Members of the LA Wrecking Crew at the TriState Conference. (photo by Ddaze Phuong)
When I was a child, my image of a hero was largely influenced by my surroundings, rural Pennsylvania. A hero was someone who could protect us from disasters. Heroes could chase a bear, ford a stream, and summit a peak.
As urban dwellers, our opportunities to brave the forces of nature are limited. But what’s unlimited is our resilience to stand up and face the challenges of our times.
Our mission to protect public health and the environment requires many extraordinary heroes with this kind of superpower. And I’ve had the honor of working with many of them through CWEA.
Because they represent the best of who we can be. Their efforts to solve the world’s challenges demonstrate our values as a community and they serve as powerful examples of how to make a positive difference in the world. They can inspire others to do something heroic too.
If there’s ever been a time that we need heroes, it’s now. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges. Discontinuing service in the middle of a pandemic is not an option. We stand with colleagues who are on the frontline, responding to emergencies such as, piping failures and flooding every day.
LA Wrecking Crew at WEFTEC Chicago 2019 Kyle Rodman, Jowyn Villanueva, Aaron Martinez and Joe Gevas – top; Nick Janicke (Captain) and Joe Gevas – bottom right; Megan Barillo and Joe Gevas – bottom left
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that the work we do at the Sanitation Districts is critical to protecting public health and the environment. Consistently delivering our essential services requires all of us to work together as a team.
We have taken our cue from the Sanitation Districts’ LA Wrecking Crew (Nick Janicke, Joe Gevas, Kyle Rodman, Daniel Lomeli and Ulysses Ramos Ochoa), who are on the frontline of our wastewater management operations.
The LA Wrecking Crew, of which Nick is the captain, will represent the Sanitation Districts and California in the 2021 Operations Challenge at the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) in Chicago from October 17 to 20. The Operations Challenge began in 1988 to bring together wastewater operations and maintenance professionals and showcase their knowledge and skills.
The Operations Challenge has expanded from an original 22-team event to its current two-division format Teams from 43 states have competed in Operations Challenge at WEFTEC. WEF has also had teams participate from Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, and Germany.
Each 5-person team competes in five events: collection systems, laboratory, process control, maintenance and safety. The competitors represent the often unsung heroes who provide essential services 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Over the years, the competition has been a great way to bring wastewater professionals together in camaraderie and competition. I’ve watched over the years how men and women come together in mutual support and to cheer each other on. No matter who wins, we all win.
Daniel Lomeli, TPO I at JWPCP
The Sanitation Districts’ LA Wrecking Crew has won 6 national titles and placed in the top 3 a total of 16 times over the last 33 years.
Ulysses Ramos Ochoa, TPO II at JWPCP
Our team is formed of volunteers who practice and study outside normal work hours to be competitive. Good luck to the LA Wrecking Crew in Chicago. We are all pulling for you!
My Profile
