Norma Sperry, an admin officer from Rock Island District, said raising three sons helped her prepare for her role as a QAS in Maui deployed to the federal response to the Aug. 8 Hawai‘i wildfires.
“I raised three boys, so I’m good at directing traffic or controlling chaos,” said Sperry. “This position is about keeping everyone going in the right direction.”
Sperry deployed twice to Puerto Rico and once to Florida on blue roof missions following hurricanes, but this is her first wildfire mission.
Sperry notes the difference between this mission and the hurricane missions on which she previously deployed. She sees more loss with the wildfire; this mission has added cultural aspects.
“There is so much more to it than going in and fixing something,” said Sperry. “We aren’t just cleaning an area, moving some trees, and returning it. The cultural aspect makes it more; it’s hard to put into words, but it’s bigger.”
Sperry supervises 12 QA inspectors for the debris cleanup mission in three bustling areas.
Every time he stops by the Pioneer Mills site, Col Eric Swenson, Hawaii wildfires recovery field officer, sees Norma checking on her teammates who are working with USACE contractors managing concrete, steel or other residential lots near the site, he said.
“She always has a smile on her face, which means a lot to the crew working on this mission. She has embraced her role as a supervisor and USACE ambassador to the people of Lahaina,” said Swenson.
Sperry says that due to the volume of debris coming into the area, accidents could happen quickly at Pioneer Mills, where there are many moving pieces of equipment.
“As a supervisor, Norma is always looking out for our welfare,” said Ed Zugel, a QA from Rock Island District. Zugel said Sperry does a good job keeping those under her focused on their assigned job.
“Everyone wants to do the job, and sometimes, they get hyper-focused on one thing,” said Sperry.
“As a QAS, I may be able to see more than someone else can, to pinpoint something that might not stand out to them. I can stand back and see the bigger picture of the whole yard, while they may only be able to where they are at that particular moment.”
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