TALLAHASSEE, FL — In the wake of Hurricane Helene and Milton’s devastating impact to the southeastern region of the U.S., veteran-led humanitarian organization Team Rubicon is sending volunteer response teams to help with the cleanup.
To support the effort, CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH, is providing essential equipment such as compact track loaders with grapple attachments, wheel loaders, and crawler excavators to help Team Rubicon with the heavy-duty work of clearing trees, mud, and debris.
As part of a recently launched CNH Disaster Response program, CASE is dedicating six compact track loaders with grapple attachments as a fleet that will be devoted to Team Rubicon efforts. The CNH Disaster Response program is a new effort designed to quickly deploy equipment to disaster-stricken communities.
In addition, CASE is deploying equipment to communities in need through its extensive dealer network. CASE dealer Hills Machinery is loaning an additional three machines along with service support materials like hydraulic fluid and parts. To date, CASE and the CASE dealer network have loaned 10 machines to the effort and is in daily communication with Team Rubicon to address needs as they arise.
“Building communities, and rebuilding them when disaster strikes, is core to what we do at CASE,” said Terry Dolan, Vice President - North America, CASE Construction Equipment. “We’ve been longtime supporters of the humanitarian relief work that Team Rubicon provides and our dealers, like Hills Machinery, are always at the ready to help.”
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When it comes to disaster response, volunteers from the veteran-led nonprofit Team Rubicon are some of the first to arrive. Also known as “Greyshirts,” Team Rubicon volunteers include sawyers and heavy equipment operators who clear trees and debris from roads so emergency crews can access impacted communities.
“Hurricanes Helene and Milton definitely created a tremendous amount of need,” said Jeff Byard, Vice President of Operations, Team Rubicon. “We've already served 45-plus communities across five states and have multiple response operations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Our strengths as an organization are our deep ties within local communities and the nationwide network of Greyshirt volunteers who provide no-cost services to better the lives of disaster survivors.”
In addition to deploying machinery for use during disasters, CNH and its charitable foundation over the years have supported Team Rubicon’s mission by providing financial support. Also, CASE and the CASE dealer network have made space available to execute critical heavy equipment operating training for Team Rubicon volunteers. In the past two years, CASE has expanded training support from one to nine locations across the U.S. and Canada.
