When Hurricane Ike struck this past September, countless lives were again affected along the Gulf Coast. Hyundai decided it was time to act and help out where it could. Jeff Wolfe, vice president of Marketing for Hyundai Construction Equipment distributor Stafford, put hurricane victims in contact with Richard Scott of Burners Without Borders. The residents of Sabine Pass, TX, are learning first-hand about the hope that Disaster Corps and Burners Without Borders provide to those in need.

To assist in their efforts, Hyundai Construction Equipment USA, Inc. and South Texas distributor Four Seasons Equipment, Inc. have teamed up to lend support to the volunteers and bring hope to the residents of Sabine Pass. Hyundai and Four Seasons have provided/donated one month's use of a 210LC-7 excavator with thumb, and an HL 757-7A wheel loader with quick change grapple for the cleanup effort. For many, this means clearing their property in preparation for a FEMA trailer.

Over 90 percent of the structures in Sabine Pass, a suburb of Port Arthur, were declared uninhabitable. Many of these residences and stores were recently remodeled or rebuilt after Hurricane Rita, barely three years ago.

Property owners are responsible for the cleanup or demolition of structures on their property and not all have insurance to help with these costs. After Hurricane Rita, insurance was out of reach for many on fixed incomes, making the removal of an entire structure a daunting task.

“Burners Without Borders is the only volunteer group that uses heavy equipment,” said Scott. “We have been taking down one house per day. We have teamed with a couple of debris haulers who take the debris to disposal sites.”

“We hope that by providing this small measure of support, the volunteers and residents will be able to recover from this disaster and begin the rebuilding process,” said Wolfe. “Once houses are cleared, residents are able to get into more temporary shelter and that's when the rebuilding process for their lives really begins.”