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FWEA Chapter Corner: Operators Versus Engineers: Who Will Survive the
Welcome to the FWEA Chapter Corner! The Member Relations Committee of the
Florida Water EnvironmentvAssociation hosts this article to celebrate the success of recent association chapter activities and inform members of upcoming events. To have information included for your chapter, send details to Melody Gonzalez at gonzalezm@bv.com. Melody Gonzalez
Operators Versus Engineers: Who Will Survive the Challenge?
Melody Gonzalez and Brad Hayes
During the last FWEA Leadership Workshop, the Operations Challenge Committee members offered a demonstration of their abilities and took the opportunity to show off what hard work and many hours of training can do. To say that we all were impressed is an understatement.
This group of operators performed a well synchronized “dance” on the floor—moving equipment, sawing, tightening, rolling, and twisting—while completing the preassigned task.
What is the Operations Challenge?
The Operations Challenge is the “Wastewater Olympics” for professionals in the wastewater treatment industry, where teams of four compete in five separate events—process, maintenance, laboratory, safety, and collection systems—at the national competition at the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) representing their corresponding state.
The Operations Challenge Committee provides support, training, and education for operators and maintenance personnel through involvement in the challenge. The committee helps to organize and implement the competition at the local level, as well as coordinate and channel resources, mostly in the form of sponsorships.
Turning the Tables
This year, the committee had a surprise for our FWEA leaders. After the demonstration, it was the engineers’ turn to form groups and select members to perform some tasks as Operations Challenge participants.
In the actual competition, teams compete to earn the highest score in the five different events. Each event is designed to test the diverse skills required for the operation and maintenance of water resource recovery facilities, collection systems, and laboratories. All teams compete in all five events. Winners are determined by a weighted points system. In this light competition the winner was determined by time—the fastest team would win.
One by one, each team had the opportunity to perform the tasks, while listening to the loud cheers and words of support from its peers. Just like in the national event, the solidarity was tangible, with the “public” and participants alike.
It was very clear the tasks were not easy at all. It takes a lot of physical training and mental discipline to execute the tasks in a safe way and in a timely competitive manner. It’s noteworthy that the Operations Challenge participants train on their own time. Their passion clearly shows in the time they invest outside of their already crowded work and personal schedules.
At the end of the demonstration, all FWEA leaders left the room with a much deeper understanding of the work these participants do, the amount of training and dedication involved, and the commitment to their profession.
Engineers, operators, and all water professionals play a critical role in providing their communities with the best service possible. The FWEA is proud of the teams and the work the committee does to represent the state of Florida every year at WEFTEC.
This year the conference is in New Orleans; if you go, plan on attending the challenge and rooting for the teams!
An Everyday Commitment
Besides competing in the challenge, it takes passion, commitment, and desire, along with the needed skills and abilities, for these operators to do their jobs on a daily basis. The competitive spirit, camaraderie, and support they give each other is something you just don’t understand, unless you are one of them.
They don’t get the respect from the public that’s due them, for the most part, for doing their jobs—until there’s an emergency. Then they jump into action—sometimes at great risk—doing what they do because these men and women pride themselves on their work and serving their customers.
Show Your Support!
The Operations Challenge is a fun event that needs sponsorship support to help the winners travel to the national competition and buy their personalized, one-of-akind helmets and shirts. If you need more information about the competition and/or are willing to support the teams this year, either as an individual or with company support, please feel free to reach out to Brad Hayes at BHayes@woodardcurran.com.
Melody Gonzalez, E.I., is FWEA Member Relationship Committee chair and secretary/ contact for the South Florida Chapter FWEA. Brad Hayes is a member of the FWEA board of directors and the Operations Council representative. S
Team 1 was the engineers competition winner!
A demonstration at one of the events.
