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New England District hosts Hurricane/COOP Exercise
See story on page 6
2 YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021
Yankee
Voices Buffumville Lake team
West Hill Dam team
West Hill Dam team Photo courtesy of Sheila Warren
Members of the Silver Jackets team and members of South Portland
wear their life jackets High School attended the high water mark unveiling.
to work
The West Hill Dam team
Silver Jackets, South Portland officials, residents
donned their life jackets, May unveil high water mark signs
21 to celebrate “Wear Your Life The New England District Maine Silver Jackets team joined South Portland
Jacket to Work Day.” officials and South Portland High School students at Willard Beach in South
During the event, sponsored Portland, Maine on May 29 for a high water mark sign unveiling ceremony.
by USACE, team members were The sign, located on the beach, indicates how high water levels were at
encouraged to wear their life the beach when it experienced historical-level flooding during the Blizzard of
jackets to work to emphasize 1978, on February 7 of that year. The level is marked on the sign with a blue
the importance of wearing them band. The new sign also shows where the high-water mark would be for the
around water. same storm in 2050. The level, which could be several feet higher than the
Pictures were published to 1978 storm because of rising sea levels due to climate change, is shown in red.
social media, with about 800 “This is part of the fiscal year 2019 Flood Plain Management Services
people viewing the post. Interagency Nonstructural project awarded to Maine Silver Jackets team,” said
Sheila Warren, Planning Division - USACE New England District Silver Jackets
Words Worth Coordinator. “It was a great community event, highlighting South Portland’s
Repeating ‘One Climate Future’ initiative, and the state’s ‘Maine Won’t Wait’ and Maine's
"Books are the quietest and Climate Council resiliency efforts.”
most constant of friends; they Misha Pride, Mayor of South Portland, spoke at the event and students
are the most accessible and from South Portland High School presented essays they wrote about sea level
wisest of counsellors, and the rise and flood risk awareness. The students also recorded explanations and
most patient of teachers." the importance of signs for those who scan the QR code at the sign.
- Charles W. Eliot In addition, members of the New England District’s Maine Silver Jackets
team, Pete Slovinsky and Nathan Robbins, made remarks during the event.
YANKEE ENGINEER is an authorized unofficial Army newspaper under provisions of AR 360-1 published monthly. Views and
opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Department of the Army. Contributions from readers are solicited, but pub- District Commander: Col. John Atilano II
lication depends on judgment of the editor. No payment will be made for contributions. Published by the Public Affairs Office, Chief, Public Affairs: Elizabeth D. Gosselin
New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 696 Virginia Road, Concord MA 01742-2751, 978-318-8777. Printed by Editor: Ann Marie R. Harvie
the offset method on recyclable paper by the Defense Printing Office in Philadelphia, Pa. Circulation 1600. The YANKEE Media Relations Officer: Bryan Purtell
ENGINEER can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/news/yankee.htm. ON THE COVER: A Community Relations Advisor: Sally M. Rigione
hurricane, such as this one pictured may some day hit New England. If it does, New England District will be ready thanks to Web Content Manager: Albinko Hasic
hurricane/COOP exercises like the one recently held at the District in May. Photo courtesy of NASA.
YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021 3
Kayakers enjoy water sports at Ball Mountain Lake in Vermont. Photo courtesy of Ball Mountain Lake
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers promotes water safety this summer season
Warmer weather is almost here and that means millions different from swimming in a pool, and your swimming ability
of Americans will be planning visits to our nation’s lakes and decreases with age. It is never too late to take swimming
rivers. As the steward of many of these public waters, the lessons and learn to swim well. Several people every year
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reminds visitors of drown while swimming to retrieve boats and toys. Let those
the importance of practicing safe, sensible, and thoughtful go because they are not worth losing your life over.
activities in and around the water. • Alcohol and water are a deadly combination – Alcohol
Tragically, several people lose their lives while visiting induces an inner ear condition (caloric labyrinthitis) that can
USACE lands and waters every year. The majority of the cause you to become disoriented when underwater and not
tragedies are water-related. The public’s help is needed realize which way is up. If you jump or fall in the water, you
to reduce the number of fatalities at the more than 2,800 can become disoriented and swim down instead of up to
USACE-managed recreation areas nationwide. USACE safety, causing you to drown. This can more likely happen
personnel stress the importance of water safety year-round if you have been consuming alcohol.
when talking with visitors, but especially during the summer • Understand “boater’s hypnosis” – It is a condition
season because that is when most public recreation fatalities brought on by the effects of sun, wind, noise, vibration,
occur. and motion experienced during a day of boating. Boater’s
People of all ages are strongly encouraged to practice hypnosis can slow your reaction time almost as much as if
water safety this summer. Before entering or being around you were legally intoxicated. Adding alcohol to this condition
the water, keep these five things in mind because they could intensifies the effects.
save your life or the life of someone you care about. Learn more water safety tips by visiting https://www.
