850 Strong: Inside a Team's Hurricane Resilience

850 STRONG Looking Inside a Team’s Hurricane Resilience

We believe in ser ving others.

We believe in doing the right thing.

These are two of JE Dunn Construction’s Guiding Principles and are both inherently exemplified by the employees that lead and serve in our communities.

When our teams mobilize to new project sites around the country, they take with them these fundamentals – guiding them in their everyday decisions, both on and off the project.

Situations that challenge schedules, budgets, safety, or quality arise on every project, and it is up to our teams to course-correct or offer solutions, as any true partner should. But what happens when circumstances beyond anyone’s control hit (literally) and leave an uncharted territory of uncertainty?

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Debris piles were collected alongside the roads for trash pickup each day.

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The morning of October 10, 2018 brought with it a familiar fear and realization for the residents of Panama City, Florida. Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, hit the Florida Panhandle, including Tyndall Air Force Base, leaving a path of destruction and total loss in its wake.

JE Dunn was nearing the end of a multi-phase medical clinic renovation on the base when the hurricane struck. In the days leading up to the storm, our team was urged to evacuate and migrated to the nearest cities out of the path of the storm; some hopped on a plane back to JE Dunn’s Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, but all left behind property, belongings, and months of hard work at the mercy of Hurricane Michael. For some team members, leaving wasn’t an option.

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Fast forward to not quite a year after the storm, Traci Clatterbuck had the opportunity to sit down with the team and client to listen as they revisited that day and the days of devastation that followed.

While these individuals make up only a fraction of those affected by the hurricane, they collectively embodied a resilience found in the entire community:

The onset of the “850-Strong” mentality.

Of the $25 billion in total damage caused by Hurricane Michael, $5 billion was at Tyndall AFB. Featured images include the damage assessed on JE Dunn’s medical clinic project site and surrounding areas near the base.

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Arriving in Panama City on a sunny 90-degree, humid day in August, it quickly became apparent that the road back was a long one. “As we began driving toward Tyndall, I started to notice this shift, most noticeably with the declining density in the landscape.

Where trees were once lush and thick, they’re now stripped and snapped,” said Clatterbuck. “Where buildings were once standing, are now, in some cases – barely standing thanks to a few lone studs; in others – flattened. Those with enough walls left became the canvas of either inspirational messaging or bold threats to discourage trespassing.”

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Clatterbuck took every chance she could to capture the damage. “I kept thinking it couldn’t get worse, but as we got closer to the base, my camera roll would say otherwise. My eyes and camera were assessing the destruction 10 months after-the-fact, and it was still surreal – what was it like 10 months ago? Or even 6 months ago?”

The strip of the base known as “Tent City” still had more than a dozen tents standing but was significantly dwindled down from the 80 bare base tents that had temporarily housed more than 1,000 service members

“Tent City” consisted of about 80 bare base housing tents as a short-term fix for those displaced by the hurricane. The tents were set up on the base with the assistance of airmen from other bases. Photo by Tyndall AFB.

in the wake of the disaster. Not 100 yards from Tent City was JE Dunn’s active jobsite for the Tyndall project, where it was business as usual for the team and trade partners.

“Phase one was a mad dash. That was our first big win, our first big push and it went by so fast,” said JE Dunn Superintendent, Jim Hert.

“We were in the middle of settling in the

The team was on the last stretch of dust and regrouping to get ready for the finishing up medical clinic renovations next phase. We didn’t even really have when Clatterbuck arrived. The site was 10 months removed from the hurricane, time to celebrate and congratulate each which meant the team was also 10 months other on completing the first phase.” removed from turning the first phase of the project over to the government – October 2, 2018, eight days shy of the storm hitting.

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The week between turning over the first phase of the project and the hurricane hitting included multiple storm warnings that put a stop to the project and pulled the team into preparation mode – cleaning up the jobsite and “battening down the hatches.” Instead of kicking off the second phase, the team secured the site and left under the base commander’s evacuation orders.

In anticipation of the storm, most of the project team left town, except for a few, including Hert.

From squirrels on the roof to freight trains, the range of comparisons to describe what he heard and felt in the storm’s strongest hours was an experience unlike anything he’d endured before. Hunkered down in a small hallway under a mattress with his wife and dog, Hert settled in-place for the better part of five intense hours.

Ken Keeler, a local resident of Panama City for 30+ years and Site Safety and Health Officer on JE Dunn’s renovation project, rode out the storm at home with his wife. Having lived through chaotic hurricane evacuations in the past – specifically, 1995’s Hurricane Opal, which was a Category 5 until it hit land and was reduced to a Category 3 – Keeler knew what to expect.

