Jan 25, 2013 - The Knapheide Manufacturing Company has partnered with the First Response Team of America to provide truck equipment for use on disaster sites. Knapheide will be donating a custom Service Body designed to fulfill disaster relief needs of the First Response Team of America.
The First Response Team of America is a unique non-profit organization, consisting of several committed individuals that are passionate about supplying the help communities need in the first few hours and days following the aftermath of a natural disaster. The organization travels across the country with a convoy of unique disaster response and recover trucks and equipment from one natural or man-made disaster area to the next. Many times, the team reaches those in need far in advance of traditional relief agencies and during the crucial moments following the catastrophe. They conduct joint efforts with local first responders to save lives and restore hope across communities nationwide.
“Our company has seen first-hand the devastation of two major floods,” said Bo Knapheide, Senior Vice President of Distributor and Fleet Operations at Knapheide. “There is a sense of pride that comes with being able to support this great organization. First Response Team works tirelessly to restore hope in countless communities across the nation, communities that are battered and bruised by natural disasters and are in desperate need of assistance.”
The custom Knapheide Service Body will be 11’ in length and 60” in height which will provide abundant storage space. The body will have both compartment and external work lights to increase safety and convenience in low light conditions. Often times fuel and maintenance equipment are scarce after natural disasters. An auxiliary compressor and diesel fuel tank mounted to the body will allow the First Response Team to maintain and refuel their hovercraft, cranes, light towers, generator, Peterbilt trucks, CAT backhoe and skid steer, and more. Aluminum mechanics drawers installed in a compartment will provide ample storage for tools. Security features like the telescopic sliding roof that will enclose the cargo area and the Masterlocking system will keep all of the valuable tools and equipment safe and sound on or off the jobsite.
Tad Agoglia, creator of First Response Team of America, said, “We have been to floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and more. We carry a lot of equipment because you can never fully know
what you will need until you arrive, different situations call for different equipment. The people that we meet and help have had everything go wrong for them, their home, their community, their life destroyed in a short time, they have lost hope. The last thing we want to happen is a piece of equipment go down. We heavily rely on the equipment to restore hope in the minds of the effected people. To a private contractor down equipment can mean loss of profit, to our organization it can mean loss of life. Reliability is of the upmost importance to us and we knew Knapheide could build us the ideal service truck. This truck will be the lifeline to keep our fleet of vehicles and equipment up and running properly. We are grateful for the employees and executives at Knapheide and their generous contribution.”
About The Knapheide Manufacturing Company
Since 1848 Knapheide has provided its customers with high quality, work ready transportation solutions. The Knapheide family has owned and operated the company since its inception over 160 years ago. Today, The Knapheide Manufacturing Company is the nation’s leading manufacturer and provider of commercial vehicle solutions. Knapheide’s main manufacturing facility, Westphalia, is located in Quincy, Illinois and is over 480,000 square feet. Westphalia is highly automated and has the most technologically advanced equipment and processes in the industry. Products manufactured by Knapheide include: Service Bodies, KUV Bodies, Platform Bodies, Gooseneck Bodies, Dump Bodies, Forestry Bodies, Pick Up Accessories, Van Equipment, Mechanics Trucks, Water Trucks, and Fuel/Lube Trucks. Knapheide’s vast distribution system includes 200+ distributors strategically located throughout North America. The ability to evolve into new technology, processes, and products has made Knapheide the leader in the industry and allowed the company to move into new markets to better serve our distributors, fleet customers and end users. For more information on The Knapheide Manufacturing Company, please visit www.knapheide.com
About First Response Team Of America
When all hope seems lost, when confusion reigns, when the only thought on a survivor’s mind is, “What now?” – that’s the moment the First Response Team arrives, bringing new light to communities in their darkest hours. We fill the gap between the onset of a disaster and the arrival of traditional relief agencies, when too many communities must fend for themselves because the resources necessary for rescue and recovery – equipment, tools and personnel – are damaged, inaccessible or unavailable.
By studying weather patterns and communicating with leading meteorologists, we’re able to anticipate when and where the next disaster may hit. We position our rapid response team near storm locations nationwide and, when alerted to potential disaster, deploy immediately with our fleet of more than $1 million in specialized disaster response equipment. Our goal is to arrive in the crucial moments following the catastrophe, and our mission is to reduce the time it takes for help to reach those in need – so we can join local first responders in saving lives and restoring hope. For more information, visit www.firstresponseteam.org
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