Pantex Blog
Pantex Proud: Chris Perez
Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Chris Perez work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who he is, what he does, and why he is proud to be a Pantexan.
The Human Reliability Program (HRP) is a security and safety reliability program designed to ensure that individuals who occupy positions with access to certain materials, nuclear explosive devices, facilities, and programs meet the highest standards of reliability and physical and mental suitability. As the HRP Management Official, Chris Perez has the unique role of making sure Pantex is held to that standard.
Growing up, Perez always thought he would be a high school coach. While in college, he began working at a bank and realized his passion had changed. When an opportunity at Pantex presented itself, he knew he was ready for the next step in his career.
“Pantex is the only one of its kind, meaning the work done here is unique,” he said. “For me, there is a lot of pride in understanding the kind of contribution you can make toward the overall mission and delivering for our nation and allies.”
After joining the Pantex team, Perez was surprised by the overall size and amount of diverse work it takes to carry out the mission. “The passion of my fellow coworkers and those involved in HRP is unmatched,” Perez said. “It is one of the main requirements to conduct the work here at Pantex, and that makes me proud.”
While HRP helps ensure safety and security, it is also about ensuring the well-being of our fellow Pantexans. “Working with people that might be going through something is never easy, but it’s part of the job,” Perez said. He added that it is very important to him that the employees who participate in the HRP know he cares about them no matter what they are going through.
This position has allowed him to develop his problem-solving skills. Questions or concerns are presented daily, and it is Perez’s responsibility to make sure they are handled appropriately. The longer he is in this role, the easier it gets to find solutions. However, Perez has found that not being afraid to ask for help and listen to different perspectives has contributed the most to his success in his role.
Everyone offers value to our tasks. Why must we be open to learning and hearing from others?
The work at Pantex is full of policies, procedures, orders, regulations, etc. Oftentimes, there are many different perspectives or interpretations of what something means. There is a very dynamic and knowledgeable workforce at Pantex, and talking advantage of that is the best way to learn. It also allows you to create your own understanding.
What advice do you offer someone who has made a mistake in his or her job? How should they be accountable for that issue?
We are HUMAN. It is literally the first word of the program: Human Reliability Program. Mistakes are going to happen no matter how big or small. It’s your response to the mistake that is crucial. Holding yourself accountable and showing focus and sincerity in the corrective actions is important.
How has teamwork allowed you to grow as an employee?
In HRP, we are dealing with the majority of the plant population. Working together with not only the HRP team but the plant population is vital to the success of the program. It also increases my overall plant knowledge—I learn something new every day that allows me to apply new knowledge to my job.
Why must we understand the requirements, procedures, etc. tied to our jobs?
HRP is driven by regulation, just like many other programs. The understanding of the requirements is vital because of the access individuals are being granted to complete the mission. If an HRP requirement is missed, that means the individual is not allowed to conduct HRP work, which could mean they are not contributing to the mission until all requirements are met.
What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Pantex?
Understand that it’s going to be overwhelming at first. However, embrace it and find people that are passionate about their job and learn from them. Also understand, there is a reason for everything and if you don’t understand, ask!
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
My Father-in-Law, Jimmy “JW” Walker. He took me under his wing when I was young and, at that time, I needed a male role model in my life. I have never seen someone work so hard and be as dedicated to his family as he was. He was battling cancer for the latter part of his life and for the most part you couldn’t tell by his attitude. His perspective on life was much different than I have ever seen. He was someone that cared about everyone and those that knew him loved him. I could never repay him for what he did for me or my family, but I do my best every day.
Celebrating the first, first responders
Dispatchers Ayana Moore and Melodi Parton say teamwork is essential when coordinating response during an emergency.
What is an emergency? It may seem like an easy question to answer, but an emergency to one person may not be urgent for the next. Life experience, knowledge, and individual circumstances, among other things, may lead people to differ on their opinion of a true emergency.
Seeing firetrucks and wanting to know what happened — not an emergency.
Ordering a pizza and the delivery driver forgets the drink — also not an emergency.
Someone’s life or health is in danger — emergency.
Property, public health, or the environment is in danger — also an emergency.
When an emergency happens, dispatchers answer the call. The Pantex Fire Department maintains a 24/7 Emergency Services Dispatch Center. When dialing 9-1-1 from a phone at Pantex, the call is routed to their dedicated team. If calling from a cell phone, the emergency will be handled by the appropriate off-site dispatch center.
