Former Army pilot from Dallas saves lives in Puerto Rico

When a disaster like Hurricane Maria strikes, many of us write checks or donate goods to support organizations on the front lines. For some people, that’s not enough. One of those people is Russell Rawcliffe, a Dallas, Ga., resident who put his life on hold in October to bring lifesaving support to dialysis patients in Puerto Rico.

The husband and father of four young boys works as a senior financial/business analyst for Fresenius Medical Care North America, a company that provides dialysis treatment for people with chronic kidney disease. Before he worked in finance, Rawcliffe served eight years of active military duty for the U.S. Army with tours that included 15 months in Iraq piloting air assault and cargo missions in a CH-47D helicopter.

When Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and threatened the lives of dialysis patients on the island, Rawcliffe knew these patients needed his aviation, military and logistics skills more than his talent for numbers. They needed phones, fuel, food, water and medical supplies – and they needed them fast.

Rawcliffe was able to help Fresenius Medical Care solve an array of logistical challenges such as determining how much weight in supplies a plane can carry while ensuring it has enough fuel to get to the island and back to Miami. Delivery of those supplies meant Fresenius Medical Care patients had access to food, water and the lifesaving dialysis treatments they need to stay healthy.

“It’s a unique opportunity for me to utilize that skillset and to bring resources that otherwise may not be here,” said Rawcliffe. “And I’m glad to do it.”

Rawcliffe supported Fresenius Medical Care’s Disaster Response Team in their initial wave of strategic support, first at the staging area at Miami International Airport and then as an Incident Commander assisting Luis Emanuelli, Regional Vice President for Puerto Rico.

“Russell was very instrumental, using his military background, in helping our relief teams navigate through the many obstacles that existed on the island,” Emanuelli said. “He knew how to get around and which doors to knock on to get the support we needed through that first week after the hurricane hit. His efforts served as the model to follow for subsequent Incident Commanders that visited us, which helped us get food and supplies to those in need.”

Rawcliffe had spent three years on a military base in Puerto Rico as a child; so, in addition to his extensive knowledge in aviation, military and logistics, he’s bilingual. He knew with his skills and background that he could make an immediate impact.

“Fresenius [Medical Care] looks out for their patients in a way that is like family, and it's very comforting to be part of it,” he said.