USACE PHOTO
GRE AT L AKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION
Pictured from left to right: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Maj. Gen. Robert F. Whittle Jr., commander of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, presents Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville Mayor John Cooper a plaque to commemorate the alternate care site construction turnover ceremony at the Nashville General Hospital project, June 5, 2020.
Great Lakes and Ohio River Division Commander Maj. Gen. Robert F. Whittle Jr., said, “Great things can happen when we work together at the federal, state, and local levels.” A unique aspect of Nashville General Hospital is that it is the only operating hospital-based alternate care site in the nation, which necessitated the safety of the crew and hospital staff in an active bio-hazard environment while constructing the project.
BY ANDRE W BYRNE, Pit tsburgh District
W
ake up, put on a pair of boots, a hard hat, and a life jacket: This is Kevin Bricker’s daily routine as he heads to work an eight-hour shift as a lock operator on the Allegheny River.
U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MARK EBERLE
WORKING AS ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN A COVID-19 ERA
“Working in an active hospital environment to ensure crew safety was the priority, and we were very proud to deliver the site on schedule,” said Loren McDonald, mission manager. “The overwhelming cooperation between agencies to deliver these projects was critical, and it took above-and-beyond effort by everyone,” McDonald said. “But there is a silver lining, [and] there is nothing like emergency response management when it comes to seeing immediate results of your work.” n
Lock operators Derek Christian, left, and Jason Pritt follow CDC guidelines at Dashields Lock and Dam.
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