Photo By Andrew Stamer | Paul Gaudreau, a quality assurance representative from the U.S. Army Corps of...... read more read more
JOPLIN, Mo. - More than 200 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees are engaged in recovery missions following the strike of a tornado here May 22.
New Bedford’s Paul Gaudreau, a civil engineer technician at the New England District’s Cape Cod Canal, is among employees providing aid to people impacted by the tornado in Joplin. Gaudreau is a quality assurance representative at one of five debris dump sites. He works at a vegetative debris dump site, where trees, shrubs and other yard waste removed from the impacted area is brought to be ground up for beneficial secondary use.
“When I first got here, we were working in an alley and a woman came up to me and hugged me for cleaning up all the debris,” Gaudreau said of his mission on first arrival to the city, where he worked directly in the tornado zone. “I looked her in the eye and said, ‘I’m not looking at debris, I’m looking at people’s lives.’”
His position now is oversight in the dumping areas - checking that debris removal trucks are full as they come into the dump area and those leaving are empty.
“I try to be consistent with my calls because I want to be fair to the Corps, FEMA and the drivers,” he said. The trucks are paid by the cubic yard of debris dumped.
From the tower, he sees everything. He’s the eyes of the last leg of the debris removal process that will make it possible for the city to rebuild in those areas being cleared. He makes sure the process gets done how it is supposed to – for safety and the bottom dollar.
“If I see a safety issue, I point them out to the driver. It could be a tire losing tread or a load not properly balanced. I also want the government to get its money’s worth, that’s why I’m here,” Gaudreau said.
This is not the first time Gaudreau has shown his selfless service. He spent three years in the Navy during the Vietnam War in the early 1970s. He served eight years in the Army Reserve as a combat engineer during the Gulf War before entering his current job at the canal.
“That got me set up to work for the Corps,” he said. “And here I am.”
Gaudreau said he’s been to seven or eight disasters doing this type of work, and he will spend another week in Joplin before returning home from his 30-day tour.
“When it comes to working disasters, I really enjoy helping the people,” Gaudreau said. “I’m hoping to come back or go to another disaster … I guarantee that when I retire I’ll come back and do it.”
“Paul couldn’t be a better guy to work with,” said Chuck Berry, a quality assurance representative who works with Gaudreau. “He really cares about what he’s doing.”
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2011 16:02 |
| Story ID: | 73188 |
| Location: | JOPLIN, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New England Corps employee helps with Joplin tornado recovery mission, by Andrew Stamer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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