[MV] Public Use of MV's

bleffler@vnet.ibm.com
Thu, 4 Mar 99 19:56:18 EST

Ladies and Gentlemen of the List,

I have been following the comments concerning the ban on importation of MV's, a
nd today the suggestions for making your MV available to local police or
emergency services. I would like to throw out the folloing idea that I have be
en pondering for list comment and to solicit indivdual interest.

In recent years the number and scale of natural disasters ranging in impact fro
m localized small towns to region wide. In many cases, the lag time between
disaster occurance and the infusion of outside aide leaves a lot of people
in the lurch. I have seen first hand that a warm body ready to WORK rather tha
n assess of advise can be of immeasureable worth compared to someone handing
out low interest loan checks.

What I would like to propose is that groups ofindividuals or local clubs
create a core of volunteers willing to utilize their vehicles for use in
disaster aid. Our vehicles were engineered and manufactured to function in
adverse environments. Why not give our trucks some exercise doing what they
were meant to do? Please understand, I'm not suggesting that you take your
museum quality 1 of12 in the world M37 dump truck and use it for gathering
flood of tornado debris. However if your willing to take your M211 of M35
out on a trail ride then you probably would be too scare of hauling lumber
and suppliesor fording flood swollen streets. We have assetts that we can
use to benefit ourselves and our neighborsif we only choose to. Howwould
you feel watching fire crews on the new struggle with a praire firewhile
your 6x6 water tanker sits safely in the barn?

I realizethis idea will not have universal appeal, However I am in the
process of finalizing things to set up a non-profit org. for just such
task using my own trucks and whatever others I can acquire.

Think of the positive effects news clipsof such good deeds might have on
our hobby and public perception of mv owner's character.

Comments, suggestions, participants?

Brian J. Leffler
54 M211
52 M215

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