RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Nearly six inches of rain drenched Randolph last weekend, bringing much relief to a drought-stricken area but also testing base personnel as they dealt with problems ranging from leaking roofs to wet carpeting, flooded streets to a downed tree.
Some 50 12th Mission Support Group Civil Engineering Division craftsmen and a host of contract personnel worked feverishly to clean up damaged areas, deploying sandbags at hangars and in several basements, using pumps to remove water from damaged office areas and other buildings, opening and cleaning drains to remove stormwater debris, sweeping and mopping affected areas and even patching roofs.
"Topsoil, once held in place by live grass, and mulch washed into the streets and sidewalks like a thick mudslide," said Col. Alan Lake, 12th MSG commander. "Water also pooled in fields, drains and gutters overflowed, branches and limbs snapped and were strewn about the base, and CE went into action. Cleanup crews worked over the weekend and early this week trying to clean up much of that damage."
Some of the damage included roof leaks at Building 499 and the BX; a wet carpet in the basement of Building 491; water damage in the Auger Inn at the Parr O'Club, in Hangar 64 and in the basement of the Taj Mahal; and a downed tree in a residential area.
In addition, small limbs were down, debris was scattered and mud caked streets throughout the base.
CE spokesmen estimated that the effort to assess, clean and re-evaluate impacted facilities will take two to three weeks.