Since July 2010, PRIDE Industries has been providing facility operations and maintenance services at Joint Base MDL in Fort Dix, New Jersey. It is one of PRIDE’s 45 contract sites across the country.
In July, two staff members at the base noticed a family of Canadian Geese while performing a routine site inspection of the surface water pumping station. One of the geese became trapped. The employees’ quick action saved the life of the goose, reunited its family, and prevented a potential disaster by protecting the public water supply for JB MDL-Fort Dix—which has a population of approximately 40 thousand and an additional 60 thousand retirees within a 50-mile radius.
Facility Operations Employees Going Above and Beyond
The following is a transcription of the event:
“The Water Utility crew arrived at the remote pump station to find a family of Canadian Geese consisting of an adult male and female with several juvenile geese loitering on the concrete retaining wall above the water intake structure for the water pump station. The family of geese became startled as the PRIDE employees entered the pump station and jumped into the creek below. Unbeknown to Sean and Ian, one of the adults landed inside the water intake structure.
Sean and Ian returned to the surface water pump station the next day. While inspecting the pump station, Sean discovered that one of the adult geese, believed to be the male, was trapped inside the intake structure and was unable to get out. It was obvious that the goose was becoming exhausted from his many attempts to free himself by climbing out of the water intake.
Sean began to make phone calls to find someone to rescue the goose. The first call was to the PRIDE Industries Service Order Desk at JB MDL for Pest Control. Pest Control informed the Service Order Desk that performing animal rescue was not possible.
Sean then attempted to contact local animal wildlife organization. Each entity that Sean spoke to was not able to respond.
Realizing the goose was not likely to survive if it remained trapped and the hazard that this posed to the potable water supply for the base, Sean and Ian took matters into their own hands. Using a pool skimmer (from one of the two JB MDL pools that the water utility department maintains) and a long handle water sampling dipper, Sean and Ian were able to reach down and lift the goose up and over the wall of the water intake.
The male goose quickly swam to the far bank of the creek all the while calling out to his goose family. After a few minutes, the adult female goose followed by the goslings appeared from upstream and reunited with the male.”
PRIDE Industries Facility Operations and Other Services
When you partner with PRIDE Industries, it is our goal to provide the level of initiative and service that Sam and Ian demonstrated. Along with offering a wide range of operating support and maintenance services, PRIDE creates employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including veterans with service-related disabilities. PRIDE’s contract creates 111 direct labor jobs. Fifty-seven of these employees have significant disabilities and 13 are veterans.
In the New Jersey area, PRIDE also offers scholarship funds for students with disabilities at Rutgers-Camden University. Partnering with PRIDE means supporting our mission to help people at all skill levels to reach their professional goals.
