MTS ALLSTREAM LUMINARIES — NOMINEE INFORMATION

In the spring of 1997, many of us will recall, Manitoba became a war zone as the normally peaceful Red River transformed into a huge inland sea, engulfing much of the South Manitoba and forcing evacuation of thousands. Throughout the flood, towns, farms and homes in the valley fell to the rising waters of the Red. And yet, despite its power, the river was destined to lose its war with Manitobans, as neighbors banded together to turn back the rising tide. MTS Staff and Telephone Pioneers joined the battle on many fronts, from wrapping pedestals and building dikes to protect vital communications equipment, to rolling up sleeves and donning rubber boots to help protect lives and property.

During the Flood of the Century, NS Operations set up a Flood Control Office at McGillivray, responsible for the customer service side of the recovery efforts, and became a beehive of activity during the critical weeks of the flood. The Center was managed by Ed Walker with Gary Spencer and Paul Hearsum as front line managers. The Flood Control Office was responsible for coordinating the physical protection of the entire network, from wrapping pedestals, to filling sandbags to checking cables. The Flood Control Centre worked around the clock for 3 weeks coordinating activities as the physical raising of numerous MTS buildings, sand bagging of 4 MTS building sites and buried cable protection. During one 48 hour period the team coordinated the rescue of 2 employees in danger due to extreme flooding and the rebuild of 2 locations under intense waves in flood waters of 10 feet. This management team went on site to assist and arranged to have junk cars flown in by helicopter to block waves, to coordinate with other emergency groups.

The Flood Control Centre also coordinated safety training for field personnel, organized MTS employees to assist with the sand bagging, and arranged the purchase and deployment of Zodiac boats, helicopter patrol coordination and 24 hour patrols to flooded areas. They were in constant communication with Emergency Operations Centre and coordinated efforts with the Department of National Defense. The efforts of the team not only served to control flooding of MTS equipment and infrastructure, but also for home owners throughout Manitoba.

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