Team Rubicon Expands Operator Training

Last fall, KeithConstruction equipmentThe company asked its dealers to help support a new program from Team Rubicon:cultivateMore volunteers operate heavy equipment for its veteran-led humanitarian organization, which serves communities worldwide before, during and after disasters and crises. Case dealers have responded, according to the company.

Earlier this year, the pilot program wasIndiana, US stateRPM Machinery of Franklin and Lawrence Equipment of Roanoke, Va. launched. These dealerships provide Team Rubicon volunteers with training machines, indoor classrooms and outdoor operating space on a monthly basis.

“When we heard about the need to help train more heavy equipment operators, we raised our hand,” Dustin Cole, executive vice president of Lawrence Equipment, said in a statement. “We are very active in our local community and want to make sure Virginia is prepared when disaster strikes and help train volunteers to deploy to places of need across the U.S. and Canada.”

Team Rubicon volunteers (known as “Gray Shirts”) sign up for monthly training to learn how to operate the compact tracker.wheel loaderscap (a poem)ExcavatorThe

“One of the most important tasks in the wake of a disaster is to provide much-needed resources to the area,” William Porter, director of operations support for Team Rubicon, said in a statement. “Our Grey Shirts, including sawyers and heavy equipment operators, helped clear trees and debris from the roadways so that first responders and survivors could re-enter the community.

Porter said, “Having more trained heavy equipment operators improves the Rubicon team's ability to provide vital assistance to the community and puts survivors on the road to recovery.”

“One of RPM's core values is to do the right thing,” Fred Rohlman, president of RPM Machinery, said in a statement. “Supporting Team Rubicon by helping their gray shirts operate their machines safely and efficiently is the right thing to do. When Keith shared this opportunity, we signed up immediately.”

The Rubicon team has used the training in all phases of the disaster cycle across the U.S., including wildfire mitigation, hurricane response, and long-term storm recovery.

Case and Team Rubicon plan to expand the number of dealers participating in this heavy equipment operator training program in 2024.