Even though dispatchers are often the initial point of contact for emergency situations, they sometimes do not receive the same recognition as other first responders. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week aims to change that. Held annually the second week in April, NPSTW honors and recognizes 9-1-1 professionals like dispatchers Ayana Moore and Melodi Parton — both frontline responders.
“I got into this line of work because my heart’s desire is to make a difference in my service,” Moore said. “We are trained to protect and serve, so I feel my service is to protect from greater danger, to prevent a greater tragedy, and to provide the help that is needed.”
Dispatchers are trained in taking emergency medical and fire calls, monitoring alarms, mutual-aid requests, and answering non-emergency calls. Parton says it is important to stay calm while working in such a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
“A clear mind allows for better decision making and communication which can be vital in emergencies where every second counts,” Parton said. “Panic can lead to mistakes or delays that could exacerbate the situation. My reaction has to be one of urgency coupled with composure.”
If there is an emergency, stay calm and remember to breathe. When calling 9-1-1, first give the location of the emergency. If the address is unknown, use landmarks or describe things nearby. Dispatchers are highly trained professionals ready to use the information provided to effectively respond to a variety of calls.
“I never know what type of situation I may have and who I have the pleasure of talking to,” Moore said. “If someone calls with an emergency and they’re panicking and I’m panicking, I wouldn’t be of any service to them. Staying calm is the key to dispatching.”
While one dispatcher takes calls, asking questions and gaining valuable information, their teammates are hard at work notifying responders to get them enroute quickly. Training and experience help dispatchers know what information is critical to ensure an appropriate response.
“When receiving a call, the process begins with an immediate assessment,” Parton said. “Dispatchers focus on gathering essential information from the caller and ensuring they feel heard and supported. Dispatchers then determine the best course of action. They remain calm to effectively relay information to first responders and coordinate resources efficiently.”
Dispatchers are a crucial aspect to public safety, acting as the link between callers and the responders providing emergency assistance.
“When I help get resources to someone during an emergency, I feel relieved, hopeful, stressful … many emotions but overall grateful to serve in this capacity,” Moore said.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week shines a light on the people behind the phones who serve our plant and our community as first responders. Whether the call involves people, property, or even pizza, dispatchers will answer ready to coordinate a response.
“Knowing that my actions can significantly impact someone’s life during a critical moment is both humbling and motivating,” Parton said.
The Ruck Up Foundation honors fallen soldiers
The Ruck Up Foundation embarks on their annual Memorial Day ruck styled hike in Palo Duro Canyon.
Holidays and special occasions can be bittersweet. Sweet are the times you get to celebrate and share your love with those closest to you; bitter are the periods of grief that creep in and remind you that someone you care about isn’t there to share those moments. Memorial Day is one holiday that is hard for families of fallen soldiers.
A small group of proud Pantexans – Cosme Alonzo, Anthony Jaramillo, Daniel Mata, Ismael Ordaz, and Daniel Prieto – who are also combat veterans, saw an opportunity to help local Gold Star families and bolster the legacies of these fallen heroes. A Gold Star family has experienced the loss of an immediate family member as a result of active-duty military service.
“For many, Memorial Day is a weekend to barbeque and enjoy the start of the summer season, but there are a lot of people who find themselves in a really negative place during Memorial weekend,” Alonzo said. “One year, we decided that we needed to stop drowning our sorrows in unhealthy outlets and find a wholesome way to memorialize our fallen comrades.”
And so began the Ruck Up Foundation.
The men, all of whom are Security Police Officers, wanted to find a way to say “thank you from a grateful nation.” The Ruck Up Foundation has committed to sending birthday cards to children of fallen heroes through their 21st birthdays. They have also established an annual college scholarship for a family member of a fallen soldier. Through their 10-mile ruck in Palo Duro Canyon and other events, they raise money to host an annual Gold Star Christmas event, partnering with Toys for Tots, to provide Christmas presents for the children.
“Our Ruck Up hike for Memorial Day is our biggest event and my personal favorite,” Mata said. The group sponsors a 10-mile hike to raise money for these projects. “For $50 you get into Palo Duro Canyon, a t-shirt, and some fun swag. What started out as three guys trying to pour their grief into a healthy outlet has turned into 121 individuals hiking in remembrance of fallen soldiers.”
