IL should register their availability in OrgAction ASAP.

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Filed under: News, Prairie Dog, Region 5, Region 7, Veterans by Mike Lee on April 23, 2013
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TR Region 5 has been activated for Operation: Prairie Dog, aimed at assisting the communities of LaSalle County, Illinois. Severe floods have damaged upwards of 230 homes and businesses, with some structures under four feet of water. TR will work with local authorities to help those affected muck out their homes.

All Region 5 volunteers within 250 miles should register their availability in OrgAction ASAP.

DO NOT SELF DEPLOY.

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Filed under: Prairie Dog, Region 5 by Mike Lee on April 22, 2013
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R7 is deploying a small team of volunteers to Clarksville, MO to help assist in flood mitigation operations. Located near US Lock and Dam 24 on the Mississippi River, the town of Clarksville is on high alert for floods. TR will assist in sandbagging the town for at least the next 24 hours.

All available volunteers within 60 miles should register their availability in OrgAction.

DO NOT SELF-DEPLOY.

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Filed under: Mississippi Rising, Region 7 by Mike Lee on April 21, 2013
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Following the explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas earlier this week, local authorities requested Team Rubicon’s assistance in managing volunteer and donation intake.

As a four-person Incident Management Team, TR has been able to process over 1,500 volunteers and over 20 tons of donations.

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Filed under: Go West, Region 6 by Mike Lee on April 21, 2013
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Operation: Sandman is a wrap.

Region 5′s team, headed by TL Amanda Ross, has assisted the city of Janesville, WI prepare for potential flooding by assisting homeowners and the city set sandbag lines.

Today, the team focused on placing sandbags along the waterfront at Fireman’s park. Approximately 70 feet of sandbags were placed to ensure the safety of downtown Janesville and 9/11 memorial in the park.

As of 4:30pm Central Time, Operation: Sandman was concluded. TR will continue to monitor the weather and will respond if needed.

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Filed under: Region 5, Sandman by Mike Lee on April 19, 2013
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