“A lot of the mandator y evacuations don’t go out until about 24 hours before the storm hits or less. We watched what happened with Opal – ever ybody got stuck on the highways,” remembered Keeler. “So, we were like ‘to heck with it.’ We got all our belongings, put them on the second floor and just buckled down.”

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Kylan Nathey, a field operations manager on the base, carries a cross from a severely damaged chapel, marking the beginning of the demolition to clear out damaged structures to make way for new construction. Photo by U.S. Air Force.

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It was a similar story for USACE representatives Dana Hobbs and Gary McClain, who served as two of JE Dunn’s client contacts during the medical clinic renovation on base. Hobbs, a resident of the area for more than 35 years and McClain, a resident for 22 years, worked as a team on the medical clinic project and had each been with USACE for the last 10 years.

The two recounted the days leading up to Hurricane Michael and, like many others, did not realize the storm’s strength until it was there. “It was Columbus Day that Monday, so everybody was off work.

Tuesday, the whole base was under evacuation orders, and Wednesday the storm hit,” noted Hobbs. Come Monday, the storm was still tracking as a Category 2 and wasn’t on anyone’s radar yet. Mandatory evacuation orders on Tuesday were met with surprise by some of the residents. “When you’re local, a Category 2 is really not that bad. I mean, even a direct impact for the Category 2 is not bad,” said Hobbs.

As the hurricane gained resistance and sped up on its path, residents’ denial of its seriousness quickly subsided. The reliability and durability of generators and the absorbency of towels were put to the test during the long hours of the storm that caught everyone off guard.

Hobbs and McClain reiterated how everyone was acting on instinct, climbing their way out of the downed trees and rubble, not knowing where roads were or where property lines stopped and started.

McClain discussed how two months earlier he had nine large trees cut off his property and shuttered at the idea of the extended damage that could have been.

“I was lost. And I’ve been here my whole life,” said Hobbs of her tree-covered neighborhood and loss of landmarks.

Chaplain Major Zachary Nash, Deputy Wing Chaplain Joint Base Langley, helps carry out religious items from a church on Tyndall AFB. Photo by U.S. Air Force.

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Those who left town relied heavily on drone or helicopter footage and satellite images to start comprehending the extent of destruction they escaped. It took several days before anyone could come back and equally as long for those who stayed to dig their way out. For some, it took three days and 20 to 30 people with chainsaws cutting through downed trees just to make a path to the main road.

No power.

No cell ser vice.

No running water.

Basic amenities were stripped from most of the community. Hert was among this majority, but, despite being deprived of his own necessities, he took the opportunity to rally within the community to provide for others who could not provide for themselves – removing trees and distributing water and food. He, like many others in the area, set up generators and ran a neighborhood food pantry out of his own garage.

“For the first two weeks, every other day, I had a pretty consistent stream of food and hygiene products. I had three or four 55-gallon drums of fuel and supplied it to people for their generators because you couldn’t get fuel,” said Hert. “It was probably the hottest commodity.”

With a delay in government assistance at the beginning, neighborhoods, clubs, and church communities came together under their own volition and provided any aid they could out of their own pockets.

The taxing efforts to keep moving forward amidst the damage and uncertainty was further compounded by what many referred to as “hurricane brain” – a zombie-like head space that overwhelmed the team and community.

Abandoned buildings frequently fell victim to trespassing and looting.

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Of the 1,692 buildings in nearby Mexico Beach, 1,584 were damaged, with 809 destroyed completely.

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With the project’s contract, the JE Dunn team knew there was a good chance they would need to mobilize quickly under the direction of the government to continue the project, make repairs, and get the facility mission-ready.

But re-starting the project proved to be a formidable challenge – from trade partners and laborers leaving the area and a lack of housing options, to supplies and equipment being in short supply. The team had to find creative ways to keep the project flowing with the available resources to minimize impact on quality, cost, and schedule.

During the discussion, the deflation in the room was palpable as the team recounted their past and ongoing frustrations with the whole situation. “I had to find some spark of positivity,” said Clatterbuck.

“I asked the team ‘Is there at least a sense of pride here?’ I was hoping for some optimistic responses.

I did get those, as well as hope for the future of

the not only the project and region but also for the future of the way JE Dunn builds.

The closing parts of the discussion with the team revolved around accepting the challenges that a construction project throws at them, including hurricanes, and embracing the opportunity to rebuild. While it can be wearing, each small win along the way serves as a step in the direction of the finish line in this complex world called “construction.”

With each challenge comes opportunity, and the hurricane recovery at Tyndall was no different.

It brought innovation, compassion, and ingenuity to the team, and the lessons-learned will stay with the team for all projects in the future.

