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319 CES Airmen recover GFAFB from water main break

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Elijaih Tiggs
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
“This is the best part of the job,” said Airman 1st Class Richard Gray Jr., 319th Civil Engineer Squadron water and fuel maintenance apprentice, as he prepared to assist in repairing the broken water main August 7, 2017, here.

Airman Corey Gilliam, 319 CES water and fuel maintenance apprentice, and Gray were two of the first responders to the water main break on Eielson Street and Tuskegee Airman Boulevard, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017.

“We isolated the waterline and controlled the break within 15 minutes of arriving at the incident,” said Gilliam.

The water main break affected many areas on base.

“The isolation of the waterline allowed for water to be supplied back to the dorms, the civil engineer command center, the command tower, and many other buildings,” said Staff Sgt Adam Beaudoin, 319 CES water and fuel maintenance supervisor.

Normal base operations have continued since Saturday. The 319 CES uncovered the 8-inch water main, removed and replaced the broken section, and restored the surface area.

“The combined effort and teamwork between the water and fuel system maintainers and the heavy equipment operators restored the water main to 100 percent,” said Senior Master Sgt Marco Lara, 319 CES operations superintendent.

Lara said the quick action of the Airmen resulted in saving approximately 1.9 million gallons of water located in the water towers on base.