ToolBank Disaster Services deploys for both Gray Sky and Blue Sky events.
Gray Sky events follow swiftly after disasters; Blue Sky event occur when there is no immediate disaster, though they may still support long-term disaster response.
ToolBank USA began ToolBank Disaster Services (TDS) in 2014 with a single 54’ trailer. Just 11 years later, in late 2025, we launched our 25th disaster trailer to meet increasing demand for services over time. Demand still exceeds our ability to respond, though we add multiple trailers and trucks to our fleet every year.
When we deploy, our services are offered to partners and residents at no cost.
100% of the transportation, logistics, staff, accommodations, meals and more are either paid directly by ToolBank USA or garnered through our solicitation of in-kind support. Individual support for our services is critical.
In late 2025, we retired our first ever mobile response unit after more than 11 years of dogged service. As part of my fundraising campaign, “Lace Up Like It’s 1995!”, I will detail 30 distinct deployments from this unit, which we call MU-1 (Mobile Unit 1).
The first ever deployment of MU-1 was a Gray Sky deployment in late April 2014.
Event
On April 27th, 2014, a destructive “wedge” tornado started in Arkansas and tracked 41.3 miles in 56 minutes through Mayflower and Vilonia (both in Faulkner County) before dissipating near El Paso (White County). The tornado was given a rating of EF4 (166-200 mph winds). This was the first EF4 or stronger tornado in the United States in 2014. 16 fatalities were reported (12 in Faulkner County, 3 in Pulaski County and 1 in White County), which made this the deadliest single tornado in Arkansas since the Jonesboro twister in Craighead County on May 15, 1968 (35 fatalities). Damage assessments for Faulkner County included 328 homes destroyed, 111 homes with major damage, and 271 homes with minor damage. One school was also destroyed.
On April 30th, the ToolBank Disaster Services mobile unit was requested by partner organization Team Rubicon to respond in the city of Conway, located in Faulkner County roughly 15 minutes from Vilonia and Mayflower. Team Rubicon requested the mobile unit for a 30-day operation.
Over the entire deployment, ToolBank Disaster Services equipped 1,939 volunteers with tools. These volunteers worked on over 100 different projects. The total value of the tools borrowed was $50,837. All tools were provided to response crews at no cost.
Participants
ToolBank Disaster Services equipped various groups with tools throughout the month+ long deployment. Partners included:
- All Hands
- Arkansas Realtor Association
- Batavia Assembly of God
- Cargill
- Chasing 4 Life
- Clinton Foundation
- Conway Christian School
- Davita
- Dogwood Charitable Foundation
- Grace United Methodist Church
- Habitat for Humanity – Faulkner County
- Habitat for Humanity – Saline County
- Hellfighters Motorcycle Ministry
- Hewlett-Packard
- Highway Baptist Church
- IsraAID
- ITDRC
- Team Rubicon
- University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton ALERT Academy
- University of Central Arkansas
- US Bank
Volunteers
Immediately following the storm there were 4 Volunteer Resource Centers (VRCs):
- The Home Depot, Conway
- Beryl Baptist Church, Vilonia (shelter and donation center)
- 57 Interstate Drive, Mayflower
- First Baptist Church, Vilonia
Team Rubicon reported the following activity: 10,195 volunteers managed, 39,000+ documented volunteer hours, 637 residential assessments, 137 work orders generated, 137 work orders completed/closed.
During the first weekend, over 6,100 volunteers (4,600 on Saturday 5/3) supported debris removal throughout Faulkner County. At the end of the deployment, the numbers dropped dramatically, with only a few dozen volunteers in the field each day.
