Courtesy Photo | Aung Win, St. Paul District electrical engineer; poses for a picture with the 119 crew...... read more read more
Devastating wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades Jan. 7 and 8. The fires burned more than 50,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, making it one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history.
Col. Eric Swenson, former St. Paul District commander, arrived in Los Angeles Jan. 12, to provide support while the wildfires were still smoldering. Although the Corps of Engineers did not have a debris mission from the Federal Emergency Management Agency yet, Swenson and a team of technical experts, were positioned to respond if there was a need – and it turned out there was.
It would only be five days later that USACE received the debris mission from FEMA. Just 3.5 weeks after the fire, USACE started the first debris removal project on Feb. 1, in partnership with Los Angeles County, California Office of Emergency Services, FEMA and other partners.
Swenson, who would become the Recovery Field Office commander, said that he wanted USACE to partner with the local community and with the survivors. “This is about leading with your heart and providing a hand to help survivors get back on their feet,” he said. “We are leading this effort at a record-setting pace and doing so safely, so survivors can begin the process of rebuilding.”
Swenson also served as the Recovery Field Office commander in Maui following the wildfires of Aug. 8, 2023. He said he brought a lot of that experience, and the lessons learned to the Southern California recovery mission.
Swenson was not the only person from St. Paul District who answered the call to respond to this mission. Over the course of about six months, 23 St. Paul District employees deployed to the Los Angeles area with three on reachback to provide additional support. During his three years with the St. Paul District, over 500 people deployed for disaster recovery.
“We’re proud of the response of our volunteers and their commitment to selflessly serving across the nation,” Jim Rand, readiness operations center chief, said.
Lewis Wiechmann, a biologist with the St. Paul District, served as a quality assurance inspector in the Pacific Palisades area of California, in June. Wiechmann said his role was to oversee the contractors removing debris and make sure that they adhered to the contract. “A huge part of what we do is ensure the safety standards are met,” Wiechmann said. “Safety is always our number one priority. Public safety as well as the safety of our employees and contractors.”
Paul Fleming, a senior engineering technician with the St. Paul District, served as a local government liaison in Altadena, California, from February to March. Fleming was stationed at the FEMA disaster recovery center #3 in Altadena, where he worked with various government agencies to explain the recovery mission to the public and how to receive assistance as well as answer any questions about the process. “I often joke that we are essentially translators for local communities because we are able to speak both English and government language,” Fleming said.
This mission was incredibly important to the survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires because in most cases, residents affected by the fire were left with absolutely nothing but the charred remnants of what used to be their homes, Fleming said. “On the most basic level, having someone in-person helping survivors is a crucial first step to building trust in the overall federal recovery response,” he added.
Fleming said the mission was full of incredible people from top to bottom, from the recovery field office to the quality assurance inspectors in the field, everyone was equally committed to help Southern California recover. “Getting to work side-by-side with Los Angeles County was incredibly rewarding as the teamwork allowed us to give survivors the best information about their personal recovery process,” he said.
Fleming added that he deployed in the same role for the wildfire recovery mission in Lahaina, Hawaii, in 2023. He said that in both cases, getting to interact directly with survivors and bringing a little light into people’s lives during some of their darkest hours is something that he will always be proud of.
Tina Shivel, who serves as the occupational nurse in the St. Paul District, deployed to Los Angeles as a critical incident stress management peer supporter in June. In this role, Shivel helped teammates manage the stress, job-related incidents and trauma that are sometimes encountered on emergency operations deployments.
“This humbling experience taught me the value of listening and leading with empathy,” Shivel said. “I was inspired by the many volunteers who stepped up to help people they had never met, demonstrating true dedication and unity.” She added that it was incredible to witness the transformation and to connect with teammates from across the country.
“Always remember that you have two ears for a reason, to listen more than we talk, listen with your heart and be the best you can be at that moment,” Shivel said. “I am incredibly grateful for the camaraderie and support shared during this deployment. We achieved something great together, and I am proud of this team.”
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| Date Taken: | 08.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2025 16:28 |
| Story ID: | 546693 |
| Location: | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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