Page 12 - Suncor 360 - Summer 2016

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SUMMER 2016
360
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Responding to the Wood Buffalo wild res was a massive effort in scope and scale. Hundreds of our employees were involved, whether they were on the ground ghting the re or supporting from afar. Here’s the view from 30,000 feet.
FEATURE
Edmonton
Whether it was by plane, car, or even horseback, thousands of Fort McMurray area evacuees travelled to Alberta’s capital city and were welcomed with open arms. Suncor’s Edmonton-area employees pitched in by welcoming evacuees at the airport with information and supplies (even car seats), staf ng the Suncor table at the Edmonton Evacuation Centre, providing temporary work space (and equipment) for business critical work, and helping at the Edmonton Food Bank.
Fort Hills
Located 90 km north of Fort McMurray, Fort Hills accommodated residents who were evacuated north of the city when Highway 63
closed. Subsequently, the team moved all Fort Hills personnel and city residents (and their pets) to the Firebag Aerodrome so they could continue on to Calgary
and Edmonton.
“We went from safely constructing and commissioning a new oil sands mining facility to guring out how to supply diapers, baby formula and pet food.” – Sam Veltri,
site integration director
Fort McMurray
PIPELINES
‘Last ones out; rst ones back in’ was a common saying at the Suncor Canadian Pipelines RMT. Working closely with ATCO Gas, the RMWB Fire Chief and EVP
Mark Little, the team shut down Albersun pipeline’s natural gas supply to the city in a safe and timely manner. This required taking Mike Gursky, pipelines manager, by Alberta Forestry helicopter from the pipelines eld of ce to a remote valve that needed to be manually closed.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
This team was the tip of the spear in our response. Crews were on the ground ghting the re, giving medical support to evacuees and providing equipment and manpower. As our emergency responders battled the ames, they witnessed rst-hand the destruction the wild res wrought on the region.
When the re forced the evacuations of the AOSTRA Road, MacKay River and Base Plant lodges, our responders were there to help hold back the ames. They were also the last ones standing after the operations teams left Base Plant.
“It was quiet,” says Clark Esler, manager, regional emergency management. “We were the only people there as the caretakers of the facility. It was a huge responsibility.”
CORPORATE SECURITY
Dealing with abandoned vehicles was just one of the cross-functional efforts where Corporate Security played a key role. Collaboration also extended outside Suncor where our well-respected
Sam Veltri
The self-proclaimed dirty dozen (the 12th spot was lled by oaters from Fort Hills) were the only people left on site to defend Base Plant and surrounding camps during and after the second evacuation on May 16. Over the next six days, they fought res along Highway 63 to keep our assets safe.
Clark Esler