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ABOUT THE PROJECT JE Dunn recently completed the design-build Medical Clinic at Tyndall Air Force Base. This project consisted of the renovation of the 69,044 SF Medical Clinic and a new 2,267 SF veterinary clinic.

Built in 1964, the medical clinic was severely outdated, so a comprehensive renovation was performed to enhance the clinic’s efficiency. Prior to the renovation, the departments were spread across the clinic, some located in other buildings. The 325th Medical Group wanted the building to house all medical services for the base. All departments were moved into the building to streamline staff productivity and the patient experience. The building and surrounding parking lot were brought up to ATFP standards.

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The most noticeable part of the exterior renovation is the addition of the new drop-off canopy. The canopy gives the building a new face and serves as wayfinding for those who visit. Three different types of roofing were used to create the distinct look and provide sunlight.

The canopy is held up by four unique pillars made of metal composite wall panels. It gives the clinic a new façade to match the interior renovation.

The veterinary clinic was outdated and unable to serve its full purpose. JE Dunn built a new one-story, 2,267 SF veterinary clinic across from the medical clinic.

Additionally, the mechanical systems were reworked.

The original system contained 17 AHUs spread throughout the building that needed to be replaced.

All other mechanical components required attention as well. To simplify the system, JE Dunn built two, 1,450 SF mechanical penthouse additions on the second floor, which allowed the replacement of the 17 AHUs with five new ones and modify any system that needed attention.

When Hurricane Michael hit, JE Dunn was in the middle of a phased turnover for the clinic. Some areas that were completed and ready for turnover had to be reworked. Many trade partners and laborers left the area and supplies and equipment were in short supply.

JE Dunn worked with the base and USACE, extending the contract by four and a half months to make up for the time lost. It required an all-hands-on-deck approach to rework what had been affected by the storm and start the second phase of the renovation. JE Dunn completed the project two weeks ahead of the modified schedule in December 2019.

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JE Dunn Superintendent, Jim Hert, assists a medical clinic patient away from the nearby construction zone.

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CARE E N DING ON A HIGH NOTE When Clatterbuck sat down with the team last year, the end was in sight. “The team was picking up momentum and beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel on a project that was four years in the making and filled with more hurdles than an obstacle course. Uneasiness turned to eagerness as the project rounded the last turn of its final lap,” said Clatterbuck.

“The team seamlessly closed the project out and received glowing remarks in their final evaluation.”

The closeout was capped by a tour with end users as they took their first look at the newly-renovated spaces.

Parker Burns, project engineer with JE Dunn, shared what completing this project meant to him:

The hard work and willingness to go above and beyond touched more than the client and users. “I have always been proud to be a part of the JE Dunn organization – bleeding blue, believing in what principles it was founded on and living under its best people + right culture initiative,“ said Clatterbuck. “When you get an opportunity to sit down with a group like that, it will humble you to see how they can persevere under such circumstances, putting their own needs aside to, not only pick up where they left off on their project, but employ an unmatched sense of support and camaraderie.”

“It’s always great on our end to see and hear the joy and appreciation of the end user after working so hard to get a building complete.”

Task Force Talon II Airmen gather around Chief Master Sgt. Craig Williams, 325th Fighter Wing command chief at Tyndall AFB, as he discusses the state of the base and the future as they set out to clear debris. Photo by U.S. Air Force LOOKING INSIDE A TEAM’S HURRICANE RESILIENCE || 25

LOOKING F ORWA RD In December 2019, the House of Representatives approved $2.4 billion in emergency funding in addition to the already appropriated $1 billion to begin the reconstruction efforts. The $3.4 billion available for construction projects over the course of five years will aid in the Air Force’s goal of Tyndall becoming an “installation of the future” as it sets out to rebuild what Hurricane Michael destroyed.

F IR STHAND ACC OU N T

T HAN K Y O U

Traci Clatterbuck is a marketing manager at JE Dunn focusing on marketing and client solutions for the federal government market.

Thank you to the following individuals who shared their experiences and photos, plus the dozens of other team members who stepped up, took care of each other, and pushed past the finish line.

She was excited to dig into this story and share on behalf of those who would not otherwise do so.

Jim Hert (JE Dunn) Tom Pearson (JE Dunn) Parker Burns (JE Dunn) Brett Barton (JE Dunn) Chris Grant (JE Dunn) Ken Keeler (Formerly with JE Dunn) Mary Kenny (Formerly with JE Dunn) Dana Hobbs (USACE) Gary McClain (USACE)

Scan here to watch aerial video footage on YouTube that captures the immediate damage on the base by CBS News.

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