BELLE HARBOR, N.Y., Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Team Rubicon, an organization that deploys military veterans to disaster areas to do relief work, has established a command center in Rockaways that is playing a key role in the recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  The command center, which has become affectionately known as FOB (forward operation base) Hope, was set up with the assistance of Urban American, a real estate owner and operator that owns a beachfront property in Belle Harbor, as well as nearly 100 buildings throughout the New York/New Jersey metro area.

Urban American, a family-owned business whose principals, brothers Josh and James Eisenberg, both served in the military, partnered with Team Rubicon last year and provided space for the group to set up a regional command center on Roosevelt Island to respond to disasters in the Northeast.

With its headquarters already in place, Team Rubicon was able to respond quickly to the Sandy's aftermath and coordinate recovery efforts even before the storm had passed.

"Having some buildings in the Rockaways, we were able to help the team quickly assess the needs of the neighborhood and develop a response to the devastation here. They were far ahead of the curve and have served as the tip of the spear ever since," said James.

On site in Belle Harbor, even with its own non-stop relief effort to repair damage and restore basic services to 70 apartments hit hard by the storm, Urban cleared out a parking lot on Rockaway Beach Boulevard where Team Rubicon could set up a forward operating base. The lot is packed with volunteers, necessary equipment and a mobile command bus.  It has become a main hub for relief efforts all along the Rockaway Peninsula.

"No organization has hit this area harder than Team Rubicon," said Josh. "They really changed the paradigm for disaster response organizations and have had a tremendous impact on the neighborhood."

James continued, "Few people get to be heroes once in life, but these folks were heroes when they served our country and they are heroes again to the New Yorkers they helped recover from Sandy. We're proud to do whatever we can to make that happen."

SOURCE Urban American