Pat McDermott PE

 

 

Civil Engineer Service: 1990 to 2016. Came to Service after 8+ years with the Bureau of Reclamation from the New Waddell Dam Construction Office, AZ. Joined the Region 3 FWS Staff as a Design Engineer, March of 1990. As a project manager, the design and construct projects I remember the most were the Lamprey Sterilization Facility (Hammond Bay, MI), the Genoa Holding House with dynamic pre-loading of the foundation (Genoa, WI) and a number of projects at the LaCrosse, Ann Arbor, & Madison Research Centers - pond linings & reroofing projects. Other duties were the Regional Environmental Compliance Coordinator (RECC) 1993 to 2009 (one of the original RECCs getting the program started), and the Region 3 Safety Manager (SM) 1998 to 2009.

As the SM I had a great time working with and helping Bob Drieslen, Bill Thrune and Dave Wedan getting the boat safety (MOCC) off the ground in the late 90's. I was an instructor for over 9 years. In 2009, I joined Region 2 Engineering thanks to Regional Engineer Bernie Freeman (RIP Bernie). I had a number of interesting engineering projects around the Region. One was, helping defend a safe drinking water project issue at a Refuge brought by State of AZ lasting 2 years. Another was 2 years in front of an agency of the State of NM getting a new sewer system approved for a Refuge project that I was project manager of. My duties as the Alternate Dam Safety officer let me get out to inspect a number of dams and participate in dam safety drills. I was the RECC (2009 to 2016) and got to visit all the Region2 Service facilities. I was also the remote R2 - Regional Safety Manager 2012 to 2016, conducting those duties.

I retired June 2016, with a plaque showing 37.5 years of service. That included my BOR and Post Office years. [Yes, a Postal Employee. I was told that was why my OPM folder was bright orange.] Post retiring, I was hired at the HQ on a special hire program. My duties were accounting for asbestos & LBP inspections nationwide, and working on updating policies. The one I am most proud of was working with Marilyn Brower, developing the Service policy on Professional Engineering (PE) and licensing. I have continued working for the Service part time. Presently I am assisting in Regions 1 and 8. I am assisting the new RECC. It has been great, but with the pandemic, I have missed out on one of the best parts of working as a RECC. That is visiting each and every facility and seeing first-hand the people doing the Service's Mission work. I look forward to visiting my kids and grandkids more often. Fishing and hunting back in MN where I have lifetime licenses.