Brief Summary
Team Rubicon operates across the four phases of the disaster cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. They proactively mitigate risks before disasters by building firebreaks and clearing debris. They enhance community preparedness through volunteer training and coordination with local emergency services. In the aftermath of disasters, they provide immediate response by assessing damage, clearing access routes, and providing essential aid. Their long-term recovery efforts include rebuilding homes with resilient construction methods, ensuring communities are better protected for future events.
- Mitigation efforts reduce the destructive impact of disasters.
- Preparedness involves training volunteers and coordinating with emergency services.
- Immediate response includes damage assessment and clearing access routes.
- Long-term recovery focuses on resilient construction and community resilience.
The Disaster Cycle
Disasters follow a cycle consisting of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Team Rubicon is structured to assist communities during each of these phases. This comprehensive approach ensures that communities receive support at every stage of a disaster, from preventing damage to rebuilding and increasing resilience.
Mitigation and Preparedness
Before disasters occur, Team Rubicon takes proactive mitigation steps to protect people and property. This includes building firebreaks and clearing debris in areas prone to seasonal wildfires and flooding. These efforts aim to prepare communities for potential disasters and minimise their destructive impact. During the preparedness phase, Team Rubicon focuses on building capacity and developing the necessary capabilities to respond effectively to future disasters by recruiting and training volunteers within the communities they serve and coordinating with state and local emergency managers early on.
Immediate Response
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, Team Rubicon responds to the urgent needs of vulnerable individuals. Reconnaissance teams are deployed to assess damage and provide immediate assistance. Within days or even hours, teams clear roads to enable access for first responders, tarp roofs to prevent further rain damage, and remove hazardous debris from homes to help survivors recover quickly. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers combatted food insecurity and provided medical support to overwhelmed healthcare systems.
Long-Term Recovery
Team Rubicon is committed to the long-term recovery and resilience of the communities they serve in the years and decades following a disaster. Ongoing rebuild operations in the Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico have provided new storm-resistant homes and roofs to families who lost their houses due to hurricanes. By using resilient construction methods and materials, Team Rubicon aims to protect survivors' investments and enhance their ability to shelter in place during future storms.
