Photo By Nakeir Nobles | Sacramento District's Danielle Meaux Burks is the emergency operations center mission...... read more read more
When disaster strikes, the nation’s engineer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) often receives a mission assignment from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), activating the agency to begin planning and activating to provide disaster support, ranging from debris removal to roofing.
While the public commonly sees and recognizes USACE’s red-shirted workers in the field, they rarely see the work done behind the scenes that helps ensure mission success.
USACE’s Savannah District was impacted by Hurricane Helene, which swept through the district’s area of responsibility in late September. The district’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was soon activated and quickly filled with volunteers deployed from around USACE who brought with them various levels of experience and expertise and most importantly the urgency to help.
The EOC is staffed with a diverse team, which includes engineers, realty specialists, contract specialists, logisticians, auditors, safety specialists, chemists and public affairs specialists who aren’t commonly seen, but are working together to support this mission. Each mission is unique, and these specialties are a small representation of the vast backgrounds USACE employees bring to a disaster mission to contribute to its success.
In the EOC, engineers can fill various roles including resident engineer, the position that manages day-to-day operations and addresses issues that may arise in the field.
Working with the resident engineer is the mission manager who oversees operations for both field and administrative activities. Danielle Meaux Burks a civil engineer technician from USACE’s Sacramento District, is the mission manager, while Zaria Lloyd, also from Sacramento District works alongside her as the mission specialist. Burks said Lloyd is “her right hand,” highlighting the joint effort between the two roles.
In nearly every EOC is a logistician who also has an important role. On this mission, logistical duties are the responsibility of Ashley Crosby from USACE’s Southwestern Division, who deployed to Savannah District, Nov. 4. Her responsibilities include but not limited to arranging lodging, securing equipment, providing waivers, ordering, and distributing supplies for both the red shirts in the field and those in the EOC. These functions are crucial to mission readiness and success.
Crosby says, “When I can coordinate lodging for responders, it helps them focus on the mission rather than worry about their logistical needs. Without logistics, our mission would be like navigating a maze blindfolded. With logistics, we turn chaos into order and pave the way for a successful mission.”
Making sure tax dollars are spent properly is one of the roles of the EOC’s auditor, which is also a component of mission success. Donna Williams an auditor from the New Orleans District says she is responsible for ensuring USACE as well as the contractors follow policy and procedural guidance.
“I make sure internal controls are working effectively and efficiently. Before going onsite, I familiarize myself with the contract documentation. Once onsite, I observe the quality assurance specialists (QAs), watching them collect and store data as well as ensure their process follows the guidance provided to them.”
Williams tracks the Automated Debris Management System (ADMS) tickets from cradle to grave and compares the final ticket to the invoice and ultimately produces a report at the end. Based on the audit’s findings, “I make recommendations, which may have lasting impacts to the command for the current or future missions.” Williams says having an auditor on a mission is “like another set of eyes.”
Dana Wyatt also has a role in ensuring taxpayer dollars are properly managed. She describes her responsibilities as a check and balance system.
“My job on this mission is teamwork with the database administrator and the field team on any inconsistencies, ultimately producing accurate data, which ensures our tax dollars are being spent properly and in accordance with the contract,” Wyatt said.
As the database manager Wyatt creates a clear reconciliation process where discrepancies between the contractor data and field reports can be addressed. The data that is input, feeds a developed dashboard, allowing real-time monitoring of reported data. These dashboards can assist in identifying trends and spot potential issues early. Wyatt works with the field teams to ensure the application is being used properly, resulting in better results that could possibly lead to inaccurate billing.
Wyatt has supported three USACE missions including the California Wildfire mission, which involved her coordinating the set-up of a call center for residents.
“The work at the call center, just as with any deployment was very rewarding. The public had lots of questions regarding the debris removal process. Being able to help was a great feeling,” Wyatt said.
While at the call center, Wyatt had a memorable experience. A call was received in the center from a resident who was scheduled to have debris picked up that day. The caller wanted the pickup halted as something irreplaceable was in the debris – her mother-in-law’s ashes. Wyatt made several phone calls to have the pick-up rescheduled for a different day. Not only was the debris halted, but a search team also went to the residence with canines who sniffed for the ashes, which some were recovered. “The feeling I got when those ashes were recovered… I keep in contact with members from that family to this day.”
In normal day-to-day operations, USACE contract specialists are involved in contract awards and oftentimes participate in decision-making activities. In a deployed environment, the work is similar. Aaron Johnson a USACE contracting officer’s representative on his first deployment assignment in Savannah District, says the pace in the EOC is faster than his normal job.
“It's amazing to see that the team can maintain the standards of our lengthy process, while moving far quicker than I usually see,” Johnson said.
During this deployment Johnson says his role is to be eyes, ears, and voice for the contracting officer, while ensuring contractor relations keep the job moving within contract compliance.
“If I do my job well, there can be less conflict in the field about what is and isn’t in compliance. I ensure we communicate and obligate only what is in the contract. I also am involved with the payment process, to ensure the contractor gets what they are due based on the contract and task orders,” he said.
With two deployments under her belt, including this one [Hurricane Helene], Pamela Fischer a 15-year USACE employee, says getting Right of Entry forms signed is an important part of the USACE being able to complete the mission.
“For this mission, I get the Right of Entry (ROE) forms signed by the county’s representative, which gives USACE permission to access the property to use as a debris collection site. Without that signed form, USACE cannot legally enter the property,” Fischer said.
One may wonder the role a chemist has in the debris mission. Jen Neuhard, a chemist, is working as an environmental engineer at the EOC where she performs environmental screenings for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, ensuring the completion of pre and post sampling. Sampling debris sites involves analyzing data to identify any potential surface level contaminants.
The work USACE does on emergency response missions must be shared. Public affairs specialists like Dan Collins and Nikki Nobles play an important role telling the USACE story often on location, from the field and in the office. These public affairs officers (PAOs) document the mission’s impact, ensuring the public understands USACE’s contributions in disaster response.
Dan Collins from Los Angeles District says, “I support the mission by providing visual content that helps tell the story of USACE’s involvement in debris removal from the counties in Georgia that were affected by Hurricane Helene.”
“If we [PAOs] aren’t available to tell the USACE story, the public may never know the impact we have on a mission. We can easily lose the opportunity to educate the public of our efforts,” said Nikki Nobles.
Whether supporting a mission in the field or in the office, USACE employees bring diverse expertise and dedication to mission success.
From the red shirts in the field to those in an office setting, each employee highlights the USACE commitment to service.
Each year, USACE sends hundreds of people to respond to disasters around the world. In any disaster, Corps of Engineers three top priorities are: Support immediate emergency response priorities; Sustain lives with critical commodities, temporary emergency power and other needs; and Initiate recovery efforts by assessing and restoring critical infrastructure.
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2024 18:26 |
| Story ID: | 485613 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 147 |
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