Not all heroes wear capes and while they are not Batman and Robin (they are Ronald Mullen and Dynnie Mitchell from PWE’s Wastewater Treatment Division), they deserve credit for recently saving the day at the East District Wastewater Treatment Plant back on October 8.
This story starts out similar to a superhero plot. Ronald Mullen received a Batman-like signal, in the form of a power outage. When Ronald arrived for his scheduled shift he noticed there was no power to plant systems. It wasn’t the work of an evil villain, but Ronald treated this situation very seriously. Ronald thoroughly walked through the facility to investigate the issue. It was at that point that Ronald smelled smoke. He kept looking until he found the fire and quickly called 911. Ronald grabbed a fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames, but were there more? He wasn’t sure. At this point, Baytown’s Engine 3 arrived, but needed Ronald’s help in finding the entrance for the fire truck.
Minutes later, Dynnie Mitchell arrived to help Ronald assess the damages to the plant. When a plant goes down it has major impacts to the wastewater collection system including the lift stations that play an important role at the wastewater facility and in thousands of households in the city. How serious could this have been? Ronald’s quick decision making prevented the facility from experiencing major damages that could have impacted wastewater operations throughout the city, causing major backups and more. A current Capital Improvement Project (CIP) is taking place to upgrade the facility, including the electrical cables. If not for Ronald’s immediate actions the fire could have put this project in danger, leading to more financial impacts.
Our heroes flushed away this problem by being alert and ready to find a solution. Their quick reactions saved the day, but also saved the City money and removed a major impact to residents. Thanks to Ronald and Dynnie for their unwavering commitment on this day and every day to make sure we are helping create a Better Baytown.