Case Delivers Equipment for Disaster Relief

Fri February 06, 2009
Agricultural Equipment Guide

Throughout 2008, Case Construction Equipment and its employees and dealers have demonstrated their passion for helping people around the world in times of need. Time and again, Case was on the scene to provide the resources and support needed to help repair and rebuild communities in the wake of devastation. Most recently, Case provided disaster relief in Brazil.

When heavy rains caused massive mudslides and other storm damage in southern Brazil in November, and again in Belo Horizonte at the end of December, Case delivered a Case CX220 hydraulic excavator, a Case 845 motorgrader, a Case 521D wheel loader and a Case 410 skid steer loader to the affected areas.

The machines were used to clear out the access roads and remove earthen barriers that were formed by the mudslides. The work opened access for relief workers to the city of Blumenau. It was one of the cities most affected by the widespread flooding. The disaster caused more than 100 deaths and left thousands of people homeless.

This effort marked the fourth project undertaken in the past 12 months for Case Multiação, a program of sustainable social action supported by Case in Brazil. Other projects included the Fonte Viva Project, which removed crippling amounts of silt from a stretch of the São Francisco River, and a partnership with the municipal government of Sorocaba to build an area for leisure activities that will benefit 22,000 people

Flooding Devastates U.S. Midwest

In the United States, Case arranged for several crawler dozers to help fortify levees along the swollen Iowa and Mississippi rivers in June during the floods resulting from record rainfall in the Midwest.

Case dispatched the first crawler dozer to Oakville, Iowa, which is located near the Case manufacturing plant in Burlington. A Case employee volunteered to operate the 850L for this application. The machine and operator were later reassigned to Kingston, Iowa, where they supported work at a pumping station.

Case also put another three crawler dozers to work south of Burlington, and then to Green Bay Bottoms along the Mississippi River. The company also responded to a request from the National Guard to supply a Case 580 Super M backhoe/loader. Current and retired Case employees volunteered their time to operate the equipment.

Earthquake Rocks China

In response to the devastating earthquake that hit Sichuan Province in central China in May, Case donated a Case 695 four-wheel driver backhoe/loader and hydraulic hammer to assist the emergency services teams with the relief efforts.

In addition, Case dispatched backhoe/loader operators from the company’s headquarters in Shanghai to assist and train members of the Chinese Army-Air Force to help speed recovery efforts.

“Our best response to a natural disaster is a fast response,” said Jim McCullough, Case CEO and president. “Our company, employees and dealers have a track record of helping rebuild after the devastation — whether that includes providing equipment or manpower or both. We’re part of a global community and are in a unique position to help relief efforts that save lives and rebuild communities.”

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.