In 2022, following the devastating Hay River Floods, I played an integral role as part of the Associated Engineering team, which partnered with Collier Project Leaders. We were commissioned by the Government of Northwest Territories, Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) to address the extensive damage to residential properties. My focus was on remediation, mitigation, and crucially, ensuring public safety within the flood-ravaged communities.

My Scope of Involvement & Key Contributions

As a key member of the engineering team, my contributions spanned initial site assessments to the oversight of complex mitigation solutions, ensuring the safety and resilience of the affected communities.

1. Comprehensive On-Site Assessment and Immediate Hazard Mitigation

My initial efforts were concentrated on rapidly understanding the extent of the damage and addressing immediate threats:

  • Personally conducted thorough structural assessments of residential properties across more than three distinct flood-affected communities. This involved meticulous documentation of existing conditions, with a particular focus on foundation structures, to determine the impact of the floodwaters.
  • My assessment process included the detailed review of existing information, such as adjuster reports, which provided crucial background for evaluating structural integrity.
  • For homes identified as structurally unstable and posing an immediate threat to public safety, I was instrumental in issuing swift public safety alerts. This decisive action ensured that personnel and the general public were kept out of harm’s way.
  • Subsequently, I initiated demolition procedures for these compromised structures to prioritize safety and pave the way for reconstruction efforts.

2. Strategic Mitigation Planning and Execution

Understanding the long-term risks was paramount. I was deeply involved in developing and implementing strategies to protect against future events:

  • Actively collaborated with WSP, an engineering consulting firm, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of projected flood levels for each affected community. This data was critical for our long-term risk assessment and informed our mitigation planning.
  • For homes situated in extremely low-lying areas where relocation was determined to be the safest and most effective long-term solution, I was directly involved in the strategic planning and oversight of the property abandonment process. This included overseeing the placement of new manufactured homes at higher, safer elevations, a task that demanded meticulous planning and rigorous construction oversight to ensure secure and compliant final installations.
  • In cases where homes could not be moved but were located in areas suitable for elevation, I contributed to the development of detailed home lifting plans.
  • I then personally supervised the contractors responsible for elevating these homes, ensuring the complex lifting process was carried out safely, efficiently, and in strict accordance with engineering specifications and safety protocols.

3. Oversight of Remedial Construction and Adherence to Standards

My responsibilities extended to ensuring the quality and compliance of the repair and rebuilding efforts:

  • I performed regular on-site inspections and actively participated in construction progress tracking for remedial repairs and foundation extensions. This ensured that all work adhered to the approved construction documents and met stringent safety standards.
  • I advocated for and contributed to the implementation of standardized details and designs for remedial works wherever feasible. This approach was key to simplifying construction, promoting construction efficiency, and ensuring material optimization across the project.
  • Throughout the project lifecycle, I was involved in ensuring that all remedial actions were documented correctly, contributing to the final inspection and project close-out processes, including the preparation of information for record drawings.

Deliverables & Impact

My direct involvement and dedicated efforts on this challenging project resulted in significant positive outcomes:

  • Enhanced Public Safety: My rapid assessments and decisive actions in issuing safety alerts and initiating demolitions for hazardous structures were crucial in protecting the public from immediate dangers.
  • Effective Long-Term Risk Reduction: Through meticulous planning and oversight of home elevations and strategic relocations, I contributed to significantly reducing the vulnerability of numerous homes and their occupants to future flood events.
  • Successful Remediation and Reconstruction: My oversight of construction activities ensured that homes were repaired and rebuilt to high standards, allowing residents to return to safe and secure housing.
  • Comprehensive Project Documentation: My contributions to inspection, progress tracking, and close-out procedures helped ensure thorough documentation for MACA, forming a valuable record of the work undertaken.

This project underscored my commitment to applying engineering expertise to safeguard communities, mitigate risks, and deliver effective, resilient solutions in challenging post-disaster environments.