In the wake of the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma tornado, veteran relief coordinator Nick Parsons and fellow emergency responder, Shannon Young, debriefed after their relief efforts. Several things had become painfully clear. Most response teams, despite their best intentions, were woefully disorganized and unprepared for what they encountered. Many volunteers were unskilled, which created an unnecessary b
urden on the disaster site. They also noticed that, although the survivors were provided with food and water, other essential needs were virtually ignored. Nick and Shannon began to envision a highly tactical response team whose mission would include more than just food distribution and debris removal. This team would be focused on providing comprehensive relief to survivors - physical, emotional, and spiritual. They would also come alongside other organizations, bringing expertise and guidance to streamline efforts. Being outdoorsmen, Nick and Shannon recognized that few groups were as uniquely qualified to assist as their fellow outdoorsmen and they knew that they needed to harness that resource. Resolute in their belief that such a team had to exist, Outdoorsmen in Action was born. Executive Director and co-Founder Nick Parsons has been active in disaster relief for over 10 years, and has worked Katrina Hurricane in 2005, the California wildfires in 2010, the Nashville flood in 2010, the Joplin tornado in 2011, Hurricane Sandy in 2013, and many tornadoes in Oklahoma. He currently works in Operations for the Outdoor Channel. Director of Operations and co-Founder Shannon Young worked his first tornado site in Moore, OK in 2013. He has been involved in the outdoor industry for the past 25 years, getting his start as an outside sales rep for Duck Commander. He is the Founder of 100,000 Kids in the Outdoors™, Archery Encounters™, CrossLife Apparel™, and co-Founder of Outdoor Heritage TV™. He is also the manager for 2014 Rayovac® FLW Champion and WalMart® FLW Series professional angler Zack Birge.