• Expect the unexpected – Accidents can happen PleaseWearIt.com and following Please Wear It on Facebook,
within seconds, so always be prepared for the unexpected. Instagram, and Twitter.
If you are ejected from a boat, fall, or jump into water that is In addition to water safety, USACE reminds all visitors,
colder than 70 degrees, you can inhale water from involuntary volunteers, and employees that a face mask is required
gasping, hyperventilation, panic, and sometimes vertigo in all USACE buildings and facilities to slow the spread of
that can cause you to drown. You can also be knocked COVID-19. Masks should also be worn outdoors on USACE-
unconscious if you are ejected from your boat or fall into managed lands when attending crowded events, and non-
the water along the shoreline while fishing. vaccinated individuals should wear masks outdoors when
• Wear a life jacket – By providing time to be rescued, social distancing cannot be met, such as hiking on trails.
it will help ensure you survive an unexpected fall into the USACE is one of the nation’s leading federal providers
water. It can also save your life if you become exhausted of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting millions of
due to fatigue, waves, or current while swimming. An adult visits annually to its more than 400 lake and river projects. It’s
can drown in 60 seconds and it takes a strong swimmer 10 estimated that 90 percent of the USACE-operated recreation
minutes to put on a life jacket after entering the water. Life areas are within 50 miles of metropolitan areas, offering
Jackets Worn…Nobody Mourns. diverse outdoor activities for all ages close to home. For
• Know your swimming abilities – Be aware that more information on USACE recreation sites and activities,
swimming in natural waters such as a lake, river, or pond is visit www.CorpsLakes.us.(USACE News Release)
4 YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021
Members of the Cape Cod Canal team wear jeans to support survivors of sexual assault during "Denim Day."
New England District team participate in 'Denim Day'
Team members from all over New him remove them, and by removing the could do so by wearing jeans with their
England District took part in supporting jeans it was not rape but consensual uniform top. He suggested that those
survivors of sexual violence on National sex. This became known throughout who took part in Denim Day to take
Denim Day, April 28, by wearing jeans. Italy as the “jeans alibi.” pictures and send them to the EEO
Col. John Atilano, New England The following day, the women in the Manager and Public Affairs so they
District Commander, urged his team Italian Parliament came to work wearing could be posted on social media. The
to participate in the event which began jeans in solidarity with the victim. Denim Denim Day Facebook posts reached
in 1992 as a protest against the Italian Day is a campaign sponsored by Peace 2,900 followers. Team members both
Supreme Court's decision to overturn Over Violence to bring awareness to working remotely and working in the
a rape conviction. victim blaming and destructive myths field took part in the effort. Those who
According to the nonprofit group, that surround sexual violence. wanted to show support but did not
Peace Over Violence, National Denim Col. Atilano urged the New England want the photo published, sent pictures
Day started in Italy back in 1992 when District team not to let the day go by privately.
an 18-year-old woman was raped without making a statement. In addition to Denim Day, April
by her 45-year-old driving instructor. “Nobody should fear being sexually was Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
According to the organization, the assaulted or harassed because of what There are many resources available to
woman reported the rape and the man they are wearing,” he said. “I stand survivors of sexual assault:
was arrested and convicted. with, and support, survivors of sexual In Massachusetts:
Years later, the man appealed the assault and I will be wearing jeans on • The Center for Hope and
conviction saying that it was not rape April 28. I ask that you join me in making Healing: 1-800-542-5212 (Lowell)
at all, but consensual sex. a social statement with a fashion • Voices Against Violence:
Unbelievably, the Italian Supreme statement and wear jeans as a means 1-800-593-1125 (Framingham)
Court overturned the conviction and the of protest against the misconceptions • Boston Area Rape Crisis
perpetrator was released. The Court that surround sexual violence.” Center: 1-800-841-8371. (Boston)
argued that because the victim was The District Commander told Park • A resource list of rape crisis
wearing very tight jeans, she had to help Rangers who wanted to participate centers across MA: https://www.mass.
YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021 5
The Ball Mountain and Townsend Lake teams take part in "Denim Day." The Montoya family supports survivors of sexual
assault.
gov/service-details/rape-crisis-centers • Connecticut Alliance In Maine:
• h t t p s : / / m a s s 2 11 . o r g / to End Sexual Violence - https:// • Maine Sexual Assault Support
resources/sexual-assault-resources/. endsexualviolencect.org/ Centers - https://www.mecasa.org/
Trained advocates are there to help • 24 hour hotline – 1-888-999- maine-sexual-assault-support-centers.
you, offer support and connect you with 5545 html
resources, and respect your decisions. In Vermont: • 24 hour hotline – 1-800-871-
In New Hampshire: • Vermont Commission on 7741
• New Hampshire Coalition Women - https://women.vermont.gov/ • Counseling and Mental Health
against domestic and Sexual Violence Violence Services - https://www.mccs.me.edu/
- https://www.nhcadsv.org/member- • Sexual Violence Hotline - wp-content/uploads/Sexual-Assault-
programs.html 1-800- 489-7273 Support-Services-and-Resources.pdf
• 24 hour hotline – 1-866-644- • Vermont 2-1-1- Resource In addition to all of these local
3574 Directory resources, is the national hotline
• New Hampshire Domestic - https://www.navigateresources. that can be found here: https://
and Sexual Violence Crisis Center net/211Vermont/MatchList.aspx?c www.rainn.org/resources as well
Catchment Areas 05778;Whiting;31057;;N;0;0;Ment as our own U.S. Army Corps of
- h t t p s : / / w w w. n h c a d s v. o r g / al%20Health%20Care%20and%20 Engineers Employee Assistance
u p l o a d s / 1 / 0 / 7 / 5 / 1 0 7 5 11 8 8 3 / Counseling;Outpatient%20Mental%20 Program - https://magellanascend.
catchment_map_december_2016.pdf Health%20Care;302;Sexual%20 com/?ccid=hpZiwITni/VKNrZqvUQNB
• Bridges Domestic and Sexual Assault%20Hotlines~ 5D4V7teqd8YQojjPgga8Zk%3D
Violence Support - https://www.
bridgesnh.org/
In Rhode Island:
• 24-hour hotline - 1-800-494-
8100
• Day One - https://www.
dayoneri.org/
• HelpRi.com - https://www.
helplineri.com/sexual-assault
In Connecticut:
• Connecticut Hotlines and
Services - https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/
CJ-Adult/Program-Victim/CT-Hotlines-
and-Services West Hill Dam team members wear jeans as part of Denim Day.
6 YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021
New England District hosts Hurricane/COOP Exercise
By Amy Hamilton and
Peter Navesky
Emergency Operations
The District conducted a virtual
Hurricane/COOP exercise on May 5.
Luckily, it has been a while since the
District has had to deal with a hurricane
or its aftermath within our Area of
Responsibility (AOR). However, when
it comes to disasters, the question is
not “if” but “when”; we may not know
the time line, but we must remain
prepared to execute a coordinated
event response at a moment’s notice.
As we bring new personnel on
board at the District and as some Screen shot of video played during the hurricane exercise.
seasoned personnel retire, we want to that can be tasked to provide support the impacted states’ needs.
ensure continuity in the knowledge of Enterprise-wide in support of the The exercise format was primarily
emergency operations and continue to Federal Emergency Management that of a virtual “Table-Top” Exercise
improve the Commander’s Emergency Agency (FEMA) and the impacted state. (TTX), which was conducted via WebEx.
Management Program. To accomplish These three groups provide invaluable The TTX provided a base simulated
that goal, this exercise was a “No support to emergency response scenario setting the scene, and then
Fault Exercise”, and was intended to missions, and we hope to continue issued exercise “injects” (injects are
bolster communications across District to provide opportunities such as this taskings or items needing response)
functional areas and identify single for everyone to learn together as we to various District organizations
points of failure in our District-wide continue to build our teams. throughout the day to drive exercise
response capabilities. About 174 We normally see the potential for play. More than 90 injects were sent out
New England District and NAD team hurricanes in our area in the latter part for response during the exercise. The
members participated in the event. of Hurricane Season, typically from representatives of each organization
Three of the primary teams that mid-September into late October. In participating in the WebEx discussed
participated in this exercise were the keeping with this, the exercise scenario how they would respond to each inject,
District Crisis Action Team (CAT), the had a hurricane based on a historic which included reaching out to engage
Crisis Management Team (CMT), and track, “Hurricane Celena,” impact the team members. An e-mail outlining the
Temporary Housing Planning and District during the artificial time frame response and any associated “actions”
Response Team (PRT). of September 14-22. The storm came was then sent back to the EOC.
The Emergency Operations Center ashore as a Category 3 along the The Temporary Housing PRT
(EOC) Crisis Action Team (CAT) is a west-central coast of Connecticut and exercised a simulated deployment into
non-deployable team that supports eventually exited eastern Maine as a Rhode Island in support of a FEMA
our new Emergency Manager (EM), Tropical Depression. Temporary Housing mission. Their
Amy Hamilton, by providing internal Prior to Hurricane Celena’s landfall exercise time line was placed several
support during an event. The Crisis the region underwent a number of weeks after landfall to reflect real-world
Management Team (CMT) consists of rain-maker weather events that had delays between landfall and the start
the District Corporate Board and Division saturated grounds across much of the of the housing mission.
