NEW YORK — As typically occurs in time of disaster, the equipment rental industry has been intricately involved in rescue efforts in the aftermath of the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks.

As a preferred provider to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as well as a number of New York law enforcement agencies, United Rentals was contacted within a few hours after the attacks and has played a major role, having sent more than 500 generators, 100 light towers and 1,500 diamond blade concrete cutters to help rescue efforts. More than 35 United branches contributed equipment to the relief efforts. The company also supplied flatbed trucks to move debris and other needed vehicles.

“We've had quite a few people right at ground zero working directly with the rescue workers,” United CEO Brad Jacobs told RER. “They've done everything asked of them around the clock, from using our forklifts to lift cars and taking sandwiches and pallets full of drinks to the rescue workers. We worked hand in hand with other rental companies, even setting up our competitors' light towers. This was no time for competition, just a time for joining hands and doing what we could to help.”

Jacobs said United employees were present in both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon when the planes struck but none were injured. Another United employee was asleep in a hotel across the street from the World Trade Center after being up all night monitoring generators at a film production site nearby. After the explosion threw him out of bed, the employee, Clinton Baird, escaped the building and “got in the ferry and showed up in New Jersey in his boxer shorts,” Jacobs said.

United was not the only rental company to provide equipment for the relief efforts. Piscataway, N.J.-based Hoffman Equipment delivered 25 machines from its rental fleet, including machines donated by Terex and JCB. “It's a response from the heart,” said sales manager Barry Heffernan. “I sent out a call to truckers and 25 independent trucks showed up with lowboys. I'm getting phone calls from contractors who want to offer equipment and landscaping customers offering equipment operators.”

Other rental companies in the area have offered equipment and assistance on an as-needed basis.

Deere dealership JESCO, located across the Hudson River in South Plainfield, N.J., has wheel loaders, excavators and other machines ready to go, and Deere said it was prepared to send JESCO any equipment required for rescue or demolition efforts. Lief Johansson, president of AB Volvo offered to supply New York with wheel loaders, dump trucks, excavators, motor graders and other needed equipment.