FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- A snowfall in the early hours Monday morning blanketed Fort Campbell with nearly a foot of white powder as temperatures dipped below freezing. A state of emergency was declared in both Kentucky and Tennessee as a result.
"Some areas may see accumulation of up to 16 inches, making it one of the worst storms in recent memory," said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, in a release Monday. "By declaring a state of emergency now for the entire state, we can deploy any needed state assistance, including National Guard troops if necessary, without delay."
The snow storm marked the greatest accumulation on post since March 2014, when 4 to 6 inches of snow and ice closed post for four days. Fort Campbell road conditions remained black this time around, with many Families only venturing out to play in the winter wonderland. Mission essential personnel reported to the installation, Monday through Wednesday, with the majority of Soldiers and civilians encouraged to stay home.
According to Director of Public Works Jim Duttweiler, Fort Campbell received between 6 and 9 inches of snow Monday, with accumulation increasing on the north side of the installation. Another 2 to 3 inches fell by Wednesday morning, leaving Fort Campbell's streets quiet.
"Our 12-person Roads and Ground staff has been at work since Sunday evening and pretty much has worked nonstop except for four [to] six hours of rest each night," Duttweiler said. "We're well over 600 man-hours so far and that doesn't include DPTMS, the Engineer units and our contracted support."
Luckily, Soldiers and civilians worked diligently to prepare for the return of the workforce for normal operations. When such situations occur, post officials follow the Severe Weather Action Plan. As Fort Campbell's Chief of Plans and Operations, David B. Clore makes sure the installation is ready for emergencies and natural disasters.
"When weather is forecasted we ensure the Roads and Grounds crew at DPW, range control, and division engineers are prepared and all their equipment is fully mission capable," he said. "Once weather hits we have priorities for clearing based on the mission and life, health and safety."
The Emergency Operations Center serves as a central decision-making hub during severe weather. Garrison staff congregated at the EOC for a meeting, Feb. 12, well before the arrival of the storm.
"At the end of last week DPW conducted equipment checks to ensure we were loaded with salt and fuel," Duttweiler said.
Prior to and during this severe weather, Detachment 4, 18th Weather Squadron, an Air Force unit stationed at Campbell Army Airfield, tracked the storms.
"The EOC is very busy during a weather event," Clore said. "We track the status of clearing and make recommendations to the commander whether to limit operations on post."
Despite the significant accumulation, workers strived to clear main roadways and provide a safe environment on post. The DPW Roads and Grounds crews used multiple salt trucks and other necessary tools to clear hundreds of miles on Fort Campbell, while the Logistics Readiness Center kept this vital equipment working.
"On the worst case scenario-type event we're experiencing, our DPW crews focus on the north-south routes and the gates, then schools, CDCs and key command and control facilities, while the engineer units focus on east-west routes and their unit sectors," Duttweiler said.
"DPTMS focuses on Campbell Army Airfield. Campbell Crossing focuses on clearing bus routes."
Local contractors were also employed to clear essential parking lots, such as the Commissary and Post Exchange, Duttweiler added. As of Wednesday, many smaller organizational parking lots were not yet cleared.
"Once we clear roads from the Tuesday night snow, we'll turn our attention to opening up parking lots -- it's still going to be a mess in many areas," Duttweiler said. "The weather is supposed to turn warmer on the weekend with rain so we can expect that to help with parking lots that we haven't cleared. We'll continue parking lot clearing and salting operations as long as needed."
With normal operations resuming today, occupants of buildings with snowy parking lots and icy sidewalks should be cautious. Free salt is available from DPW at the corner of First Street and Tennessee Avenue. Bring a shovel and bucket, as those items are not provided.
"Building occupants need to work on their sidewalks and salt them to reduce the risk of slipping," Duttweiler said.
By Wednesday, few problems were reported in terms of frozen pipes or heating outages. With freezing temperatures still a concern, Duttweiler said some problems may still arise before the snow melts.
This response is something that is practiced and perfected throughout the year, so that first responders and DPW crews are ready when the time comes.
"Post was very prepared for this scenario," Clore said. "We conduct numerous exercises throughout the year for events such as this. We are a learning organization and always do an After Action Review of where we can improve."
Clore calls the response to this storm as successful one, thanks to all organizations working together ranging from DPW to Campbell Crossing and others.
"This mission could not be accomplished without the help of all involved," he said.
Information on the latest Fort Campbell road conditions can be found at (270) 798-ROAD.
For post closures and delays, "like" the U.S. Army Fort Campbell Facebook page or follow Fort Campbell on Twitter where information is posted as soon as it is received by the Garrison Public Affairs Office. Soldiers and Department of Defense civilians can also register to receive alerts via the AtHoc system.
Forecasts call for mostly cloudy skies with accompanying low temperatures, with a chance of snow and freezing rain through the weekend. Post officials urge the community to exercise caution in the interim.
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