Dr. Jerry McKamy, Victor Stello, Jr. Award Recipient 2010
The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (Board) is very pleased to announce the presentation of the 2010 Victor Stello, Jr. Award for Safety Leadership to Dr. Jerry McKamy, an employee of the Department of Energy (DOE).
The Victor Stello, Jr. Award for Safety Leadership was established by the Board to be given as appropriate, but no more than annually, to an employee of the Department of Energy (DOE) who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in promoting safety management in the DOE defense nuclear complex. The award honors Victor Stello, Jr., Principal Deputy Secretary for Safety and Quality, Office of Defense Programs, DOE, in recognition of his outstanding service, exemplary performance and admirable leadership in promoting public health and safety in the Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the United States.
<p>The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) awarded the Victor Stello, Jr. Award for Safety Leadership to Dr. Jerry McKamy in April 2010 for his outstanding service, exemplary performance, and admirable leadership in promoting public health and safety in the Atomic Energy Defense Activities of the United States.
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In 1993, the DNFSB sensed that the source of experimental competence in the prevention of inadvertent criticality was in danger of being lost entirely as a result of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) impending closure of the last critical mass facility in the country. That closure would have ended the hand-on education of new generations of scientists and engineers in the properties and behavior of critical systems. The DNFSB viewed the end of experimental criticality studies as a threat to criticality safety in future DOE activities, and issued Recommendation 93-2, The Need for Critical Experiment Capability, which advised against such action. Despite substantial process in coordination and implementation of the criticality experiments program, in 1997, the DNFSB issued Recommendation 97-2, Continuation of Criticality Safety at Defense Nuclear Facilities in the Department of Energy, which called for the DOE to take further action to ensure that criticality safety was embedded in the DOE’s future operations.
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Dr. McKamy was instrumental in addressing the issues raised by the DNFSB in Recommendations 93-2 and 97-2, and both furthered the safety objectives of the Board and enhanced criticality safety within the DOE. As a manager of the Rocky Flats Safeguards Measurements Group, Dr. McKamy developed and implemented the Rocky Flats nondestructive assay program to measure plutonium holdup in ventilation ducting. Dr. McKamy was one of the principal authors of the DOE Implementation Plan drafted in response to Recommendation 97-2.
Dr. McKamy also served as the DOE Nuclear Criticality Safety Program Manager. Under his leadership, the criticality safety infrastructure within the DOE improved dramatically. His noteworthy accomplishments included ensuring budget requests were sufficient to fund criticality safety training courses, developing several DOE Technical Standards related to criticality safety, leading efforts to establish a new Critical Experiments Facility in the Device Assembly Facility at the Nevada Test Site, and directing and participating in criticality safety program reviews at several DOE sites. Additionally, Dr. McKamy contributed to the revisions of DOE-STD-3007, Guidelines for Preparing Criticality Safety Evaluations at Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facilities, and DOE Order 420.1B, Facility Safety, which put into place recognized standards without further modification and delay.
Dr. McKamy’s contributions to the field of nuclear safety were nothing short of transformative. His innovative approach to safety management, combined with his unwavering commitment to public health and safety, significantly elevated the standards within the DOE defense nuclear complex. His leadership not only safeguarded countless lives but also served as a guiding light for his colleagues, inspiring a culture of safety and excellence.
Furthermore, Dr. McKamy’s dedication to mentorship and his ability to foster a collaborative and safety-conscious environment were instrumental in shaping the future of nuclear safety. His legacy extends far beyond his immediate achievements; it lies in the lasting impact he had on the DOE community and the broader field of nuclear safety. His work exemplified the very essence of the Victor Stello, Jr. Award, setting a benchmark for future leaders in the field.
The DNFSB recognized his invaluable contributions to our collective safety and security. His visionary leadership in safety management not only honors the legacy of Victor Stello, Jr. but also paves the way for a safer, more secure future in nuclear safety and defense activities. Dr. McKamy’s exemplary service is a beacon of inspiration, and his achievements will undoubtedly influence generations of safety professionals to come.