Hurricane “Superstorm” Sandy

Colts Neck, N.J. and the five boroughs of New York City
December 2012 – April 2013

After the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season hit, Bergeron Emergency Services (BES) deployed our Advanced Management Team to the New York and New Jersey area to assess the damages. Although New Jersey had executed a state-wide contract for debris removal services, the contracted unit prices were twice the industry standard. Bergeron immediately began talking with applicants that were not under contract to offer significant cost savings.

RESPONSE

  • BES mobilized 24 hours from NTP (Notice to Proceed) utilizing local subcontractors
  • BES quickly deployed six double self-loaders to meet a 20-day schedule the Township was requiring
  • BES mobilized over 100 pieces of equipment within the required time frame of each respective agreement
  • BES rapidly adapted our municipal procedures and approaches to debris planning and operations develop a compliant, task-driven approach for management of the stump removal and flush cut operations in New York
  • BES mobilized 10 crews with the required crew composition 48 hours from NTP as required by USACE; crews included chainsaw crews, rubber tired excavators, skid steers, tree cranes, grapple trucks, personnel transports, dump trucks, and traffic control equipment

REMOVAL

  • In NY, BES used the ADMS system proposed in response to this ACI solicitation; it was utilized pro bono to provide QC functions with each stump removal and flush cut crew
  • The ADMS technology allowed the crew foreman to document pre-work and post-work photographs, pre-existing damages, and necessary data for comparison to the USACE QAS reports
  • In NJ, removed 65,000 cubic yards of debris in 20 days using only 6 double (100 cubic yards) self-loaders due to the small site
  • In NY, performed 394 flush cuts and 694 stump extractions in the parks
  • More than 100 personnel were on the project at peak
  • Bergeron had an operations manager, field supervisor, and quality control manager assigned to the NJ project, and the project was 95% subcontracted to a local small business
  • In NJ, all field operations (more than $700,000) were subcontracted to a local subcontractor (Double J Trucking). Bergeron only performed project management that constituted approximately 5% of the operations
  • In NY, Bergeron was the primary subcontractor, and self-performed project management and CQC functions while subcontracting all field work
  • In NY, we provided an operations manager, safety manager, field QC supervisors, and complaint crews to effectively manage the project to a successful completion
  • The Bergeron portion of the NY work was approximately 10%; the prime self-performed 10%, and 80% was subcontracted to small businesses

RECOVERY

  • Worked closely with NJ and NY contractors and citizens to quickly return them to normalcy
  • Integrated swift and effective operations with superb community relations
  • Used local contractors and also bought any project logistics materials locally
  • Successfully worked around park events, schedules, etc.; did not interfere with the day-to-day functions of the citizens or facilities

RELIABLE

  • All work completed to the satisfaction of the prime contractor and USACE
  • Through constant data reviews, production reporting and field surveys, Bergeron completed on schedule
  • Over the 30-day project periods, there were no recordable accidents and no lost work days