The Ruck Up Foundation feels so lucky to have the support and compassion of their coworkers and encourages anyone who wants to tag along.
“I would say about 50 percent of our participation comes from Pantexans or immediate family members,” Jaramillo says. “Pantexans like Chelsey Westfall. When I reached out to her for a quote for her photography services, she was so supportive of our cause that she donated her services for free. At the end of the day, that’s the kind of support that allows us to do this.” Westfall is the Administrative Assistance for Safeguards and Security.
For many, Memorial Day marks the kick off to summer. For the Ruck Up Foundation it is time to pause and reflect on what the day is really about. They encourage people to take a moment to give thanks and honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. And, if you’re up for it, join a group of dedicated Pantexans on Sunday, May 25, for the Foundation’s annual hike at Palo Duro Canyon.
If your family, or a family you know, could benefit from the services the Ruck Up Foundation provide or if you would like to participate in any of their events, visit their website for more information.
Be prepared for severe weather
Severe weather season is unpredictable, scary, and can be dangerous if you are not prepared. Whether on‑site or off, it is important to know what to do if severe weather hits. Here are a few ways to prepare and keep yourself and your family safe:
- Make sure at least one family member knows first aid and CPR.
- Download the FEMA app for resources and safety tips.
- Have a family plan in place; all members of the family should review and practice the plan.
- Have family members’ and other important phone numbers written down or memorized.
- Assemble an emergency supply kit and keep at least three days of food and water at home.
- Store important documents in a fire‑proof safe or safety deposit box.
- Know how to shut off utilities including natural gas and water.
To be more informed about local weather, the Pantex StrikeNet© app offers meteorological information such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, dew point, barometric pressure, rainfall, rainfall rate, and even lightning data. Download the app on your phone through the Apple Store and Google Play.
Pantex Proud: Steven Kemp
Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Steven Kemp work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who he is, what he does, and why he is proud to be a Pantexan.
When Construction Manager Steven Kemp started framing houses at 15, he knew he wanted to be involved in construction for the rest of his life…and he hasn’t done anything else since.
“You get to step back every day and see how you’ve progressed and you get to see what you are building and giving to the owner. Some jobs you have to wait until the end to see what you have done. I have always known this is what I was going to do, but I didn’t know it would take me as far as it has.”
Prior to joining Pantex in 2019, Kemp was a commercial construction superintendent who was a part of building schools, hospitals, and other industrial structures. Here, he is part of the line-item projects group and works primarily on the High Explosives Science and Engineering Facility. He oversees the contract scope, schedule, and budget, and ensures that the contractor delivers what is agreed upon and the owner gets what they paid for. Building relationships is key to a successful project.
“Someone told me early on to really work on relationships with other departments and to make contacts. On huge line-item projects, you need something every day. You may have to interrupt someone who doesn’t have time, and if you have a good relationship with them, they will probably make time.”
Those inter-departmental relationships not only help Steven with day-to-day issues but also keep work going at Pantex. Without that camaraderie, the work stops.
“We have some pretty tight requirements on-site and we continuously have to communicate with the project engineers and the architecture firm who designed the building. We will pull together the whole team and we will go through and figure out what we can do to move that task forward while the paperwork is being processed to save time. Because I have access to all these people, we can come to an agreement to get the job done quicker and safer.”
Everyone offers value to our tasks. Why must we be open to learning and hearing from others?
I don’t believe that there is any room on projects to be closed minded. There are people with a lot of experience and diversity in backgrounds. I have over 25 years of experience, and I’ve learned a lot from so many people out here.
What advice do you offer someone who has made a mistake in his or her job? How should they be accountable for that issue?
You’re not working if you’re not messing up. There is a reason that you learn more from valleys than hilltops. If you just started and everything came together, you wouldn’t learn much. You own that mistake, store it in your mind, and make sure it never happens again.
How has teamwork allowed you to grow as an employee?
I have received accolades during my time at Pantex, but none of them are possible without my construction management and project management team. I don’t think any of us can perform any of these tasks without each other. We all bring different strengths to the projects, and without each other we would not be successful. There are a lot of minds put together to work on these unique facilities.
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
My dad has always been the person who inspired me most. He was everything you needed him to be when you needed it. I watched him get up every day and go to work. As kids we didn’t have a lot, but he worked all the time, with a daily job and then side jobs. He was always my biggest fan, too. Without question, he just always seemed to know what I needed.