HVAC/R -- Al Udeid’s thermostat Published Oct. 15, 2003 By Airman 1st Class Andrea Thacker 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (AFPN) -- How fast can your day go from good to bad, from comfortable to hot?Give up? Fifty-nine minutes. That is how long it would take.Without air conditioning inside a tent, the temperature can increase by more than 35 degrees in less than an hour. Without the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration flight, Al Udeid would be a hot and bothersome place.“The main purpose of HVAC/R is to provide the people working and living (here) with conditioned air so that they will have a comfortable and safe environment,” said Master Sgt. John Murray, the flight’s superintendent here. “(People need) some place to escape the heat and regain their energy so they can accomplish the mission.”Providing comfort to base people is easier said than done, but the flight has the can-do attitude needed, he said.“The most important objective is to complete the mission,” said Staff Sgt. Miguel Maldonado, noncommissioned officer in charge of service calls for the flight. “Your work reflects the person you are. If you’re lazy, then someone will have to work harder to pick up your slack.”With the responsibilities of 2,500 air-conditioning units, a number which is growing daily, the flight keeps its cool. Eight or more units are added daily because of constant new installations and replacement of failing units.Maldonado said the flight’s airmen try to respond to each call within an hour after it is received.“We work 24/7. No matter what time service is needed, we’ll show up and fix it right,” Maldonado said.The flight considers every call an emergency.“There’s no such thing as a minor call,” Murray said. “We have no routine, and we don’t assign priority. We go where we’re needed.”The airmen pay extra-close attention to certain equipment to ensure the overall mission is met, since computers can overheat if they reach certain temperatures.Not only are the airmen responsible for air-conditioning units, they also maintain 120,000 cubic feet of freezer storage space. Essential items such as medical supplies, water, ice and food are all stored in the storage space, Murray said.Flight airmen receive anywhere from 20 to 200 calls in a 24-hour period. These calls range from adjusting the thermostat to resetting the unit or installing a new one. They average six unit overhauls a day.“From 40 below zero to above 120 degrees, we stay busy providing the people with the heat and air conditioning they need,” Murray said.“Without electricity, you’re just camping, but without air conditioning you’re just suffering,” Murray said.