HEADQUARTERS

An employee spotlight video of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Tinker AFB Resident Engineer, Mr. Paul Wolfgeher.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel provide technical advice, logistical support and supplies to members of the South Carolina Army National Guard as they work to mitigate the risk of flooding around a water purification pumping station at Pawleys Island, S.C., Sept. 24, 2018. Work being done here is to protect pumps, generators and infrastructure. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working in partnership with the local, state, and federal response for Hurricane Florence and has more than 410 personnel supporting local, state and FEMA partners. U.S. Army video by Edward N. Johnson

Benny Pettit, quality assurance representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers debris removal mission in southwest Georgia, wishes friends, family and co-workers back home a Happy Holidays. Pettit, Vicksburg District, is a water treatment plant operator at Enid Lake in northern Mississippi. More than 125 employees from across the Corps will be spending the holidays in southwest Georgia working to clear an estimated five million cubic yards of debris left behind by Hurricane Michael. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along with local government officials, started debris removal activity in Georgia, under the direction of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agencies as part of the FEMA debris mission assignment.

Safety Santa, Bobber the Water Safety Dog, and Hap “Hazard” the Elf filmed a holiday safety public service announcement Dec. 17, 2018 at J. Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tenn. The PSA encourages the public to be vigilant and safe at home this Christmas and when visiting and recreating at Corps of Engineers lakes. This is a music version. (USACE video by Leon Roberts)

Safety Santa, Bobber the Water Safety Dog, and Hap “Hazard” the Elf pose while filming a holiday safety public service announcement Dec. 17, 2018 at J. Percy Priest Lake in Nashville, Tenn. The PSA encourages the public to be vigilant and safe at home this Christmas and when visiting and recreating at Corps of Engineers lakes. (USACE video by Leon Roberts)

Norfolk District Regulatory Office employees participated in a week long training seminar where they learned about stream design and stream restoration. The team has said they have seen more permit requests for restoration projects recently, so receiving the training and seeing it applied in the field is helpful in their decision making process.

The derrick boat Elizabeth has been a mainstay for the Norfolk District’s operation branch since the 1960’s. It’s mission, to be a stable platform for heavy lift operations in the federal navigation channels throughout the Norfolk District’s area of responsibility. The vessel has served that purpose for longer than expected. The Elizabeth is getting new life put into it as it goes through its potentially final trip to the yard for a $750,000 maintenance visit.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District urge caution when recreating on or near water this winter. No matter the season, water safety is a year-round concern. We want to remind you that safety is for all seasons.

Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Commanding General and 54th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers, discusses flood mitigation efforts underway on U.S. Route 501, near Conway, S.C., following Hurricane Florence, Sept. 23, 2018. He is joined by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, Commander, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, Army National Guard 178th Combat Engineers Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Marty Hanks, and 1782nd Engineer Support Company Commander Capt. Timothy Quinn. RELATED NEWS STORY: Army Corps of Engineers joins forces with National Guard in response to Hurricane Florence By Edward N. Johnson, USACE, Tulsa District, Public Affairs CONWAY, S.C. — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers logistics and technical advisors join forces with South Carolina National Guard engineering battalions as part of Hurricane Florence response and recovery operations in Horry County, S.C. “I just want to say what an honor it is for the Corps of Engineers to support our FEMA, local, and state partners in this post-storm period,” said the USACE South Atlantic Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Diana M. Holland. “One of the ways we’re helping here is with flood mitigation efforts along U.S. Highway 501.” Philip Bethea, a construction engineer with the South Carolina Department of Transportation underscored the importance of keeping the 501 corridor open as long as possible. “At this point our goal is to keep at least one lane open in each direction of the highway to ensure local residents have access to medical services, food and supplies,” said Bethea. “Fortunately the Army Corps and National Guard are helping make that happen.” Lt. Col. William A. Matheny, commander, 122 Engineering Battalion, is the South Carolina National Guard’s senior engineer on the ground and at the center of efforts to mitigate the risk of flooding in the area. “This actually isn’t the first time I’ve had the privilege of serving with Brig. Gen. Holland,” said Matheny. “She was my commander during a 2013 deployment to Afghanistan and we really appreciate the resources she and her personnel are able to provide in support of our operations here on the ground in South Carolina.” With that in mind, USACE personnel are working around the clock to support the effort. According to Tommy Fennel, USACE’s on-site liaison officer assigned to the Horry County Emergency Operations Center, there are USACE personnel from across the country integrated into state and local efforts to provide logistics and technical advice regarding Hurricane Florence flood response efforts. “So far we’ve supplied more than 22,000 linear feet of wire mesh barrier material and 125,000 sandbags to this site alone,” said Fennel. “These mission critical supplies are being deployed at the direction of the South Carolina Department of Transportation to help protect areas impacted by flooding.” VIDEO NEWSCAST FILMED, EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Edward N Johnson U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District