Support for East Palestine, Ohio: Train Derailment
OPERATION TOXIC SHIELD WEBSITE: CLICK HERE
Operation Toxic Shield was founded by two US Army veterans and current College of Charleston students: Tucker Robbins and Harrison Slaughter. After exiting the military, we have constantly been working to find ways to continue serving our country and making a positive impact on those in need. We have teamed up with other veterans and students within our college community in the hopes to support those in need.
THE SITUATION:
On February 3, 2023, a train derailment occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, causing widespread damage and destruction. The accident led to many injured and displaced, as well as people that just need support and supplies. As soon as we learned of the tragedy, we knew we had to help.
OUR MISSION:
Operation Toxic Shield is a non-profit group founded in response to human-caused environmental disasters and crises that raises money to provide aid to those affected.
OUR AID INITIATIVES:
- Clean Drinking Water
- Emergency supplies
- Medical Supplies
- Rehabilitation
- Food
- Shelter
- Relocation
WHY OPERATION TOXIC SHIELD?
Our background in the military provides us with the skills and unique expertise to support disaster relief efforts.
We have experience in using hazmat equipment, CBRN gear, and other emergency supplies in hazardous environments, and we know how crucial it is to have access to these resources in a time of need
OUR COMMITMENT TO HONEST AID:
WHERE DO YOUR DONATIONS GO?
- We want you to know exactly where your money goes.
- Our transparency reporting Twitter account shows you how your donation is spent, what it buys, and who it helps.
- We believe in transparency and accountability, and we are committed to showing you the impact of your donation. CLICK HERE
People want honest Aid:
Too many times people who would have wanted to donate to an organization are worried about greed and lack of care. Too many times organizations that were trusted were not held accountable. We hope to set a NEW STANDARD FOR TRANSPARENCY.
What we think:
At Operation Toxic Shield we want to show what is truly possible in terms of how much of positive impact donations we can accomplish when there is complete transparency. We hope to show what is possible, we hope to be able to allow people to contribute to important causes and to convince those people who would donate to a cause they care about, but don't because they are worried about how their money will be spent.
BEYOND GEAR AND SUPPLIES:
We hope to care for the people of this incident beyond gear and supplies, we will work to organize transportation and housing to help rehome families and animals affected by this catastrophe. We will work within their local communities to support families with medical care, or event related rehabilition. We will also help use these donations To Promote awareness for the people of East Palestine, Ohio as well as people across the United States affected by a disaster. We will also work to promote awareness of water and air quality issues across the United States.
THE OPERATION SHIELD TEAM:
Tucker Robbins
Tucker is currently a student at the College of Charleston. While serving in the Army he served as the Multi-Function Platoon CBRN representative where he learned skills and taught fellow service members the proper use and wear of CBRN gear. (Chemical Biological Radiological & Nuclear). He also spent time managing logistics and training schedules for over 200 personnel while serving in our unit Battalion S3 (Operations). "I have always felt pulled towards helping those in need and doing anything I can to help others."
Jared Bost
Jared is currently a student at the College of Charleston and Ohio Native. While serving in the Army Jared dedicated his time to important missions and acquired some of the nation's best training and applications for crisis resolution.
Harrison Slaughter
Harrison has served as an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army. Harrison is a current student at the College of Charleston, he has always been passionate about making the world a better place. With extensive volunteer work for CURE Childhood Cancer, he now hopes to possibly prevent people from ingesting cancerous smoke, fumes, and chemicals.
Alexander Grillo
Alexander is currently a student at COFC and an important member of Operation Toxic Shield. Here is what he has to say as Head of Relations:
"My name is Alexander Grillo. I study special education on the intellectual disability track at the College of Charleston. I enjoy sports, listening to music and spending time with friends and family. I have always been one to put others before myself, this was one of the main reasons I decided I wanted to become a Teacher after graduation. When the opportunity presented itself to join a team of hardworking people who were doing good for the world I couldn’t help but say yes."
WHY OPERATION TOXIC SHIELD?
Our background in the military provides us with the skills and unique expertise to
support disaster relief efforts. We have experience in using hazmat equipment,
CBRN gear, and other emergency supplies in hazardous environments, and we know
how crucial it is to have access to these resources in a time of need.
We hope to form connections with suppliers and manufacturers of these products, which will help us to get more resources for those in need.
The funds raised by Operation Toxic Shield will make a significant impact on the victims of the Ohio train derailment. The supplies and equipment that we will purchase and distribute will provide protection and safety to those who were affected by the disaster. By donating to this cause, people can directly help those in need.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION:
Reports say that Five train cars carrying Vinyl chloride, a synthetic substance that is an essential component of PVC, a widely used hard plastic resin in construction and healthcare.
This substance was being transported in five of the derailed train cars. Vinyl chloride is typically transported as a compressed liquid and has a sweet-smelling, colorless gas at room temperature.
Inhaling vinyl chloride can lead to respiratory issues such as shortness of breath, as well as neurological symptoms such as dizziness and headaches. Exposure to high levels of vinyl chloride over time can cause liver damage and increase the risk of cancer, as reported by the CDC.
The burning of this gas can lead to more severe issues and ailments as well as affect our country's watersheds. We will use these funds to support the people, animals and watersheds affected by this destruction.
