The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) is tasked with keeping the facilities in the Garrison Diversion Unit (GDU) in excellent working condition. To accomplish this tall order, it employs 19 talented Operations and Maintenance (O&M) employees with multiple areas of expertise. The McClusky Canal, New Rockford Canal and Snake Creek Pumping Plant (SCPP) are part of the GDU’s principal supply works.
To maintain these facilities, a large fleet of bulldozers, loaders, backhoes, trucks, excavators, and many specialized pieces are needed to allow for work in a variety of situations. Some of the jobs performed by the O&M staff include road building and maintenance, water operations, painting and coating structures, weed control and rock hauling.
The O&M staff includes a professional engineer, master electricians, certified diesel mechanic, painting and coating specialists, vegetative management specialists and multiple heavy equipment operators, boasting an extensive skillset. In addition, most full-time O&M employees have their CDL (commercial driver’s license). All of Garrison Diversion’s O&M crew members have high levels of expertise for their jobs and maintain a high standard of work.
Because Garrison Diversion is committed to providing a safe working environment and appropriate employee training and certifications to ensure our employees can return safely to their families after each day’s work, a Safety & Risk Coordinator is also employed to promote safety procedures and implement a comprehensive safety program for Garrison Diversion’s nearly 30 O&M and administrative employees.
“Garrison Diversion supports quality safety training and education for our staff to ensure a safe work environment,” says general manager Duane DeKrey. “We want to send our employees home to their families after a day on the job.”
Recently, O&M employees completed important safety training for certification and in many cases, recertification, for rigging/signalperson, overhead and mobile crane operations.
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