First Response Team of America

The First Response Team of America is a 4-person nonprofit organization whose mission is to respond to communities in need in the initial hours after being hit with a natural disaster. The team carries with it specialized equipment for various disaster situations, including: cranes and skid loaders for clearing roads, hovercrafts for water rescues, generators for powering up emergency facilities, water pumps for floods, and communication devices to reconnect victims of disasters with loved-ones. The team is based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The First Response Team performing water rescues in Cranston, RI

The First Response Team was founded by Tad Agoglia, who was nominated as a CNN Heroes top 10 finalist in 2008 and awarded a Jefferson Award in 2010 for his humanitarian work through the organization. He initially funded the team with his own savings. Today, the organization continues through corporate and private donations. Organizations that have partnered with the First Response Team include: Caterpillar, Peterbilt, the Pete Store, and Terex.

The First Response Team has responded to dozens of disasters since 2007, including communities hit by tornadoes, floods, ice storms, mud slides, as well as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the Gulf Oil Spill.

References

• Floods: U.S. 'deserves this type of response'. CNN updated 8:53 a.m. EDT, Fri June 20, 2008

External links

• First Response Team of America Official site