Kongiginak Operations Summary

12/3/2025

Daily Activities 

• Foundation work is ongoing on buildings #53 and #45.
• Crews advanced the fusion welding and installation of the 3" HDPE waterline. 
• The Kipnuk crew, redirected to Kong, has expedited the waterline installation. 
• Operations remain constrained due to harsh weather conditions. 
• Essential materials like heaters, lumber, and vinyl siding have been ordered and are on their way to Kong. 
• Kong lacks housing availability for any additional crew redirected from Kipnuk. 
• A total of nine team members are currently on-site including two local hires. 

12/2/2025

Daily Activities 

• Building #34: Removed unsafe wiring and ran new wires using junction boxes in the attic and ceiling. Created attic access to support interior repairs needed due to roof being blown-off. 
• Building #45: Began work on the foundation. 
• Building #53: Continued foundation repairs to beams and posts using airbags. 
• Kipnuk crew that was diverted to Kong has accelerated the waterline work. 
• Operations today are limited due to severe weather; no planes were able to fly. 
• Awaiting delivery of additional materials including heater, lumber, and vinyl. 
• Kong does not have available housing if additional crew is re-directed from Kipnuk.
• A total of nine team members are currently on-site including two local hires. 

11/30/2025

• Investigating overland ice road route to Kipnuk and staging area on airport property. 

11/29/2025

• Investigating overland ice road route to Kipnuk.  

Daily Activities

• Continued fusion welding and installation of 3" HDPE water line. 

11/28/2025

• Cruz is back onsite to help unload cargo and move it to staging area off airport apron.
• Investigating overland ice road route to Kipnuk.  

11/27/2025

• Cruz is back onsite to help unload cargo and move it to staging area off airport apron. 
• Helical piles delivered to community. 

11/26/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now.
• Helical piles delivered to community.  

11/25/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 
• Investigating & mapping laydown storage yards for construction materials. 

11/23/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

11/21/2025

• No change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

Daily Activities

• Began spreading 3" HDPE pipe for water line repairs. 
• Continued work on Old Kong structure #34. 
• Continued work on Old Kong structures #15, #23 and #52. 
• Continued unloading and stocking air freight materials. 
• A total of 8 GHEMM team members are currently on-site, including two local hires. 

11/20/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now.

11/19/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now.

11/18/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

11/15/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

Daily Activities

• Review LKSD school work list from Chris Hodgins and inspect items in the field. 
• Level old Kong structure #34. 
• Repairs the roof of old Kong structure #34. 
• Continue installing chimney caps. 
• Carry on with housing roof repairs. 
• Unload air freight materials and stock them in the storage yard. 
• Perform ongoing electrical repairs. 
• Meet with residents to get approval for accessing homes to assess interior damage. 
• Create material lists for structure repairs. 
• A total of 7 GHEMM team members are currently on-site, including 1 local hire (2nd locate hire will begin on Monday). 

11/14/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

11/13/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now. 

11/11/2025

• Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.

Completed & Ongoing Work by GHEMM Contractor:

• Continued repairs on house entries.
• Power and lighting systems are operational.
• Ongoing installation of chimney caps.
• Unloading and organizing air freight materials in the storage yard.
• Ongoing roof and electrical repairs on housing units.
• Continued resident meetings to gain access for interior damage assessments.
• Initiated material list compilation for structural repairs.

Materials & Procurement Updates:

• Siding Order: Responsibility assigned to DOT, with an update expected by the following day.
• Rain Gutters: Procured and currently in transit.
• Electrical Supplies: Procured by the electrical subcontractor.

Staffing Update:

• 1 employee stationed in Bethel.
• 8 employees in Kongiginak, including 1 local hire and 1 from Bethel.

11/10/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.
• GHEMM currently has 7 crew members in Kongiginak.
• GHEMM continuing repair work on structures (carpentry, plumbing, electrical) including: 
  • Rebuilding house entryway that was destroyed
  • Leveling structures as needed
  • Installing missing chimney caps (20 total houses)
  • Addressing electrical safety items on structure
  • Assessing interior damages
• Continuing to map out work plan/schedule as well as getting permission from residents to work on their homes.
• Water line replacement materials being procured.

11/09/2025

• No Change: Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.
• Alaska DOT&PF Engineers onsite to complete boardwalk takeoffs.

11/08/2025

• Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.
• Alaska DOT&PF Engineers onsite to complete boardwalk takeoffs.

11/07/2025

• Immediate stabilization complete; contractor (Cruz) demobilized but on winter standby.
• Next priority after Kwigillingok for pilings/lumber shipments.
• Work to resume upon material arrival (late barges/air).
• Temporary reinforcements holding; plans to install supports once ground is frozen.
• ~10,000 ft of replacement water line pipe on order for utility repairs.

11/06/2025

• GHEMM crews mobilized with partial loads of tools and materials.  Set up housing for work crews in the Kongiganak Traditional Council visitors apartment. Not all crews, tools and materials able to make it to Kong.  Weather prevented some crews flying with Yute Air from landing.  Bottle neck of tools and materials to be shipped at Ryan Air.
• Today additional crew headed from Bethel to Kong.  Working with Ryan Air to get remaining tools and materials needed shipped Bethel to Kong.  Crews will begin moving materials to structure repair work areas.
• GHEMM received approval to repair approximately 1,000 ft of water main piping from reservoir to water plant. Currently working procurement of needed Pipe.
• Working on jacking up houses off the ground.
• Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.

