NEW YORK — Caterpillar customers and their employees, along with more than 100 Caterpillar and dealer representatives are working on site to lend support to the recovery and clean up efforts at the site of the World Trade Center in New York.

Twenty-five contractors who are working at the site are Caterpillar dealer customers, providing both equipment and operator expertise. Several East Coast customers responded to the relief efforts despite being stranded at a training session in Aurora, Ill. Upon receiving notification of the disaster, they immediately began calling their offices to mobilize equipment and operators to assist efforts as soon as possible.

To assist with the rescue efforts, two Caterpillar specialized demolition machines were shipped from the company's Aurora facility to New York. Two experienced operators from its Edwards, Ill., training facility also made the trip to operate the machines.

Caterpillar Rental Power is working with federal officials to get emergency power activated through Cat dealers in impacted areas. The company's North American Commercial Division is also working closely with dealers to provide needed machines, power generation units and parts to assist in the rescue and clean up efforts.

Caterpillar has offered special assistance to dealers to ensure that the right replacement parts are available to keep its products working as needed. Parts distribution efforts continue as usual throughout much of the world.