Foresters, architects, mechanical engineers, construction coordinators, regional planners, environmental engineers, environmental analysts, building inspectors, structural engineers, maintenance engineers, bridge inspectors, and more, all working together to give the citizens of the Commonwealth the needed security and protection necessary during and after this natural disaster. Many of you working more than 12 hours a day; some working days on end to protect and serve the public. You put service before self and that is the very definition of public service.

Bridge Inspection personnel Bill Drosehn and Tom Penna from MassDOT District 2, were immediately sent to inspect the Springfield- Memorial Bridge and attached structures. This was followed up the next day by three inspection crews dispatched to inspect all the bridges in the areas affected by the tornados.  District Maintenance Engineer Ken Wanar was responsible for coordinating efforts to assure the transport and delivery of equipment needed by the affected communities.  The necessary provisions included Variable Message Boards to aid in communication, Light Plants, heavy equipment, along with tree removal crews to remove debris, as well as water delivery and tarps.  District Roadside Engineer, Jon Widdison represented MassDOT working with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA) after the event and continues to this day in securing reimbursements.   

Kevin Prior, a regional planner from MEMA was in the Region III Emergency Operation Center (EOC) assisting with the operation. On June 2^nd and 3^rd he was sent to the town of Southbridge where he worked as the state liaison directly assisting the town with their response and needs.  He was then sent to Springfield to work with the mayor’s office on the FEMA and Small Business Administration damage assessment teams.  And then there was Fran DeNicola, regional planner, also from MEMA who co-managed a Disaster Recovery Center with FEMA in Brimfield. Fran and his team from MEMA ensured that every visitor and victim’s needs were met, developing resource lists that included places to obtain clothing, food and accommodation. MEMA is the state agency given the responsibility to ensure the states recovery from disasters. Although we mention only two of the sixteen members, all of the MEMA team was activated to handle this disaster.

DEP staff from the Western (WERO) and Central (CERO) regional offices went to work the day after the tornado knowing they would be playing a major role assisting residents, town officials and other State agencies dealing with the aftermath of the destruction. There were transformers leaking in the streets, residential oil tanks ripped from basements, industrial facilities that had to be evaluated and the potential of asbestos in the air. An Emergency Operations Center was established in a WERO conference room along with a command structure, lines of responsibility and a safety and health plan. The region established a Point of Contact (POC) program for each of the affected communities in order to provide direct technical assistance to municipal officials and residents and to bring efficiencies to MassDEP responses. WERO POCs were in the field on a daily basis and helped answer questions, investigated potential releases, observed demolition practices, and investigated regulated facilities identified within the path of the tornado. Many WERO representatives with the help of several CERO staff and the FAST vehicle (about one third of the WERO office staff in total) also worked towards response efforts, including:  providing daily staffing to the Emergency Operations Center at MEMA in Agawam; responding to and leading cleanups of oil and hazardous material releases; assessing critical infrastructure within the tornado path; participating on FEMA disaster assessment teams to help FEMA evaluate the damage; working extensively with the communities on debris management issues; issuing many wetland emergency certifications; expediting issuance of demolition permits; establishing and carrying out an extensive air monitoring program to determine if there were risks or to verify there were no risks of airborne asbestos due to demolition; and accompanying FEMA debris monitoring teams to monitor debris removal.

MOSES members from DCR served in a multitude of areas: Val Soroka , civil engineer was assigned to MEMA and served as the Emergency Function Coordinator for DCR engineering. Jeffrey Harris, regional planner and Rich Brazeau, civil engineer were sent out to Brimfield State Forest to examine the damage to the headquarters complex, in particular to assess the damage to the historic Civilian Conservation Corps buildings. The team carefully documented what could be salvaged for the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Rich is still working on the clean-up.

The DCR Forest Health Program had three MOSES members (Ken Gooch, Eric Reynolds, George Hubley all foresters) working on the tornado cleanup project. They were the first to respond with aerial lift trucks, log loaders and bobcats with wood chippers used during storm emergencies. These members are forest health supervisors who have a crew of workmen under their supervision. In addition to working as part of the initial emergency response involving road opening and right of way clearance, DCR staff supervised the tree cleanup work done at Robinson State Park in Agawam and Brimfield State Forest. Tom Ryan, forester, was mobilized to lead a saw crew for clearing emergency access of roadways in Springfield, Monson and Wilbraham. Ian Farley, forester, was also involved with removing trees along the river in Springfield.

Members from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) were asked to volunteer to provide manpower at some of the MEMA sites to disseminate information about housing to those unfortunate, who lost their homes and were seeking temporary housing. MOSES members involved in this were John Donoghue, mechanical engineer, Simone Early, architect, Bill Holland, architect, Tom Barthelette, construction coordinator, whose territory includes all the towns where the tornado hit. He provided and continues to provide assistance to these local housing authorities. He visited the Monson Housing Authority after the tornado to assess the damage and assist them in expediting repairs.

Paul Halfman DPH environmental analyst, from Community Sanitation focused on early assessment of homes damaged by the tornado in W. Springfield, assessing approximately 200 homes. The local Health Departments requested assistance so Paul toured the affected area the day after the storm. 2 weeks ago he returned to conduct a second assessment to assist in determining progress of repairs. Other DPH members, Kim Foley, environmental analyst and Beverly Anderson, regional planner directed the oversight of ensuring the safety of food products and attended town meetings to provide information regarding food safety.

I know we can’t name everyone involved and I am sure we would miss some even if we tried. But we felt compelled to recognize some of the work that was performed by the many agencies and members that were involved. After all, as most of you realize the newspapers and reporters won’t acknowledge the services that were performed and the people performing them. So while we are in the midst of economic hardships the expertise and knowledge of the MOSES members shined through again. Remember MOSES slogan, “There’s something civil servants have that the private sector doesn’t and that is the duty of loyalty to the greater good — the duty of loyalty to the collective best interest of all rather than the interest of a few.”  - David Walker  Former US Comptroller General

Great job !

Joe