The Waterline
September 13, 2012
Vol. XXIX No. 37
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NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
Ready Navy: Disasters Happen, Stay Informed! By MC2 Kiona Miller, NDW Public Affairs
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Kiona Miller
Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Luis Mojica views the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mobile application. The mobile application is one option to remain prepared during any disaster, along with registering with the Wide Area Alert Network to get up-to-date information during a crisis.
The U.S. Navy launched a new emergency preparedness program dubbed READY NAVY this month. Once known as Operation Preparedness, the program is designed to increase the ability of every person and family on or near Navy installations to plan and prepare for all types of hazards, to include Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear hazards. "This is a good time for this program to be introduced because we are at the height of hurricane season, so people are already thinking about being prepared and what they would do," said Deputy Region Emergency Manager Jeff Wilson. "Especially with recent storms that we have had, people have been out of power for a couple days, so getting them the additional information to make the kit, be prepared and make arrangements with things that they need to would help." According to Commander, Navy Installation Command, 2011 went down as a record year for natural disasters where thousands of Navy personnel and family members were directly impacted and forced to evacuate their home. Naval District Washington (NDW)
alone provided direct support to families displaced by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March of 2011 and even responded to the unexpected earthquake that rattled the National Capital Region in addition to the effects caused by Hurricane Irene all in one week in August of the same year. With these events coupled with those that happened worldwide throughout the year, it is important to realize that a natural disaster of any kind can happen anytime at any installation Navywide. This mindset is the focus of one of Ready Navy's key messages: "Disaster Happens". This message speaks to the fact that complacency can be the biggest downfall to Sailors, DoD personnel, contractors and their families during a disaster. "The mindset needs to be the same as it is for other folks who are in deployable forces. Do they have their sea bag ready do go? Is it fully packed? Are they deployable now? So that's the mindset," said Robert Klebahn, regional program manager for Fleet and Family Support Program. "If they can think of it that way that they are part of a rapid response team and they have to have their bags packed
See Ready, Page 5
WNY Visitors Center Completes Net Zero Project By MC2 Kiona Miller, NDW Public Affairs Naval DistrictWashington is undergoing a number of energy conservation projects within several buildings throughout each installation. One building that is in its completion stage is the Washington Navy Yard's (WNY) Visitors Center as it continues down the path of becoming a Net Zero building. "Net Zero refers to zero energy use on a net annual basis. This basically means the project produces as much or more energy in a year than it consumes," said Steven Miller, design project manager and architect with Public Works Department Washington. "This can apply to electrical consumption as well as water and gas consumption, although our project is focused on electrical energy and does not consume any gas." A few of the notable changes that will allow the Visitors Center to become Net Zero in-
clude: spray-foam and blown-in cellulose insulation, electro chromic windows, LED lighting, and a new geothermal heat-pump HVAC system. There are also Solar Panels and Micro-Wind turbines on the adjacent parking structure that tie into a cutting edge hybridgel battery system which can power the building in the event of a power failure. "The project evolved from the initial concept to best suit the discoveries made during the initial building energy audit," said Miller. "It was determined at this time that a replacement of the building's HVAC system with a super-efficient geothermal heat-pump system would yield the greatest energy savings. The approved design was based around this change and has remained constant throughout implementation." Naval Support Activity Washington has garnered significant success since the Net Zero project was employed last October. Ac-
See Net Zero, Page 5
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Kiona Miller
Cmdr. Thomas McLemore, public works officer for NAVFAC Washington, right; Cmdr. David Varner, commanding officer of NSA Washington, middle; and Igor Boras, senior construction manager for NAVFAC Washington Public Works, left, tour the Washington Navy Yard's Visitors Center to view new energy conservation technologies installed for the building's Net Zero demonstration project.
Inside Link directly to the NDW Facebook page on your smart phone
Around the Yard, Page 2
AFPAK Blog, Page 6