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Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster response organization, has launched an operation to support residents of Sevier County following the November 2016 wildfire.
Team Rubicon will conduct incident management, debris removal, chain saw operations and expedient home repairs to affected communities in coordination with local and state authorities.
Residents seeking assistance are urged to go to the Forward Operation Base at the Gatlinburg Community Center 156 Proffitt Road in Gatlinburg or call (865) 325-2385. Team Rubicon performs its services at no cost to those affected, thanks to the generosity of donors.
“The Sevier County area has suffered quite a lot in the past few months and we may not be able to fix everything but we are so grateful to the community for allowing us to lend a helping hand,” said Jimmy Lovett, the incident commander for the operation. “The skills our volunteers bring with them are something very valuable to communities recovering from a natural disaster.”
Through a strong communications infrastructure supported by cutting-edge technological solutions, Team Rubicon volunteers efficiently and effectively respond to natural disasters and help get stricken families back into their homes as soon as possible. Beyond disaster relief, Team Rubicon helps veterans find a renewed sense of purpose, which is vital as many veterans return to civilian life after their time in the military.
U.S. Marine Corps veterans Jake Wood and William McNulty founded the nonprofit in 2010 following the massive Haiti earthquake. It has grown from eight to over 45,000 volunteers with over 185 operations under its belt, including Superstorm Sandy, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and Hurricane Matthew.
Photo: Team Rubicon/Facebook
