I’ve made my career around disasters. I had already spent 15 years in emergency response when I joined FEMA in 2017—right after Hurricane Harvey and before Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit. Now, as Team Rubicon’s Vice President of Operations, I’m responsible …
When the Atlantic hurricane season starts in June, it may be one of the United States’ most explosive hurricane years to date. That’s according to researchers and experts whose 2024 hurricane season predictions indicate a troubling trend: a collision …
Preparing for a hurricane is key to storm survival, but it can also seem expensive or overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be. These budget-friendly and free ways to prepare for a hurricane can improve your chance of surviving a severe storm, and improve your …
It’s hurricane season in the American Southeast, which means now is the time to get ready. Plus, as climate patterns become increasingly unpredictable, early preparation and action for you, your loved ones, your pets, and your home is essential. Here’s how …
With hurricane seasons becoming increasingly unpredictable and intense, staying informed and prepared is crucial for the safety of you and your loved ones. Luckily, modern technology offers a variety of hurricane-tracking and awareness apps that can keep …
With five hurricane categories to understand, warnings and watches to untangle, and the confusing math of what storm surge is, hurricanes can be a mystery. So, with the first major hurricane of the season churning up the Gulf of Mexico, the disaster …
In 2021, Team Rubicon established a Government Relations Department to further advance the organization’s engagement at the federal, state, and local levels with elected and key officials. The goal is to develop partnerships and implement strategic …
Alison Thompson is a first responder, volunteer leader, and full-time volunteer. The founder and executive director of Third Wave Volunteers, she has been on the ground responding to humanitarian disasters and crises all over the world, including …
Team Rubicon serves communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. It may seem strange, but before is when communities facing potential disasters find the biggest returns; you save more lives and preserve more homes by preparing for a disaster …
When a severe storm swept through the Midwest on March 15, 2023, it produced tornadoes across multiple communities. Among the hardest hit was Logan County, OH, where an EF-3 tornado touched down and caused extensive damage. So, when Team Rubicon stood up …
Being prepared for a disaster isn’t just about being able to execute a plan for yourself, it’s about prepping for the entire family: furbabies and all. And because cats and dogs don’t always follow directions in stressful situations, doing disaster …
Team Rubicon has responded to disasters all over the world, bringing medical care and water, sanitation, and hygiene support to communities in over 30 countries. In the 14 years since Jake Wood joined an ad hoc team of veterans and formed Team Rubicon to …
In early July 2023, I was in Millington, TN, serving on Command and General Staff for Operation Blue Suede Shoes. It was a small Type 4 response to some severe thunderstorms that had brought excessive straight-line winds to a small community about 30 …
While tornado prediction has improved, twisters can still spin up without warning, giving those in the path little time to prepare or take cover. That’s why, in addition to knowing the signs of a tornado and being prepared, taking advantage of technology …
With wildfires on the horizon—and now nearly guaranteed every year in the American West—Team Rubicon has been using mitigation operations to help prepare communities against fires before they start. In 2023, Team Rubicon completed 28 wildfire mitigation …
Covid’s rejection of those 65-plus had kept me on the shelf for far too long, so when SoCal’s callout to respond to flood damage in San Diego came, I jumped at the chance to sign up for a local Team Rubicon operation. I’d be able to get my grey shirt dirty …
On World Water Day, it’s important to note that while water is one of the most abundant resources on Earth, clean water that is fit to drink is far rarer. Although 71% of the world’s surface is water, only 3% of it is fresh water—and most of that is locked …
Billy is the youngest Greyshirt on a mitigation operation in Southern California with a brand-new team of Greyshirts, helping Team Rubicon protect vulnerable communities from wildfire. A danger confronting an increasing number of communities across America …
During and after disasters, it is women and children who face the most threats and have the worst outcomes, according to Dui Turner, a 25-year U.S. Air Force veteran and Senior Fellow at Women in International Security. “Generally speaking, around the …
When a deep freeze swept the U.S. in 2021, it engulfed Texas, marked the first billion-dollar weather disaster of 2021, and crippled infrastructure. At the peak, 10 million were without electricity—and heat—in Texas. Meanwhile, burst pipes left many …
