ANSBACH, Germany — Bad weather during fall and winter months in Ansbach and Illesheim can affect your decision to travel. Garrison officials and street cleaning crews at U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach installations will do what they can to keep services running. Snow and ice, however, may result in road conditions changes, delays, closures or early releases.
What to do
Be in the know. Here’s how:
- Register in Alert! today. Ensure you and your family receive Army Alert messages before bad weather hits. Alert is the U.S. Army’s mass warning notification system. The system notifies users in several ways: as a pop-up on their workstation computer, an email to work and home addresses, a text message to their cell phone, and a voicemail to their work, home and cell phones. Add up to 10 phone numbers and email addresses. Visit the Ansbach garrison website at home.army.mil/ansbach and click the Alert button in the left column. Parents with students at Ansbach Elementary School and Ansbach Middle High School are automatically enrolled in Everbridge — DoDEA Europe’s mass notification system — and will be notified when schools are impacted by weather.
- Connect to USAG Ansbach on Facebook: www.facebook.com/USAGAnsbachCommunity. You can also get there from the Ansbach garrison website. We’ll post the most up-to-date information pertaining to weather updates, delays, closures, early releases and driving conditions at Ansbach and Illesheim.
- Call the Road Conditions Hotline at 0964-170-587-1111, DSN 587-1111.
- Stay connected to the Ansbach website at https://home.army.mil/ansbach. Click the “Weather Warnings & Road Conditions” button in the left column to learn about the latest driving, road and weather conditions.
- Tune into AFN Bavaria radio at 107.3 FM in Ansbach and 98.5 FM in Illesheim. Or, listen to AFN Go online or through the mobile app. Radio DJs provide updates on conditions in Ansbach and Illesheim.
- If you are a Soldier and are still unsure, call your staff duty officer for further guidance.
Understanding how USAG Ansbach responds to bad weather
The USAG Ansbach Garrison Commander determines work delays, closures and early releases. This information is routed to the garrison’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS) and Public Affairs Office for dissemination and made available to the public. So register in Alert and stay connected to the garrison’s website, Facebook page or tune into AFN Bavaria (Ansbach - 107.3 FM, Illesheim - 98.5 FM) before leaving your house. Use good judgment and err on the side of safety.
When conditions warrant, the garrison commander may direct delayed reporting, closures or an early release at USAG Ansbach. These decisions — based on a combination of driving and weather conditions — apply to all personnel, mission partners, directorates, agencies and DoDEA-Europe schools.
The announcement of delayed reporting or garrison closure will be made by 5 a.m. An Alert message is sent to registered users. Garrison staff update the Weather & Roads webpage and weather hotline, as well as notify AFN broadcasters, who then broadcast updates.
Understanding delays, closures and early releases
When a delay is announced by the USAG Ansbach Garrison Commander, the garrison’s Directorate of Public Works needs time to clear roads and parking lots. Primary roads are cleared first, followed by secondary and tertiary roads.
During a delay, garrison services come back online at 10 a.m., unless otherwise notified. Expect garrison front-door services such as the Vehicle Registration Office (VRO) to open no earlier than 10 a.m. Appointments — such as those scheduled at the passport office — may be postponed. When in doubt, always call ahead: home.army.mil/ansbach/contact/garrison-phonebook.
When a delay is announced, mission essential services like the fire department, military police and dining facilities (DFACs) remain open. Child & Youth Services (CYS) — which include the Child Development Center and School-Age Center — will typically open at 9:30 a.m., or 30 minutes prior to when garrison services return. Parents should update their emergency contact information and Family Care Plan with CYS before bad weather hits.
During a delay, school buses will pick up children from their bus stops two hours after their normal pickup time. For example, if the bus at Urlas Kaserne normally picks up students at 7:45 a.m., expect the bus to arrive at 9:45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. arrival at school. Parents of students at DoDEA schools can expect updates via the schools’ mass notification system, Everbridge.
When inclement weather results in closures, expect garrison services to close, including all CYS facilities. Mission essential services remain open.
The garrison commander may call an early release when bad weather approaches. During an early release, schools and garrison services close early. Parents must pick up their children from CYS facilities within two hours. After-school activities and garrison evening events will be postponed or canceled.
The garrison command team make every effort based on available data to announce an early release two hours prior to the forecasted degradation of road conditions. This allows for DoDEA school officials to stage school buses and prepare students and parents.
The garrison shuttle will not run during red or black road conditions.
