Civil engineers putting shivers aside

  • Published
  • By Airman Patrice Clarke
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFPN) --  Despite record-setting cold temperatures here, people assigned to the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron are keeping the base running as usual.

From Jan. 24 to 26, the base received 21 inches of snow. By Jan. 29, temperatures dipped to a new winter low of minus 37 with a wind chill that hit 60 below zero.

“The cold wouldn't be that bad but when you add in the wind, that’s what cuts through clothes,” said Staff Sgt. Roman Padilla, 319th CES exterior electrical shop.

“I’ve been in the North Dakota, South Dakota area for 18 years,” said Tech. Sgt. Joe Travis, 319th CES structures shop. “After you've been here for a while, you understand some of the tricks to working in the cold.”

Before going out in the elements, 319th CES workers prepare their equipment for the cold.

“If we are supposed to be painting or mixing concrete, we’ll do all that indoors, then go outside, do what we have to, and then come back inside,” Sergeant Travis said.

Most of all, they said, safety is the most important thing to think of in the cold. And like flightline maintainers, 319th CES crews have to be out on the flightline to clear snow all winter long.

“Many people believe clearing the flightline is just taking the snowplow and clearing the runway like the contractors do in housing and near the dorms,” said Senior Airman Troy Pietz, 319th CES heavy equipment shop. “Aircraft tires need the same traction as car tires, so just moving the snow around the flightline isn’t going to get the planes off the ground.

“We also have sweeper trucks with metal brushes that sweep the snow away so the flightline is always up and running,” Airman Pietz said.

There are times when one part of CE makes work for other CE shops.

“We’ll be clearing the snow on the flightline and accidentally chop off some of the airfield lighting,” Airman Pietz said.

“When they (heavy equipment) do that we are immediately called out to fix the airfield lights,” Sergeant Padilla said.

“This connects with our job because sometimes they’ll also sever a line and need a generator out there while they are fixing the lights,” said Senior Airman Joseph Ganzzermiller, 319th CES power production shop. “We’ll have to come out there and set it up so they have the power they need to do their job.”

If power lines go out, or a gas line breaks, or water mains break, 319th CES workers are available 24 hours a day to fix things like that as soon as possible. No matter what the temperature or the weather, the base can depend on its civil engineers making sure business runs smoothly.