K&N Catches Up With Team 5 Medical Foundation at the Overland Expo West

Eric Linder (2nd from right) and other T5 members were on hand at the Overland Expo

The Team 5 (T5) Foundation is changing the world in a very direct and tangible way. The team’s motto may just sum it up best, “In order to be involved, you must first show up.” As you will read, T5 certainly “shows up” for those in need around the world, so catching up with them at the Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona, meant finding them in a rare sedentary moment.

T5 provides critical medical care to the most remote regions around the world. The foundation sends teams of – you guessed it – five talented medical professionals to places that are in dire need of their services.

The Team 5 Tundra is fully equipped for its lifesaving mission

The team sees an average of 100 patients per day in the remote places they visit. T5 serves patients with chronic illnesses, deformities, and serious injuries. They also provide routine check-ups and help with real-world problems like de-worming. T5’s goal is to provide whatever is needed in any remote village, town, or tribe they visit.

The most lasting impact T5 has on the places they service is education. Medical education allows the foundation to make a long-term impact after each deployment is complete. That education includes training in such skills as midwifery, wilderness medicine, advanced first aid and CPR, and even combat casualty care.

All of the Quick Response Force Toyota Tundra's filtration needs are handled by K&N

The Quick Response Force Toyota Tundra was on display at the Overland Expo in all of its life-saving glory, and Linder and his team were on hand to enthusiastically talk about the Tundra and its mission.

The truck’s design goal is a bit of a departure from the rest of the T5 extreme vehicles. The Tundra is tasked with responding to stateside disaster situations. So, while the lion's share of the foundation's work is in remote locations outside the US, the QRF is a vital part of T5's rescue and relief efforts right here at home.

Following a disaster, the QRF is deployed from Las Vegas, Nevada, with 1-2 team members who ultimately meet up with the rest of the team onsite. Upon deployment the Team 5 Tundra is outfitted with all the requisite gear for a mission including personal safety gear, tents, sleeping bags, dehydrated food, clean water, etc.

The Quick Response Force Toyota Tundra includes a sleeping pod and expandable shade

The K&N products provided for the QRF include air filters, oil filters, cabin filters, and a full intake (which is not currently installed). The Tundra build also includes gear from North American Rescue, Hurst Tools, Winkler Knives, and Vetter Bags. To help it reach remote and rugged places, the build sits on an Icon suspension and beefy General tires.

Out front, a Warn winch is bolted to an Expedition One bumper. Ten different lighting options were added by Vision X for missions that require night vision. The build is completed by a series of lockers and bins under an innovative bed cap that can be raised to enhance the Tundra’s on-site readiness.

K&N is honored to be part of the Team 5 Foundation’s vital worldwide mission. To find out how you can donate to the foundation’s effort, visit the T5 website.