During inclement weather, DeCA and AAFES facilities will operate on a case-by-case basis. This includes the commissary, Main Exchange, Express and fuel stations.
Patients whose appointments at the Health Clinic and Dental Clinic are impacted by delays, closures or early releases, will be contacted by the clinic to reschedule. A common misconception is that during delays, an appointment gets pushed until the clinic opens. This is incorrect. Rather, appointments will be rescheduled. The U.S. Army Health Clinic Ansbach Facebook page provides timely information when bad weather affects garrison services. Visit www.facebook.com/AnsbachClinic.
Understanding Driving Conditions vs. Road Conditions
Become familiar with the Army’s terminology in the prevention of motor vehicle accidents (Army in Europe Regulation 385-55). There are two terms you should understand: Driving Conditions and Road Conditions.
The driving condition is an advisory to drivers of privately owned vehicles (POVs). In short, the driving condition is an advisory to you as a Soldier, civilian or parent who is deciding about driving to work or school. Driving conditions levels are set as follows:
- Non-hazardous: Conditions allow for normal vehicle operation.
- Hazardous: Drivers are likely to encounter snow, slush and patches of black ice. Caution is advised during vehicle operation.
- Dangerous: Drivers are likely to encounter snow, drifting snow, black ice and limited visibility. Extreme caution is advised during vehicle operation.
- Extremely dangerous: Drivers are likely to encounter snow, heavy drifting snow, extreme sheet ice, limited visibility and potential “white out” conditions. Only emergency travel should be conducted.
Road conditions are set at green, amber, red or black. These levels only pertain to conditions for dispatching military tactical and non-tactical vehicles. All DOD sedans, station wagons, carryalls, vans, buses and public works vehicles are considered “non-tactical.”
The garrison shuttle will not run during red or black road conditions.
Contrary to popular belief, the driving and road conditions do not dictate whether you as a Soldier, civilian or student should come to work or school, though they can inform your own decision-making. Use good judgement and err on the side of safety.
Road conditions are set based on the most deteriorated spots. Military police patrols may classify amber road conditions at Katterbach Kaserne, for example, but red on the hill adjacent to Marktbergel on B13. In this instance, road conditions would be set at red.
If you have concerns but no garrison-wide delay or closure has been announced, contact your staff duty officer or supervisor. Commanders and supervisors are empowered to decide whether individuals can delay reporting.
Understanding the differences between a Weather Advisory, Watch and Warning
The primary mission of the U.S. Air Force’s 7th Weather Squadron stationed in Grafenwoehr is to support air operations. But they also provide weather updates to USAG Ansbach. Here’s the 7th Weather Squadron terminology you need to know:
- Advisory: Issued when ice or snow is expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning.
- Watch: Issued when there is a potential for hazardous weather within 48 hours.
- Warning: Issued when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent.
How community members can prepare
You are required by German law to remove as much snow and ice from your vehicle as possible, particularly from windows, mirrors and headlights. Make sure you have maximum visibility — no peephole driving — and that your vehicle does not present a hazard to other drivers. If accumulation is heavy, also remove snow from the roof, trunk and hood so that large chunks do not fly off towards other drivers. Don’t forget your headlights. Police can stop you and impose fines if your vehicle is determined unsafe to you or others.
Off-post residents are responsible for snow and ice removal in their driveways and on public sidewalks bordering their home.
Permitted de-icing products are available at USAG Ansbach Self-Help and AAFES locations, as well as off-post hardware stores. The USAG Ansbach Self-Help Store is located at Katterbach Kaserne, Bldg. 5516, near the fire station. For more, call CIV 09641-70587-1796, DSN 587-1796.
Remember: You are responsible for your own safety. Drive with caution, allow extra time for your morning commute, and be mindful of slippery sidewalks. Take steps to stay warm and safe and make sure pets are sheltered from the cold.
How USAG Ansbach employees can prepare
Supervisors and managers stationed at USAG Ansbach should take precautionary measures in preparation for inclement weather. Ensure the safety of your people while sustaining operations and garrison services. Leadership can ensure staff complete winter driving safety training, update recall rosters, and establish situational telework agreements.
Telework agreements are typically approved for employees not associated with front-door services. Interested employees should contact their supervisors.
Employees eligible for telework can use the Army’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) plus a CAC-reader on their home computers. AVD is a remote workspace that functions similarly to your government computer. Soldiers and both U.S. and local national employees can access AVD. Prepare now before bad weather hits: Download AVD to your personal computer and test it. Then, move important working files to your OneDrive. For more, click HERE.
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