FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July12) -- Fort Belvoir emergency services overcame wide-spread damage and debris throughout post to restore power after the rare Derecho storm hit post June 29.
Winds recorded as strong as 56 knots, or about 64 miles per hour, hit post at 10:41 p.m., followed by lighting, thunder and less than half an inch of rain, according to Chris Kim, Operating Location-Oscar, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Fort Belvoir Weather Operations.
The storm blew trees over and removed two roofs near 21 Street. The debris blocked off Gunston Road, damaged power lines and poles, causing an installation wide power outage during and after the storm.
More than 80 Dominion and Installation Support Services workers spent the weekend removing debris and replacing 28 spans of wire, 26 poles, 6 transformers and 2 overhead switch devices. Dominion restored the majority of the power during the weekend and completed the process by midnight Monday.
The sheer amount of damage hindered the power restoring process, according to Eric Tatum, Dominion Virginia Power electric transmissions and distribution project manager II. Tatum said Dominion workers first started restoring power to priority customers, such as the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, water pumping stations, the garrison headquarters and housing areas, first. Tatum explained these locations are critical to public safety. "We still have minor cleanup, but in terms of rebuilding the infrastructure that's been completed," said Tatum who believes the garrison worked together quickly and efficiently to clean-up and restore power.
Tatum said it will take several weeks of collecting information before Dominion can determine the clean-up cost. Paul Gillespie, Installation Support Services, division manager, estimated ISS alone will spend at least $200,000 in the clean-up efforts.
"I've never seen a storm do that much damage and that much devastation," said Gillespie who's worked at Belvoir for 20 years.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a Derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line, wind storm associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. Derechos are more common in the Midwest, but the mid-Atlantic gets one Derecho about every four years. Traveling at an average speed of 60 miles per hour, last Friday's storm took 12 hours to cover more than 700 miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
According to Raushanha Purdie, Villages at Belvoir, marketing manager, Belvoir Residents flocked to neighborhood villages and community management for power, food and water during the power outage. The Directorate of Emergency Services and tenant organizations patrolled the facilities on post to prevent vandalism and to protect residents.
Trees fell on two cars and three houses, but the installation didn't experience any major traffic incidents or injuries, according to Fort Belvoir Police Chief Timothy Wolfe.
Gillespie added the 300 and 1100 areas were two hard hit locations. The Civilian Personnel Advisory Center employees in building 320 were temporarily relocated to a different facility last week, after the debris destroyed the air conditioning unit.
The storm's strong winds also tore a portion off the roof of a warehouse near Gunston and 16th Street. "It pulled it off and threw it about half a block." said Wolfe, who added the roof slab took out power lines in the area.
The Directorate of Public Works must decide whether to replace the roof or tear down the facility, Gillespie said.
ISS crews have worked day and night to clean up the debris around this area and other areas on post.
"I love picking up and cleaning and making this place look better," said Daniel Huertas, ISS grounds and maintenance. Huertas has worked on tree removal and lawn care with other workers during the clean-up. "Just focusing on clearing out the roads for everybody to be safe," Huertas said.
Despite a demanding workload, Huertas, a military spouse, said it's a privilege to help clean up Belvoir.
For updates on electric service restoration on post, call (703) 943-9384.
For updates regarding tree removal and clean up operations or to report damage, call the ISS work order center at (703) 806-3109.
Filing a claim for personal property damage caused by power outage at Fort Belvoir
If you suffered loss or damage to your personal property due to the extended power outage on July 1, 2012 you can file a claim if:
The property was located on base or in your Government assigned quarters when it was damaged. Government assigned quarters is defined as housing provided in kind by the Government or public private venture housing located within the perimeter of the installation.
You are a proper claimant under the Personnel Claims Act. A proper claimant is an active-duty member, a Reservist on active duty, or a civilian employee of the Department of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Your claim should be filed with your respective service.
General Instructions
If you have private insurance covering your loss, you must make a demand against your private insurance carrier and include a copy of the insurance settlement and submit it with your claim package. Residents of the Villages at Fort Belvoir are provided with renter's insurance through Alliant Insurance. Instructions for submission of a claim with Alliant are posted on the Villages of the Fort Belvoir Facebook page.
If the damages total an amount less than your deductible, you simply need to attach a current copy of your declaration page showing the deductible. You can request an emergency advance in the amount of your insurance policy deductible. You must provide a copy of the claim you filed with your private insurance carrier.
Military Claims Office Information
• Army:
Claims packets for filing your claim with the Army can be found on-line at www.belvoir.army.mil/sja/newsite/claimsInstructionPackets.asp. Click on Instructions for On Post Quarters Loss and Damage.
You may also obtain instruction packets from the Fort Belvoir Office of the Staff Judge Advocate Claims Office. The telephone number for the claims office is (703) 805-4395/2315. The fax number is (703) 805-3263.
• Navy
Claims packets for filing your claim with the Navy can be found on-line at www.jag.navy.mil. Click on "claims" under "For Sailors and Families" then select "packets and forms" on the right side of the screen.
You may also obtain packages from the Office of the OJAG Personnel Claims Unit Norfolk (PCUN). The phone number is toll free (888) 897-8217, commercial (757) 440-6315. The toll free help line is manned from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Time. The fax numbers are (757) 440-6316 and 444-3337. The email address is
norfolkclaims@navy.mil.
• Air Force
Claims instructions for filing your claim with the Air Force can be found on-line at https://claims.jag.af.mil.
The phone numbers for the Air Force Claims Center are toll free (877) 754-1212, commercial (937) 656-8044, DSN 986-8044. The fax numbers are commercial (937) 656-8307, DSN 986-8307. The email address is AFCSC.JA@wpafb.af.mil.
• Marines
The web site for the Marine Corps Claims Office is https://www.manpower.usmc.mil/portal/page/portal/M_RA_HOME/MF/C_PERSONNEL/
Property.
The phone number for the Marine Corps Claims Office is commercial (703) 784-9533, DSN 278-9533. The fax number is (703) 784-9827. The email address is hqmc.claims@usmc.mil.
• Coast Guard
Claims instructions and contact information for filing your claim with the Coast Guard can be found on-line at http://uscg.mil/lsc/branch_claims_and_litigation.asp.
The point of contact for Coast Guard personnel with claims for food spoilage is Chief Warrant Officer Scott Petty. His phone number (757) 628-4190; email address is Scott.E.Petty@uscg.mil.
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