Chiefs who advise the Commander of AOR and caused many streams and We also conducted a full-scale
activities related to event response rivers to run near, or at, bank full. Many exercise element, with our Operations
and direct District personnel to perform District organizations were stressed to Division Civil Engineering Technicians
response activities. The Temporary provide support for a variety of needs, (CETs) instructing project personnel in
Housing PRT is a deployable team both at our projects and in support of constructing sandbag barriers around
YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021 7
simulated sand boils at a number of
our projects.
Franlkin Falls, Blackwater Dam teams
At the end of the exercise Division participate in hurricane exercise
Chiefs provided a brief to Col. John Story and photos by thereby preventing further movement
Atilano II, District Commander, on their Park Ranger Karen Tryon of sand and silt.
respective elements of the exercise, Franklin Falls & Blackwater Dam Actual conditions at each sand boil
and conducted a “Hot-Wash” for all who On May 5 many of the New England will determine the exact dimensions of
participated in the exercise. Exercises District team participated in the 2021 a boil and the flow of water from it and
are conducted to practice response functional exercise. therefore the sandbag ring construction.
and identify areas for sustainment and During this no-fault exercise, events In general, the following considerations
improvement, so we captured feedback were projected through a realistic should be followed: The base width of
on the way we operate to manage scenario of a Category 2/3 Hurricane the sandbag section on each side of
an emergency, how to improve for a that would impact New England. The the ring should be no less than 1-1/2
“real” response, and recommended goal of this exercise was to generate times the completed height, weak soils
improvements to exercise play. An discussions on near the boil should
After-Action Review (AAR) followed the various issues be included within
exercise and key players were asked regarding the ring, thereby,
to provide input in a survey. collaboration preventing a
Some of the challenges identified a n d breakthrough later,
in the hotwash overview included: too communication and the ring should
many injects to respond to in depth across the be sufficient size
during a one day exercise; confusion district. The to permit sacking
due to sending the injects through exercise began operations to keep
global e-mail as many of the players with an exercise ahead of the water.
in the exercise were on multiple dll facilities call. Now came the
lists and received more than one copy The exercise action portion of
of the injects; lack of familiarity with began soon this inject. The Park
acronyms used during the exercise; and after with the Rangers loaded
confusion from the use of WebEx and Phase 1 Pre- Members of the Franklin Falls and Blackwater Dam teams sand, sandbags,
breakout sessions for some players l a n d f a l l a n d create a sandbag ring during the hurricane exercise. and tools. The
who were not sure which session they activities. boil was marked
were supposed to attend. In addition to Phase2involvedthehurricane's out and the team worked together to
challenges, successes for sustainment landfall and the initial response related create a sandbag ring.
were also identified. injects issued. For many of the rangers, we have
Many CMT Division Chiefs Phase 3a followed with the all seen Plate 10 “RECOMMENDED
applauded the knowledge of their continued response and recovery METHODS FOR RINGING SAND
team members and those willing to related injects issue. BOILS” but none of us had practiced
participate in the exercise even though At the end of the exercise how to do it.
it was not part of their normal duties, participants held a Commander’s Due to the hands on portion of this
as well as participants’ knowledge of battle update and a hotwash conducted exercise we were able to discuss and
who to contact for certain issues. The One of the injects that each basin have experience on what tools would
command interest and interaction received during this exercise was titled be needed, how much sand would be
in the exercise was appreciated by “sandbagging operations.” needed, how many people would be
participants and the level of participation Upon receiving this exercise, the needed to quickly and safely construct
throughout the District was excellent. team at the Merrimack River Basin a ring for a sand boil, and steps that
Coordinators of the exercise conducted a quick meeting to discuss could be taken before an event to
will examine the after action report what creates a boil and the proper ensure a smooth deployment of the
and the challenges identified to plan way to treat a boil; construct a ring of sand bags.
improvements to future exercises and sandbags around the boil building up a All in all this was a fantastic hands
improve overall response activities. head of water within the ring sufficient on event, one that the basin plans to
enough to check the velocity of flow, do again.
8 YANKEE ENGINEER
May 2021
Dredging
up the past
Photo by Brian Murphy
William Scully, Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management, praises William Holtham's
outstanding and dedicated service to the nation before presenting him with a Commander's Award for
Civilian Service during Holtham's retirement party, May 5, 2007.
Meter Code 40
Permit No. 494 Concord, MA 01742-2751
Concord, MA 696 Virginia Road
Paid U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Postage New England District
First Class Public Affairs Office
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