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As the snow falls over Yokota and base residents stay warm indoors, many Airmen are diligently working in the cold to ensure the base can continue to function in the extreme weather.
After a recent storm, the base recorded 12.5 inches of snowfall during a 24 hour period.
Across the base various squadrons and flights worked diligently to ensure that the base was able to continue the mission throughout the storm, such as the 374th Operations Support Squadron weather flight.
“We must be as accurate as possible in our weather forecasting, not just in the amount of precipitation but in the timing as well,” said Tech Sgt. Matthew Brantner, 374 OSS weather craftsman. “One of the most rewarding parts of our job is seeing base leadership take action and make decisions based on our forecasting.”
The weather flight went into 24-hour operations to provide timely updates of the forecast to ensure the proper weather warnings and advisories got to others units such as the 374 OSS airfield management, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron and base residents.
To ensure Yokota’s runway and flightline stay operational during the storm the air field management flight worked all day and night to ensure aircraft could safely land or take off.
According to Staff Sgt. Michael Ober, 374 OSS airfield management operations supervisor, his flight has a two-fold job during snow storms. First, they coordinate with 374 CES on what sections of the runway, taxiways and flightline have priority and need to be cleared. Second, they conduct runway condition readings which determine what sections of the runway are to slick too allow planes to land safely and relay their findings to the air traffic control tower.
The coordination between, weather, 374 CES, ATC and the 374th Operations Group conducted by the Airmen in 374 OSS airfield management is essential to the continuous mission operations at Yokota.
“Being able to see how much impact we have on the mission is very rewarding,” said Ober. “Each taxiway, parking spot and stretch of runway is our responsibility; so we must ensure the snow and ice is removed properly for every aircraft that comes through Yokota.”
While there were many hands in supporting the base during the recent snow storm it was Airmen with the 374 CES’s snow removal team who worked tirelessly to physically ensure the runway, taxiways, flightline, major roads and parking lots were cleared of snow.
The priorities of mission essential areas, such as the runway and flightline take precedence in snow removal to ensure mission readiness. As soon as those areas were ready Airmen began to remove snow from major roads and parking lots.
Not only was CE in charge of removing snow but also educating facility manages and housing residents on what to do in preparation and removal of snow.
Due to the hard work and actions taken by Team Yokota the runway remained operational throughout the storm, ensuring mission readiness in the event of extreme weather conditions.
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2018 00:08 |
| Story ID: | 263333 |
| Location: | YOKOTA AIR BASE, JAPAN, JP |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Let it Snow – Team Yokota works together to maintain mission readiness, by TSgt Donald Hudson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
