Winter could bring adjusted schedules Published Dec. 2, 2011 By Lorin T. Smith Northwest Guardian JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Joint Base Lewis-McChord officials are ready for the chilly weather storms that annually hit the area during the winter months. Nasty weather brings nasty driving conditions, so reducing the number of people braving dangerous commutes is a priority for the base. All JBLM personnel should know that base planners have a work curtailment program in place to ensure safety information gets out to the installation community and the public in a timely manner. The Severe Weather Curtailment Process protects personnel and reduces road traffic so that road clearing and snow removal can happen more efficiently. It also reduces stress on the freeway and in the surrounding communities, said Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security Operations Chief Kevin Witt. Operational curtailment involves some sort of revised work schedule. This includes late start, early release, reduced operations, delayed reporting or no work. The base Emergency Operations Center monitors the weather 24/7 and uses a matrix to determine whether work schedule changes are necessary, Witt said. A recent innovation in the operational curtailment decision matrix is that leaders use a form of conference call from their home computers, making the decisions more timely. "There are a whole bunch of factors that come up with whether we will curtail operations or not," Witt said. Factors include current and future weather patterns, precipitation, road conditions, off-base traffic, among others. They are put into the matrix and briefed to the base leadership, who decide whether to curtail travel to the base. Once a decision has been made, employees will be notified of any possible curtailment through their chain of command. The Garrison Public Affairs Office has several media outlets employees should check if they think operations might be curtailed. AM 1500, local news outlets, the Garrison Facebook page or the base website will have information made available as soon as possible. That said, some employees designated as "mission essential" by the Army or "Level Bravo" for the Air Force may need to still report to maintain current military operations. The two services also identify individuals as "critical personnel" for the Army and "Level Alpha personnel" for the Air Force. These military and civilian employees working as key leaders, medical service or security are required to keep the installation operating at a minimum level under all weather conditions. Each senior commander at I Corps, JBLM Garrison, Madigan Healthcare System and the 62nd Airlift Wing can make their own decision on reporting requirements. "Commanders have great latitude in their decision," Witt said. Operational curtailment and critical or mission-essential personnel maintain safety around the installation and reduce stress on Interstate 5. "We want to take care of people," he said. Driving in snow or on ice can be dangerous to yourself and others. Witt suggested that everyone use common sense and their best judgment when deciding to leave home or work. If the roads don't look safe, don't try to force it, he said. "You know your driving abilities and be prepared for the situation," he said. Employees traveling in the cold weather months should have a winter weather driving kit. The Washington state Department of Transportation recommends your vehicle have at least a flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots and a first-aid kit easily accessible. Also, tire chains, an ice scraper, jumper cables and road flares will make traveling much easier in case the big storm hits. CLOSURE INFORMATION Television KOMO TV 4 KING TV 5 KONG TV 6 KIRO TV 7 KCPQ TV 13 JBLM TV 21 - On base only Radio KOMO AM 1000 KLAY AM 1180 KGY AM 1240 JBLM AM 1500 - Limited range KMPS FM 94.1 KXXO FM 96.1 KIRO FM 97.3 KCMS FM 105.3 Telephone JBLM Hotline - 967-1733 Madigan Army Medical Center - 968-3102 Online Joint Base Lewis-McChord Garrison Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JBLMGarrison?ref=ts Joint Base Lewis-McChord website: www.lewis.army.mil/ Washington State Department of Transportation Winter Travel site: www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter