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On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with heavy winds, devastating storm surge, extensive flooding, and multiple tornados.  Major hurricane damage resulted primarily along the Gulf Coast from Biloxi, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, and Waveland, Mississippi and further West to New Orleans, Louisiana.  To gain a better understanding of the endless storm damage, imagine 80% of the homes in Atlanta flooded inside the I-285 Perimeter.  This gives you a better picture of the widespread devastation that impacted New Orleans, where flood waters reached levels anywhere from one foot up to as much as twenty-one feet high.

On October 31, 2005, I deployed to New Orleans to support the Hurricane Emergency Response.  I worked as a Civil Engineer with Camp, Dresser & McKee in support of Fluor in support of FEMA.  While in New Orleans, I conducted damage assessments, developed scopes of work, and completed R.S. Means cost estimates for extensive damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the New Orleans International Airport.  I also worked with my company to develop several iterations of bid proposals and presentations to provide project management services for the A/E Design and Construction repair of the New Orleans Superdome.

The Georgia Section ASCE has also provided earlier Emergency Response Support to other states in the United States.  Melissa Wheeler, Georgia Section Vice President, deployed to Florida in the Fall of 2004 with Georgia Power to conduct emergency repairs of high-tension electrical transmission lines damaged by four hurricanes that criss-crossed Florida’s mid-section.  Joe Carris, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee, deployed to Ohio with Camp, Dresser & McKee to support FEMA with rain and flood damage.  Later he deployed to Florida with CDM to support  Florida Power & Light with hurricane damage.  Soon after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in Fall 2005, Commander Mat Martinson, Chairman of the History & Heritage Committee, deployed to Waveland, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi with the U.S. Public Health Service to conduct damage assessments of major hospital facilities.  Only days later, Jerimiah Easley, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, deployed to both Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi with the Federal Aviation Agency to conduct damage assessments of air traffic control towers.

These frequent deployments of Civil Engineers to other states validates our current initiative in the Georgia Section ASCE to be prepared to provide future Emergency Response Support to hot spots anywhere throughout the state of Georgia. 

JAMES E. MEREDITH, Ph.D.CE, M.S.CE

President of the Georgia Section

American Society of Civil Engineers       

On May 4, 2006 golfers of all skill levels gathered at Oak Hurst Golf Course in Bullard, Texas for the Northeast Texas Branch annual golf tournament. The Northeast Texas Branch works hand and hand with the local Texas Society of Professional Engineers every year to host the golf tournament and raise money for local college scholarships.

This year’s tournament proved very successful. With record number of sponsors and participates, the group was able to raise over $3,500 for scholarships. On top of raising a substantial amount for local students, all enjoyed a fun filled round of golf after the morning’s rain clouds cleared.

At lunch the participants and organizers can together to fellowship and enjoy a hamburger picnic catered by Oak Hurst. Several door prizes were awarded including gift certificates to local restaurants and sporting goods stores as well as golf balls and tees. As for the tournament winners, the third place team considered of Steve Robinson, Ricky Burkett, Gregg Potter, and Homer Davis. They took home $100. The second place team laid claim to a $200 prize. Team members included Brian Ballard, Kevin Braughton, Mark Priestner and Lewis Rippy. Finally the team of Ron Anderson, Tim McDaniel, David Wright, and Andrew Green conquered first place bragging rights. They took home $400.

The Northeast Texas Branch is very thankful and proud of the hard work everyone contributed. We hope to make next year’s tournament another record breaking event.

Help chart the Society’s public policy course for 2007 by completing the Priority Issues Survey.

Results from the survey help the Committee on Government Affairs and the Board of Direction determine the Society’s public policy priorities for the coming year.

It’s easy!

Visit http://www.asce.org/govrel/survey.cfm to complete the online survey.

Please note:  You will need your six digit ASCE member ID number to complete the survey.  If you need help identifying your ID number, call 800-548-2723 for assistance.

Thanks for your input!  Please encourage your fellow ASCE members to participate by announcing this at your next meeting.

Questions?  Contact ASCE Government Relations at govwash@asce.org or 202-789-7850.

