On an early & drizzly morning just days before July 4th, a small army of Corps of Engineers QA specialists and contractors met in Canton, North Carolina, for the simple task of pouring a concrete slab.
But this is no ordinary concrete placement. Once cured, the slab will serve as the foundation of the city’s temporary fire station, decimated by Hurricane Helene in late September. In a community surrounded on all sides by dense forests, a functional fire station is a must.
Construction of the main fire station structure will begin mid-July.
Jason Smith, a Contract Specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington District, was named USACE Contract Specialist of the Year for his leadership during Hurricanes Helene and PTC 8. Smith oversaw over $1.6 billion in contracts, accelerated recovery efforts through drone technology, and prioritize small business participation.
For more than 250 days, John Fay provided consistent leadership for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Private Property Debris Removal mission in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Serving as a zone manager, he helped coordinate rotating teams and oversaw key operations across 16 counties. As the mission nears completion, his efforts reflect the scale and complexity of long-term disaster recovery.
