Photos Showcase Work of Team Rubicon’s Military Veterans in Disaster’s First Days
(NEW YORK) The Philippine Consulate General in New York will host a photography exhibit, Operation Seabird, Team Rubicon in the Philippines, showcasing the veteran-led disaster relief organization’s response to the Philippines, following Super Typhoon Haiyan last November.
Elana Duffy, a decorated Army veteran from New York, was one of the first Team Rubicon volunteers to arrive in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. Images like this are being featured in a photo exhibit now on display to the public at the Philippines Consulate in New York, through March 4. Team Rubicon photo by Kirk Jackson.
The public is invited to its launch at the Philippines Center, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. A free forum will be held to discuss the response, featuring remarks from Philippines Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Col. Christopher Starling, U.S. Marine Corps, and Lourdes Tiglao, Team Rubicon.
Also in attendance will be Team Rubicon volunteers from New York who responded in the immediate aftermath of the deadly storm. Team Rubicon, which unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, was one of the first nonprofit organizations to arrive in the Philippines.
Team Rubicon deployed 18 members, from multiple states, to the Philippines within 48 hours of Haiyan’s landfall. More followed over the next few weeks, 86 in all. Volunteers performed search and rescue, medical triage, surgical support, and other relief. More than 2,000 patients were treated or vaccinated during the response, before long-term medical care was transitioned to a larger organization.
The images captured by Team Rubicon members offer not only a glimpse of the devastation caused by the typhoon, but the tireless work of American volunteers, and the resiliency of the Philippine people.
The free exhibit will be open to the public on weekdays through March 4, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The exhibit was originally unveiled at the Philippines Embassy in Washington, and will travel to consulates across the country. The Philippines Center is located at 556 Fifth Ave, Manhattan (between 45th and 46th Avenues). To RSVP for the opening, please email events@newyorkpcg.org.
Team Rubicon was founded in the wake of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake with a dual mission: to apply the skills of military veterans to disaster response; and to help ease the reintegration of veterans through continued service at home. Since then, it has conducted 53 operations, including Superstorm Sandy, tornadoes in Moore, Ok., and most recently, ice storms in Pennsylvania and Georgia.
To learn more about Team Rubicon’s mission, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org.
About Team Rubicon Team Rubicon (TR) unites the skills and experience of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams. TR offers veterans a chance to continue their service by helping and empowering those afflicted by disasters, and also themselves. For more about Team Rubicon, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org.
