District Hero of the Year named at Fort Detrick

USACE
Published Sept. 25, 2014
Jeffrey McMaster, resident engineer at the Fort Detrick Area Office, received the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Hero of the Year award from District Engineer and Commander Col. Trey Jordan at a Sept. 16 ceremony. He earned the District award for his poise and professionalism following the August 2013 laboratory fire at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases replacement project. He provided accurate and timely reporting to Corps leaders in the aftermath of the incident.

Jeffrey McMaster, resident engineer at the Fort Detrick Area Office, received the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, Hero of the Year award from District Engineer and Commander Col. Trey Jordan at a Sept. 16 ceremony. He earned the District award for his poise and professionalism following the August 2013 laboratory fire at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases replacement project. He provided accurate and timely reporting to Corps leaders in the aftermath of the incident.

Col Jordan presents Jeff McMaster with a Baltimore District coin for his Hero of the Year selection.

Col Jordan presents Jeff McMaster with a Baltimore District coin for his Hero of the Year selection.

A supervisory civil engineer at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) Resident Office was named the Baltimore District’s Hero of the Year.

 

Jeffrey McMaster received his award from Col. Trey Jordan, commander and district engineer, on Sept. 16. Previously named as the District’s Hero of the Month in September 2013, McMaster earned the honors for his response during and after the August 2013 fire at the USAMRIID project. Two construction workers were taken to a Frederick hospital for examination but were released later that day.

 

"The fire remediation has required a lot of extra effort from everyone on the USAMRIID Project Team plus a greater group of people to accomplish this effort,” said McMaster. “Our path forward coming out of this tragic incident could only be accomplished with the combined effort of the Corps, our customer (Health Facilities Planning Agency), the contractor and Fort Detrick personnel to keep moving the USAMRIID project toward completion.”

 

McMaster, “displayed tremendous poise, calmness and professionalism during and after a fire on 14 August 2013 at the USAMRIID Replacement Project at Fort Detrick, Md.,” said Jordan as he read the citation at a gathering of resident office personnel. A key element noted in the citation is the rapport McMaster had established with Fort Detrick emergency response personnel that “ensured a seamless flow of information between the emergency crews, construction contractor, and USACE area office staff for important matters during and immediately after the fire.  Jeff enabled and provided accurate, factual and timely reporting up the chain of command immediately after this incident as the post fire investigative work progressed. His focused, yet calm, demeanor combined with excellent decision making skills brought a sense of control amidst the chaos.”

 

A fire at a construction site is a very serious incident. Leaders on the installation, and throughout every level of Corps chain of command, wanted speedy and accurate information on the status of all personnel at the site and whether the fire had been extinguished.

 

"At the time of the fire, there were approximately 280 contractor personnel on site and all were accounted for within 15 minutes after notification to evacuate the building was given.  This was an incredible response that was recognized by the Fort Detrick Emergency Services and was a direct result of drills and rehearsals performed by the contractor in conjunction with USACE.  Fort Detrick Fire Department was able to completely extinguish the fire within 20 minutes of notification."