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International Operating Engineer - Fall 2018

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The quarterly magazine of the International Union of Operating Engineers

Member Spotlight Local

Member Spotlight Local 77 Members Turn Rescuers for Fire Victims Thousands of Tradeswomen Gather in Seattle AN ORDINARY WORKDAY quickly turned extraordinary for some Local 77 members when a major fire broke out at an apartment complex for seniors in Southeast Washington, DC. The fire sent flames and black smoke shooting from the roof of the Arthur Capper Senior Public Housing complex, forcing neighbors and bystanders, including local Operating Engineers and some Marines, to rescue residents while waiting for first responders to arrive. The three alarm fire erupted as Local 77 Operating Engineers employed by Clark Construction were working next door on a CSX rail project. They quickly noticed the fire and were among the first to notify authorities as well as lend a hand in the rescue efforts. Firefighters used four ladder trucks and multiple ground units to bring the blaze under control. The Operating Engineers joined neighbors and about ten Marines stationed at the nearby barracks to aid in the evacuation of the residents, many of whom needed to be carried out. The apartment complex had 162 one- and two-bedroom units with as many as 190 occupants. Five days later, Local 77 members working for Crane Service Company [above, L to R] Local 77 members Danny Church, Dennis Sheehan, Dutch Baldwin and Andy Glista assited in the resscue of a man trapped in his apartment days after fire severely damaged the buiding. [photo] Steve Faulkner, Local 77 were on site to help with the fire investigation when they were called into action to help rescue a 74-yearold man who had been trapped in his apartment at the fire-damaged senior housing complex. Engineers assessing the structural integrity of the building heard him yelling and used a crowbar to pry open the door of his second-floor apartment. They found him sitting on a couch. The man was carried out of the rubble after spending several days barricaded in his room, but emerged without serious injuries. One of the Local 77 Operators apologetically offered the man his peanut butter and jelly sandwich, to which the man replied, “It looks like steak to me!” Clean up efforts are still ongoing and Operating Engineers are still leading the way. WOMEN BUILD NATIONS, an annual conference designed for women in the trades, convened in Seattle this year. Now in its eighth year, the conference continues to grow in popularity with over 2,200 registered attendees, including 78 Operating Engineers from the United States and Canada. Before the formal meetings kickedoff, over 60 attendees participated in a community service project to help build small houses for the city’s low income housing institute. Linda Hamilton, IUOE Local 132 member and International representative on the NABTU Tradeswomen Committee, described the day. “There were five IUOE women who took part in the service project. It was a lot of fun, along with some hard work. The houses already had the bottom frame, so we built the sides, roof and painted the house. We were able to complete four houses,” Hamilton said. Other highlights included the annual banner parade through parts of downtown Seattle and union caucus meetings. The caucus meeting allowed all the IUOE members to come together and discuss ideas. Marge Newgent from host IUOE Local 302 made arrangements for the operators in attendance to go on a duck boat ride and meet at a taco truck for dinner. Local 302 also had special IUOE tee shirts for the women donated by Garner Construction, a local signatory contractor. “It is my hope that there will be double the amount of women at next year’s event. I believe the conference is a good opportunity for the apprentices to attend, because they are able to meet and talk to other women in the field, ask questions, and get advice on how to grow in the industry,” Hamilton remarked. [right] The three-alarm fire ravaged a Senior Center in Wqshington, DC. Local 77 members aided in the evacuation of 190 occupants. [photo] www.hillrag.com Next year’s conference is planned for October 4-6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event has been renamed to “Trades Women Build Nations.” 14 INTERNATIONAL OPERATING ENGINEER FALL 2018 15

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