TYLER, Texas — While storm cleanup continues this week across East Texas, there’s an international veteran-led humanitarian organization that’s helping Smith County officials pick up the slack.
"They’re a godsend, honestly," Tyler resident Kristina Ferrell said.
Ferrell said six different trees in her backyard have fallen since the storms started to ramp up this spring, and she can’t rely on Smith County to come and deal with it, because it’s on her own private property.
Jeffrey Marshburn, logistics section chief for Team Rubicon, said he got a call Thursday saying the team would be heading down to Smith County to help out.
"So from the call on Thursday to having people on the ground Saturday and working on Sunday, we went from zero to about 15 or 20 people on the ground," Marshburn said.
Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves communities before, during and after natural disasters or crises worldwide. The call to get them here came from Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore, who said they’ve been a massive help.
"One woman today broke down into tears because she was an old woman, didn’t know how she was going to do it, and then these people just showed up. So for the people they’re helping, they’re doing an amazing job," Moore said.
Picking up branches on the side of the road or in a yard is one thing, but when dealing with a situation like Ferrell's yard, it really helps to have a Team Rubicon.
"It would’ve been impossible, just those two trees over there by themselves that would’ve been months of work by myself. But they came in, got it done. Those guys I’m telling you, the guys and the lady, they were amazing. They did a fantastic job and they’ll be back tomorrow," Ferrell said.
Team Rubicon will be back Wednesday to finish the work and they’ll be in Smith County until Thursday. Along with what they’re doing to help East Texans, they’re just as grateful for the opportunity to continue to give back.
"When I retired from the Army, one of the things that many veterans still look for is a way to serve their community, and Team Rubicon was that answer and is that answer for a lot of our veterans," Marshburn said.