Base agencies keep wing, residents informed

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Janine Thibault
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  During a contingency it is of the utmost importance that the residents of Eielson Air Force Base remain informed. An incident that could jeopardize the safety of the base or on-base and off-base community partners requires they be notified.

It is important that people be notified as soon as possible. Once the situation has been evaluated and directives have been issued to the base the appropriate steps will be taken to alert residents.

"In a contingency the 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs has multiple roles; we can respond on-scene or offer guidance and action in the Emergency Operations Center. But our most important role is to keep the wing, base community and public informed when situations require clear and accurate information," said Capt. Frank Hartnett, the 354th FW Chief of Public Affairs. "Eielson is full of Airmen that are experts in various fields. Our expertise is releasing information in a timely manner to help keep people educated on events. By acting as the mediator, we ensure the wing is sending out consistent messages in an emergency or contingency."

Public Affairs operates on many different levels. Documentation of damages, injuries or accidents is one scope of the career field. The media relations department handles queries from local media and general public. These Airmen also work with commanders and incident responders to inform the wing and residents about a contingency.

"Depending on the size and scope of the incident, we have many options on how to react and how to alert the base. In most situations, the wing will activate the EOC, from there the EOC will work to alert the wing and our residents about what has happened and what we will need to do to regain normal operations," said Col. Karlton Johnson, 354th Mission Support Group commander.

The community can be kept informed by the giant voice system, email alerts to work centers and the base marquees and commander's access channel.

"After an initial alert or warning, our goal is to offer consistent updates on the situation through various outlets throughout base. The more accurately the wing and community is kept fully informed, the faster the incident may potentially be solved through team work," said Colonel Johnson.

In the event of a contingency, it's helpful if the community reacts calmly and follows any instructions offered by the wing. The wing's goal is to quickly resolve incidents so operations and daily routines can return to normal.

"As we saw from last week's water advisory, the prompt response and quick communication helped us restore normal operations. I ask that all Airmen, workers and residents at Eielson continue to remain alert. Also, it is important for everyone to understand that in a time of crisis or emergency, the wing will respond appropriately and we request your cooperation if an event ever occurs," said Colonel Johnson.

In order to stay mission ready everyone must be knowledgeable about events that are taking place.

"Situational awareness is an important trait to have," said Captain Hartnett. "In the military it has proven to be true. If people want to develop a strong sense of situational awareness they should pay close attention to the commander's access channel, the Eielson public website, giant voice announcements and any reports offered by local media during a contingency. Airmen and their families are located both on and off-base, so the safety of our loved ones is an important obligation and we will work to ensure we carry out our duties and keep our communities informed."