June 13 power outage hours changed Published June 9, 2010 By 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The hours for the planned power outage on June 13 will now be from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. to allow base civil engineers the opportunity to upgrade the power substation. The original schedule called for the outage to last until 2 p.m., but the remainder of the upgrade will be completed at another time, likely in several weeks, that has yet to be scheduled. The outage will impact buildings and housing across Cannon as the upgrade is needed to support ongoing construction. The following are important guidelines for base personnel and visitors to be aware of during the outage: - Open windows to house early to keep house cool as air conditioning will not be available); draw shades on windows facing the sun - Have flashlights available for additional lighting - Keep refrigerators/freezers closed to prevent spoilage - Use coolers/ice chests to store food that you may need that day - Encourage cooking on outside charcoal/gas grills during outage - The air conditioned Drop Zone, will be open at 6 a.m. for base residents; the snack bar will be open - The Pecos Trail Dining Facility will open its doors at 6 a.m. and provide an air-conditioned location for dorm residents; normal Sunday meal schedule applies - The Whispering Winds Golf Course will open for golf but only cash or check transactions will be processed; The snack bar will be closed - The base pool will be open normal hours (generator powered) - Chapel will be open as scheduled (generator powered) - AAFES facilities, the commissary, and all other recreational activities will be closed -Traffic signals will be out; drive cautiously and obey posted signs - All non-powered phones will operate normally; phones that use electricity (i.e. cordless, speaker, etc) will not work - 911 service will operate normally during the power outage; Remember that cell phones and phones other than 784-XXXX go directly to Clovis 911 Call Center and will be manually routed back to the base once you identify that you are calling from main base or Chavez For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, contact Public Affairs at 575-784-4131 or visit the Web site at www.cannon.af.mil Frequently Asked Questions: General Questions: Q1. We live in the dorms/base housing. Where can we go during the power outage to stay cool and/or entertain ourselves and our children? A1. The Drop Zone has been identified for this purpose and will have generator power. The Airmen's Center will be open upstairs and we'll have age appropriate toys for the kids as well as our regular entertainment items such as pool, air hockey, darts, TV, etc., on the main level. The café will also be operational. Q2. Where can we eat during the outage? A2. The Pecos trail Dining Facility will be open for authorized patrons and the Drop Zone café will be open as well. All other food activities will be closed during the power outage. Q3. What activities will be open during the outage? A3. The DFAC, Drop Zone, Golf Course pro shop and the course itself (cash or check only), the driving range (range balls will be available at no charge), and the base pool are all scheduled to be open. 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron Questions: Q1. What do I do to keep my house cool? A1. Open windows in the morning, but keep the shades drawn on the sunlit side of the house. Q2. Will this affect my house in Clovis/Portales leased base housing? A2. This outage will only affect the power on base, to include the housing units in Joe Cannon Estates and Chavez West. Q3. I heard that the purpose of this outage is to repair the temporary fix from the last outage; is this true? A3. No. The temporary repair made during the last outage was only temporary for a single night. Permanent repairs were made the next day. The purpose of this outage is to increase the size of the base's substation to support the base expansion. Q4. Why are there more outages on base than downtown? A4. The base is building up on a far greater scale than what is happening in the local community. Many of these upgrades require substantial improvements to the base power grid which results in more interruptions than residents in Clovis and Portales experience. Q5. I have a special medical need dependant; can I have the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron install a generator on my house? A5. This will require coordination with the 27th Special Operations Medical Group. Please consult with your health care provider who can make a recommendation for this level of care. Q6. Will my power come back on immediately at 2 p.m.? A6. The published schedule is approximate. Because of the technical nature and the inherent dangers of working with high power electrical systems, there is no assurance power will be restored precisely at 2:00 p.m. Safety is our greatest concern and will play an important role in the schedule. 27 SOW Public Affairs and Command Post will have the latest information as work commences and will keep the public informed if anything changes. Q7. What if my power does not come back on? A7. If you live in housing, your power should be back on not later than 3:00 p.m. If your power is not on, please call the 27 SOCES Unit Control Center (UCC) at 575-784-2001 after 3:00 p.m. to report this. We will dispatch electricians to repair the problem. If it is an issue with an individual house circuit, we will dispatch the Ameritech contractor to make the repair. Q8. My spouse is/I am a facility manager for one of the buildings on base; why is it necessary to stand-by when power comes back on? A8. 