FORT RILEY, Kan. - With temperatures already dropping to the freezing mark, winter weather preparedness was on the minds of Fort Riley officials as they met with installation partners, representatives from USD 475 and the American Red Cross Nov. 1, for a winter-weather, tabletop exercise to review the Installation Severe Winter Weather plan.
Using a real-world scenario from a winter weather event that occurred last year, participants reviewed the process of how the decision was made at each stage and discussed if the departments would make the same decision now.
Clay Nauman, Director, Fort Riley Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, said, “Fort Riley has processes and procedures in place to make workforce reporting decisions that impact services to soldiers and families. The decisions are important to ensure the safety of soldiers, families, civilian employees and contractors while supporting mission critical functions.”
The exercise provides a way to coordinate synchronized planning with personnel from garrison, 1st Infantry Division, 2nd Weather Detachment of 3rd Combat Weather Squadron, regional partners and tenants to lessen the effects of severe weather, facilitate safe travel and minimize the impact on readiness operations. Throughout a severe weather event, personnel continue to analyze weather reports, assess ongoing operations, develop proposed road clearance priorities, and provide recommendations to leadership.
Impacts of winter weather on installation operations range from late arrivals and early dismissals to minimal manning operations to installation shut down depending upon the severity of the situation.
“When making decisions on weather delays, our top three priorities for consideration are USD 475 students, the workforce, and PT (physical training) decision for 1st ID,” said Tom Pendleton, plans operations chief for DPTMS.
In the winter of 2022-2023, there were 10 separate severe winter weather events which resulted in one delayed start for the installation and two limited services/minimal manning days.
For more information on how to prepare yourself and your family for an emergency, visit https://home.army.mil/riley/index.php/about/dir-staff/DPTMS/ready-army.
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