When Kevin Hagen, P.E., and Mike Paddock, P.E., P.S., arrived in Dominica in the wake of Hurricane Maria, there was no electricity and little water. There was also little shelter. The 2017 Category 5 hurricane was the most powerful storm to ever hit the island. It claimed at least 65 lives and destroyed 90% of the island’s structures.
Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) Engineering Service Corps deployed Kevin and Mike to Dominica three weeks after the hurricane hit. The two professional engineers camped out in the island’s cricket stadium alongside military security forces.
Assessments and Training
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) contacted EWB-USA for engineering assistance with the recovery effort. The Engineering Service Corps draws on the expertise of EWB-USA’s most seasoned volunteers to meet highly technical support requests.
Mike and Kevin helped the World Bank perform rapid assessments of roads and bridges. The UN used this report to influence donations at their international donor’s conference later that year.
The team also helped the Dominican Ministry of Housing develop an assessment program for the 30,000 structures damaged by the storm. As part of the program, Hagen and Paddock trained 75 ministry employees on appropriate assessment techniques and methods. The three-day training included classroom study and field visits to allow employees to practice their new skills.
They also trained the employees in a unique Microsoft application that collects structural damage data on tablets. The data informed the Dominican government on decisions about response efforts and needs.
The ministry employees who received the training spent the next two months completing the structure assessment for the entire country. The assessments supported planning for reconstruction activities.
“Although the communities were heavily impacted, their spirit remains strong,” Kevin said. “It is always rewarding to work with the government and communities to help them build the capacity to help themselves.”
The Value of Experience
Kevin previously worked in earthquake-stricken Nepal and Ecuador, where he assisted with building assessments and long-term reconstruction planning. Mike’s experience in disaster recovery included work in Ethiopia and Guatemala.
Both professionals received training in safety evaluations for buildings after earthquakes, windstorms and floods.
After completing their assessments and training, Kevin and Mike returned to the US. But later that year, the Engineering Service Corps deployed two more volunteers for a six-week field assignment. They helped complete standards documents and provided training sessions to help builders construct hurricane-resilient structures.
The Engineering Service Corps continued to provide expert volunteer support in Dominica throughout 2018 and in the years to come.
Are you a civil engineer interested in helping with disaster response? Learn more about available positions and apply today!