27 SOCES will have multiple crews checking power in the buildings on base. Additionally we may need to reset alarms and HVAC equipment. Unfortunately, some of these controls are inside the facility, inaccessible to our craftsmen. We may need someone to open the doors so we can ensure your facility is ready to go for the next work shift. Q9. Why is the power going to be off during the day instead of at night when it is cooler? A9. The power will be off during daylight hours as there will be at least three different crafts in 27 SOCES and two different contractors working around each other. This can lead to potential mishaps when dealing with high voltage electricity. Working in the dark exacerbates this problem. It is much safer to work during daylight hours. Q10. What if I need fuel/food/sundry items? Will the shoppette, gas station, Commissary or AAFES be open? A10. The power outage applies to the shoppette, gas station, Commissary and AAFES facilities. It is best to plan ahead to anticipate your needs, however there are many options available in the surrounding local communities as well. Q11. How will I keep my food in my freezer/refrigerator from spoiling? A11. Please make certain the food is completely frozen prior to the outage. Remove only foods you plan to use during the day and place it in a cooler/ice chest. Rapidly perishable items should be placed in the cooler, so the refrigerator/freezer need not be opened. If your freezer/refrigerator stays shut, your food should not thaw out before the outage is complete. Q12. Will the base pay for me to stay in a hotel during this power outage? A12. Adequately cooled facilities (the Drop Zone Community Center and the Pecos Trail Dining Facility) will remain open to provide respite from the heat. Additionally, the base Chapel will remain open to parishioners on Sunday morning. All of these facilities will have lights and air conditioning specifically so residents will not have to evacuate the base. Q13. Will my telephone service be out? A13. Your phone service will remain intact. However if you have a land-line telephone which relies on power to operate (cordless/speaker phones), it will not function. Q14. Will the base 911 system be out? A14. No. This system has a generator backup and will be operational. Q15. I own a portable generator; can I connect it to my house? A15. Occupants are not authorized to perform this type of alteration to the facility. Additionally it can cause equipment/facility damage if not wired correctly. Finally, if it is wired incorrectly it presents an extremely dangerous situation for the craftsmen in the field. Q16. Will this affect the base water/sewer? A16. No, these amenities are backed up by generator. Q17. How will I cook food? A17. Although the stoves in some housing units are gas and can be lit by match, the base suggests using outdoor gas and charcoal grills in a safe manner outside your residence to prepare food. Q18. Will the gym be open? A18. The gym will not have a backup generator. However, the pool will be open for per the 27th SOFSS published schedule. Q19. What if the upgrade is not completed at 10 a.m.? A19. 27 SOCES will coordinate with base leadership and the contractor to determine the best possible way forward. If the contractor is unable to complete the project in a timely manner, 27 SOCES will re-engage the contractor for another time and safely restore power. If the delay is minor, the base may authorize the contractor to complete his work. Q20. I go to the chapel to worship; what will I do on the morning of the June 13? A20. The chapel will have a backup generator to accommodate their parishioners and will be able to meet their posted worship schedule. Q21. Will I be restricted from base? A21. No. However, the base would like to remind personnel to be very careful while driving as the base stop lights will not be working. Additionally the base would like to remind all personnel that emergency response vehicles have the right of way. Finally, as many agencies will be working in different locations, be mindful of construction barriers and flag-persons. Q22. I had plans to golf on that Sunday; will the golf course be open? A22. The golf course will be open on a limited basis. They will accept cash or check only as there will be no power. The Golf snack bar will be closed. Q23. Will the club be open for Sunday brunch? A23. The club will remain closed during the power outage. Q24. Will billeting have power? A24. Billeting will be without power as well. Billeting residents can use The Drop Zone as a refuge. Also, the dining facility will be open for authorized patrons residing in billeting. Q25. Should I take special precautions before the outage like shutting off circuit breakers, etc.? A25. No, this is not necessary but you should unplug expensive electronics. Q26. What if I incur food spoilage/household goods damage because of the power outage? A26. All claims are no longer handled by the base legal office. They are managed on-line at https://claims.jag.af.mil/. As has always been the standard, losses/damages must be proved. Contact the base legal office at 575-784-6974. Please see item 10 for perishable food questions/answers. Q27. Where can I find more information about the power outage? A27. The Commander's Access Channel (Suddenlink channel 12), Base-wide e-mail, the marquees spread throughout the base, CannonConnections, Clovis News Journal and the base bulletin on the 27SOW portal site are sources where additional information may be posted.