Just days after Winter Storm Fern brought brutal cold, ice, and snow from Texas to Massachusetts and beyond, Team Rubicon has begun standing up winter storm relief operations to serve survivors.
As of January 28, the veteran-led nonprofit had Quick Reaction Forces on the ground in two states and was preparing to stand up multiple full-blown operations in the coming days. Typically comprising trained sawyers and heavy equipment operators, QRF capabilities include, but are not limited to, road debris management, chainsaw operations, sandbagging, and emergency operation center support.
At the request of the New York City Emergency Management, a volunteer QRF in New York City has been clearing paths through snow drifts left behind by plows, especially freeing up crosswalks, ingress and egress paths for residences, and surrounding bus stops.
In Tennessee, a QRF is active in Hardin County, where ice damage is extensive, conducting chainsaw work and clearing roads.
As the QRFs work in those areas, Team Rubicon is investigating the possibility of standing up full winter storm relief operations to deal with damage from ice in Hardin County and in Nashville in Davidson County, as well as in Lafayette County, Mississippi.
