BEALE AFB, Calif. –
The structure fire that swept through the 9th Civil Engineering Squadron building on Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Jan 21, destroyed millions of dollars of equipment and left 191 personnel without a workplace.
But, thanks to the squadron's reserve counterparts, a big part of the unit wasn't incapacitated for long.
Displaced 9 CES active duty and civilian members immediately moved into fully furnished office spaces in Reserve facilities across the base.
"We were never homeless. The 940th immediately extended their hand to us," said Senior Master Sgt. Carey Jordan, 9 CES Superintendent of Operations. " Forty-eight key and essential personnel had adequate workspace within twenty-four hours, which enabled us to resume cohesive day-to-day operations."
In addition to providing reserve work spaces, Air Force Reserve Command offered to help resupply the unit.
The command replaced an estimated $23,000 in hand tools and equipment lost in the fire and replenished more than $8,000 worth of Contingency Team Kit items. These kits are needed for deployment teams sent downrange during conflicts anywhere in the world.
"Four shops- electrical, utilities, structures, and alarms- lost everything in that fire," said Greg Nelson, 9 CES Base Work Order Manager. "Not only did AFRC help out with equipment, but they also provided manpower to get these shops up and running again."
According to Nelson, the fire caught the 9 CES short-handed, as the squadron currently has two teams deployed. Active duty was able to authorize 210 backfill days for Reservists from the 940th CES to work within the four shops hardest hit by the fire.
"We've always operated in a total force integration environment with the 940th CES here at Beale, but after this experience, I think we're a lot more like family," Jordan said.