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Scott Air Force Base experienced significant flooding following an intense storm, July 16, 2024, resulting in substantial water accumulation in several areas of the base. The deluge overwhelmed existing drainage systems, causing disruptions to daily operations and posing challenges for personnel and infrastructure.
The rainfall, lasting approximately 12 hours, released 5.043 inches, causing roads and facilities to be submerged, limiting movement on the base.
Throughout the day, members of the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron responded to the storm, laying sandbags around facility entrances, clearing roads and storm drains of debris, removing downed trees, and helping free vehicles that had become immobilized due to the storm. Teams also responded to power and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning outages, helping keep critical facilities operational despite the weather.
According to Tech. Sgt. Jeffery MacHott, 375th CES operations engineering superintendent, Team Scott’s Requirements & Optimization section is ensuring that all real property damage from the storm is recorded to prioritize, plan, and execute repairs.
The flooding underscores the importance of continuous improvement in infrastructure to keep up with evolving environmental challenges. While previous measures have mitigated many risks, the base recognizes the need for further enhancements.
“To have better foresight of flash flooding at Scott AFB, Team Scott has implemented various measures,” said Graham Hults, 375th CES environmental program manager. “These efforts include the 375th Air Mobility Wing S.T.O.R.M. (Spatial Temporal Operational Response Mitigation) Program, which stood up in April of this year with its final pieces being put in place. STORM sets up a framework that could forecast flash flooding up to 10 days in advance through a combination of on-the-ground sensors and models developed by the 557th Weather Wing and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Global Hydro Intelligence Program.”
By investing in advanced technologies, collaborating with experts and integrating sustainable practices, Team Scott aims to further enhance the foresight and response to flash flooding at Scott AFB, ensuring better preparedness and protection for the base and its community. These efforts will not only safeguard the base’s operations and personnel, but also serve as a model for effective flood management strategies across military installations nationwide.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.23.2024 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 476620 |
| Location: | SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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