Photo By John Daves | Brian Simonds, a quality assurance inspector for the Corps of Engineers, stands in...... read more read more
JOPLIN, Mo. - What would you do if you found out your home town had just been heavily damaged by an EF5 tornado that cut a 1 mile wide by 6 mile long path through the heart of the city? Everyone would react differently, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employee Brian Simonds.
As soon as he found out about the tornado that struck the city of Joplin Mo., May 22, Simonds contacted his supervisor and ask if he could volunteer to help. Once FEMA tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Debris Removal and Disposal Mission, Simonds’ supervisor put him in for a tasker. He deployed June 4 for 30 days as a Debris Quality Assurance inspector and has already asked for a 30-day extension.
“I feel compassionate about my job here because of my ties to the community,” said Simonds.
The Corps of Engineers has been tasked by FEMA to provide public works and engineering-related support in response to natural disasters. Here in Joplin, the Corps has specially trained response teams performing debris removal, critical public facility restoration and temporary housing.
Born in Joplin’s St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Simonds graduated from nearby Carl Junction High School. Following high school, Simonds served for 13 years in the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he worked as a heavy equipment operator and a light wheeled vehicle mechanic. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Simonds started work for the Corps in October 2009 as a maintenance worker at John Martin Dam & Reservoir in Hasty, Colo. He has two children, a teenage daughter and a kindergarten-age son, who will be coming to stay with him for a few weeks this summer. The teenager wants to help with the cleanup when she arrives. Simonds has two brothers who still live in the area who were not impacted directly by the tornado. He is currently staying with his brother who lives in Dunaway.
Simonds said the hardest thing for him was seeing his late, great grandmother’s house at 26th and Empire destroyed by the tornado. He said many of his childhood memories were of having family get-togethers at the home.
“It is devastating; I never thought it would happen to my hometown,” said Simonds. “Pictures just do not describe what has happened here. I will do anything I can to help my hometown."
Simonds knows there is a big job ahead of him and he is committed to helping do whatever is needed to make the healing process for the community a quick one.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2011 18:37 |
| Story ID: | 72854 |
| Location: | JOPLIN, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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