At Dolphin Research Center, a colony of bottlenose dolphins and the people who care for them are creating a greater understanding and appreciation of the human relationship with marine mammals and the fragile environment we share. The center is dedicated to learning from dolphins, and teaching what these amazing creatures know for the benefi t of both. To accomplish this goal, Dolphin Research Center provides a variety of educational opportunities, including the facility’s internationally acclaimed DolphinLab and DolphinCamp programs.
The wrath of Wilma
The center’s relationship with Bobcat began in 2006 after Hurricane Wilma — the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin — triggered a devastating storm surge on the vulnerable Keys. The record storm infl icted more than $20 billion in damage in Florida alone, and a crippling blow to Dolphin Research Center. Surveying the mayhem after Wilma’s wrath had subsided, Bette Zirkelbach, director of facilities at Dolphin Research Center, knew she and her crew were in need of assistance. So she paid a visit to the nearest Bobcat dealer, Bobcat of Metro Dade, located in nearby Hialeah Gardens.
“I was familiar with Bobcat but had no idea where to begin in selecting the right piece of equipment to help us get the cleanup process underway,” Zirkelbach says. “I also had to be sensitive to a couple of potential impediments. Since we’re a non-profi t operating on a lean budget, I would have to do a bit of a hard sell to justify a purchase like this.
“I needed to show that the machine would serve a useful purpose after the cleanup. I also needed something that was easy for my crew to learn how to operate, and lessen the intimidation factor many of them had about operating a piece of ‘construction’ equipment.”
Working with employees at her local Bobcat dealer, they identifi ed what Zirkelbach thought would be the ideal solution — a Toolcat 5600 utility work machine.
AT RIGHT: Ryan Bliss, Chuck Jones, Cameron Coggburn, Bette Zirkelbach, Ted Due, Dean Corey, and Adam Keaton (left to right).
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“The cleanup and site restoration would have been an overwhelming chore had it not been for the Toolcat machine. This eliminated an enormous amount of back-breaking labor and helped us recover from the Hurricane Wilma destruction in record time.”
— Bette Zirkelbach, Dolphin Research Center
“The dealer was great in helping identify functional uses for the Toolcat machine beyond the cleanup,” Zirkelbach says. “They showed me attachments that would be most useful in completing many of the back-breaking chores facing my staff on a daily basis. The Toolcat machine also drives like a cart and since we already had three carts at the center, the crew wasn’t nervous about driving or using it.”
Multiple attachments; multiple applications
The aftermath of Wilma left the gravel parking lots surrounding the Center in shambles, and infl icted extensive damage to the white sand beaches. The Toolcat 5600 with industrial bucket/ grapple attachment was a great asset for assisting Zirkelbach’s crew in restoring the condition of the lots and beachfront back to normal.
“The cleanup and site restoration would have been an overwhelming chore had it not been for the Toolcat machine,” Zirkelbach says. “This eliminated an
enormous amount of back-breaking labor and helped us recover from the Hurricane Wilma destruction in record time. We’ve used it every day since, and continue to identify new chores to keep the 5600 busy. Needless to say, the crew loves it, as do I. And we have justifi ed the purchase.”
In addition to the industrial bucket/ grapple used for several tasks — moving sand and gravel to parking lots, maintaining beach areas in and around the dolphin and sea lion habitats, unloading and transporting daily shipments to the Center, including food and medical supplies for the mammals — Zirkelbach also acquired the auger attachment with penetrating rock bit.
“Before we got the auger attachment we would rent a jack hammer to install poles for building fences and such,” Zirkelbach says. “That process was a nightmare. The auger attachment can handle the coral rock with no problem, and has made that job much easier.”
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SPRING 2012 | WorkSaver 11
SPRING 2012 | WorkSaver 11
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