On December 10, 2021, our region witnessed a catastrophic tornado that moved across Western Kentucky, causing the most devastating tornado in our history. Team Rubicon stepped in immediately after the tornado had hit the Western Kentucky region to help people prepare, respond, and recover from the disaster.
Just hours after the tornado had demolished the Mayfield area, Team Rubicon had “boots on the ground,” which means, in their case, volunteers from the organization were on site ready to help the community. These volunteers are a team of veterans who use their service and leverage their skills to help people in need. The non-profit initiated their rocks clearing program, which opened up the roadways for emergency services to be able to get to the survivors as soon as the tornado ended. But that was just the beginning for Team Rubicon. Volunteers from the non-profit organization helped tarp roofs, manage and clean out debris, clear out trees, and preserve what was left of a homeowner’s house until things could be repaired, all at zero cost. If there are any residential structures standing that can be accessed safely, Team Rubicon will remove any drywall, carpet, and any other damage that needs to be out of the home for the structure to be rebuilt.
“I have responded to a lot of hurricanes and tornados, but nothing compares to the devastation that this tornado had left behind,” says Jarrett Brown, Incident Commander of the Mayfield area. Over the next several days, Team Rubicon experienced a few of the survival stories from people in the Mayfield area that would leave you heartbroken. One family, in particular, placed their kids in the bathtub, strapped in a car seat, and found the bathtub a few hundred yards away from the home. The kids may have been scratched up and suffered from broken bones, but ultimately, they survived. Another family hid in a cupboard to wake up to their house completely gone as they had been tossed into the backyard and survived.
“A lot of us veterans have been deployed, and I have seen this type of destruction before in Iraq and Bagdad, but when it’s your own country and communities, it touches you differently.” – Jarrett Brown, Incident Commander.
Today, Team Rubicon has an incredible and dedicated team of volunteers that continue to serve the communities affected by the tornado. Even with the storm happening right before Christmas, many of the volunteers stayed, and just in the Mayfield area, Team Rubicon averaged about 70 people a day as well as 40 people a day in Dawson Springs and Bowling Green, Kentucky. Volunteers from all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska, came to help these communities that have suffered from an unbearable natural disaster.
Through continued service, Team Rubicon seeks to provide veterans with purpose, community, and leadership. Veterans joining Team Rubicon will have the fulfillment of being involved in disaster relief, serving others, and making an impact along with leadership development and other opportunities. This venture lead organization has a proud team of 150,000 volunteers, and no matter what services are provided, there are zero costs to the homeowners affected. Without donors such as Under Armour and Pepsi, Team Rubicon would not be here today. These two large companies have kept Team Rubicon’s mission going, and they are extremely grateful and continue to serve and help people even on their worst days.
Team Rubicon looks to help veterans transition from military to civilian life. Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org to learn more about their services and donate to their mission.