2007 Ports™ “30 Years of Sharing Ideas…1977-2007”:  Join us March 25-28, 2007 in San Diego, CA.  This will be the eleventh in a series of international port and harbor development specialty conferences held on a tri-annual basis.  The conference will feature technical short courses, plenary session, concurrent technical sessions, exhibition and technical field tours to sites of interest in San Diego Harbor.  For additional information visit us at:  http://www.portsconference.org

Coastal Sediments 07: The Intercontinental Hotel is open and ready for our business!  Call For Papers now open; abstracts are due by May 16, 2006.  Be sure to join us in New Orleans, May 13-17, 2007 for an international exchange of information among coastal engineers, geologists, marine scientists, shallow water oceanographers and others interested in the physical processes of coastal sediments transport and morphology change.  For additional information visit us at:  http://www.asce.org/conferences/cs07

The 9th International Conference on Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation (AATT) 2006:  Registration Now Open! All Paper Deposits Are Due Now!  Transportation professionals from around the world and from public and private sectors— engineering firms, automotive and aerospace companies, transportation agencies, consultants, researchers, and educators—will find this conference an excellent learning forum to examine an array of innovative technologies to solve various transportation problems in the areas of infrastructure, operations and planning, and information systems.  As well as to discover innovative strategies to address such problems as congestion, safety, security, data collection and management, asset deterioration and management, planning and modeling, and effective implementation of advanced information technologies in the lifecycle of transportation systems.  For additional information visit us at: http://www.asce.org/conferences/AATT06/welcome.cfm

Mark your calendar!  Join General Barry R. McCaffrey, USA (Ret.) to explore "Surviving the Future" as he delivers his keynote address at the 2006 Annual Civil Engineering Conference.  This years conference will take place at the Westin Chicago River North Hotel October 19-21, 2006.  Technical sessions addressing the issues of surviving future natural disasters and planning for adequate security to maintain public safety have been planned.  A student program as well as several technical tours will be offered.  Please visit us at: http://content.asce.org/conferences/asce2006/.

• Thursday, July 6, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Road Crossing Structure Improvements to Accommodate Wildlife Passage New Webinar
  
  
• Tuesday, July 11, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  On-Site Circulation and Access Design for Commercial Developments ~Part I
  
  
• Wednesday, July 12, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Personal Time Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder
  
  
• Tuesday, July 18, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  On-Site Circulation and Access Design for Commercial Developments ~Part II
  
  
• Wednesday, July 19, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Ethics: The Road Engineers Must Follow
  
  
• Tuesday, July 25, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Renovation of Steel-Framed Buildings
  
  
• Wednesday, July 26, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  From Project Engineer to Project Manager: Look Before You Leap

For more information on ASCE’s webinars, go to
http://www.asce.org/conted/distancelearning/online_webseminars.cfm

August 1: Younger Member Employer Recognition Nominations are due.

August 4: Deadline for submittal of State Public Affairs Grant Activity Report to ASCE Washington Office.

October 30: Nominations for the Workshops for Section and Branch Leaders and the Younger Member Council Meetings are due.

Nominations for the National Outstanding Section/Branch Award are due.

November 1: Submission deadline for the Outstanding Section and Branch Newsletter Award.

November 3: SPAG applications due

November 30: Section Annual Reports are due at ASCE World Headquarters.

2007

January 1: National ASCE dues are overdue.

February 1: Nominations for National ASCE Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement, Younger Member Group Awards, and the Daniel Mead Prize for Younger Members are due.

Nominations for Zonal Government Civil Engineer Award and Young Government Civil Engineer Award are due.

February 15: Nominations for National ASCE Student Chapter Scholarships are due

March 1: Nomination deadlines for Civil Government Award, Freidman Professional Recognition Award, Mead Prize for Students and Parcel-Sverdrup Award

May 5: Response due for national collection of Section dues.

June 1: Submission deadline for the Outstanding Section and Branch Web Award Competition to Geographic Services Department.

The Geographic Services Department (GSD) is charged with providing support to the local units of the Society and ensuring effective coordination and cooperation among the Regions, Sections, Branches, Younger Member Groups and Staff. This newsletter is produced to help meet this charge. Questions, comments and suggestions regarding this newsletter are welcomed and should be directed to Jennifer Lawrence at: jlawrence@asce.org.