11/05/2025

• Cruz has demobed for now, awaiting material delivery.

11/04/2025

• Boardwalk crew done for now; there are some missing parts but is traversable by ATV.
• Water sources are accessible.
• School has reopened.

11/03/2025

• Boardwalk nearly complete - will send a couple people from this crew to Kwig.
• Connection to raw water source is now accessible by ATV.
• School reopened today.

11/01/2025

• Cruz Construction continues repairing boardwalks. Anticipating 4 more days of boardwalk repair.
• Pressure test of the fuel line repair to the school was successful.
• Attempt to reopen the school on Monday, November 3rd. 

10/30/2025

• Cruz continues repairing boardwalks in Kong. Anticipating 4-5 more days of boardwalk repair.
• Helicopter being used to sling bundles of lumber to difficult to access locations.

10/28/2025

• Cruz continues repairing boardwalks in Kong today.
• A helicopter was used to relocate lumber scattered during the typhoon to accessible areas for repairing the boardwalk from the school to the freshwater pond and cell tower.
• Work on this portion of the boardwalk will continue tomorrow.
• STG was onsite to repair the fuel line to the school and successfully patched the damaged area.

10/27/2025

• Boardwalk Construction
  • Cruz team is 90% complete.
  • Estimated 1–3 more days of work.
  • Work will be complete once they reach the water source and satellite tower.
  • Plan to move directly to Kwig afterward.
• Local Crew Requests
  • Requesting helicopter support to retrieve unreachable supplies.
  • Additional materials needed:
    • 6x8x10 lumber
    • 3x12x16 lumber
    • Geo Board
• Electrical Work
  • Puvurnaq Electric completed the 8th and final pole connecting the church to power.
  • Relocated an electrical box at that site.
• Water Supply
  • Main water line is severed and frozen.
  • Plant operator reports it’s possible to sustain through winter with:
    • National Guard assistance delivering water, and/or
    • Collecting ice from local freshwater lakes and ponds.
• Community Efforts
  • Locals removing debris by hand near the laundromat.

10/25/2025

• Brice Services plumber is mobilizing to Bethel today to head to Kong and repair the damaged fuel line.
• The STG welder onsite will be used for the repair.
• To date, approximately 600 feet of boardwalk repairs have been completed.
• Cruz Construction estimates 3–5 more days of temporary boardwalk repairs to tie in the community.

10/23/2025

Met with local school principal about securing housing at the school. Facility is adequate and we will follow through with securing housing at the school. Met with Cruz Forman and crew. They are making good progress on boardwalk leading to landfill. Local crews are working on boardwalks leading to the school. Did a drive around site visit with foreman and Eric Phillips (local community champion), to identify scope, and discuss overall work. Also helped facilitate transporting some water samples to and from Bethel.

10/22/2025, 9pm

Arrived on site at 2:45PM. Made it to the construction crews working on the boardwalks to the east of the runway that go to the school. Approximately 250 LF of New boardwalk under construction branching off from the main pathway towards the school where boardwalk was not previously existing (See sitescan measurements titled “New Boardwalk”). Another 300 LF of new boardwalk installed from the school to connect to the other 250 feet previously mentioned. Local Crews were also continuing work on re-connecting main water line from the north reservoir. Locals expect to have a running fresh water line withing the next few days. 4 of the local workers are under contract with Cruz for the work they are performing on the boardwalks, several are not. I spoke with Taylor Lueck (Cruz) and he has been made aware of the additional workers contributing to the boardwalks. Cruz has secured housing for 3 of their workers in Kong and will begin assisting/leading local crews with boardwalk construction tomorrow (10/23).

---

10/21/2025

Team Members Present: Michael Tilly

1.Summary of Activities Completed: Bering Air Helicopter transport to from Bethel to Kongiginak, Arrive in Kong at 1300 upon Arrival: Captured drone video of boardwalk adjacent to runway leading out to the school and clean water hole. Also captured updated imagery of boardwalk leading to landfill. Met with local foreman of crew conducting boardwalk repairs. He walked/talked me through what they have accomplished, how, where, and with what.  Acquired transportation from local council to see myself around the village and get a lay of the land and identify target areas.  Mission coordinated through ICS Bethel Team, and Bering Air Services.

2. Observations / Issues Encountered: 

• Local repair crews have several stockpiles of pressure treated lumber, rolls of geofabric, pallets of geogrid, and a reported 150-200 Steel piles for boardwalk foundations.
• Crews are making progress to the boardwalk on the west side of the runway leading to the school. 
• Ground surface is beginning to freeze overnight but may thaw during the day depending on the conditions. 
• Locals described to me their priority of boardwalk access as follows:

1. Access from West side of town, around runway and North to the School
2. Access beyond the school to the tower/water hole
3. Boardwalk from east side neighborhood northward to the school across wetland
4. Boardwalk to the Northwest of town access to the landfill/Cemetery.

10/20/2025 - Infrastructure Damage Assessment.

10/19/2025 - Infrastructure Damage Assessment.

10/18/2025 - Infrastructure Damage Assessment.

10/16/2025 - Infrastructure Damage Assessment.