HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- As we enter the winter season, it’s important to revisit our approach to inclement weather operations at Hill Air Force Base.
Employees should expect the base to remain open. The base will maintain roads and sidewalks in accordance with its snow plan, which prioritizes snow clearing and treatment based on mission needs.
Directors and commanders should be familiar with this plan and are responsible to determine group- and unit- level reporting requirements and release plans based on road conditions, current and future weather forecasts, employee safety, and mission needs.
Note: If conditions at home are severe enough to warrant changes to an employee’s normal reporting time, but they have not received direction from their commander and/or director, the employee should contact their supervisor or work center to discuss alternate reporting or leave arrangements.
Should weather conditions be so severe they require unilateral adjustment to base operations, the installation commander may implement the following changes to base operations:
Delayed reporting: The purpose for delayed reporting during hazardous weather conditions is to allow base personnel additional time for safe travel to the base. Delayed reporting applies to military and civilian personnel. Leave may not be charged. The expected reporting time will be specified, but it’s normally up to two hours, to give employees time to report to work. Base contractors should refer to their company’s policy.
Early release: Unit commanders and supervisors will release personnel who are designated "non-weather emergency essential" according to the guidelines of the early release notification. Commanders should stagger the release to avoid traffic congestion with exiting the base.
Mission essential reporting: Personnel identified by their commanders and supervisors as “mission essential” are to report for duty. Military members not required to report will be placed on telephone standby. Civilian personnel not required to report will be placed on administrative leave as granted by the installation commander.
When one of these options is directed, the primary means for communicating the change will occur through the base’s AtHoc Notification System, which sends a message to users through a call out, email and text message.
Base employees can sign up for AtHoc notifications by right clicking the “purple planet” icon at the bottom right of their government-issued computer's screen and clicking on “Access Self-Service” to update their contact information and enable notifications.
In addition, the information will be posted to Hill AFB’s official Facebook and Twitter. Local radio and television stations will also be notified to spread the word if the base is closed. They will not be contacted when the base remains open.
Road Conditions
A related concern is driving under snowy and icy conditions. People operating vehicles at Hill AFB during inclement weather must exercise caution and reduce speeds in accordance with the conditions of the roadways. Snow fall, winds, precipitation and ice, and reduced visibility can make travel hazardous, and road conditions may change quickly. Speed and following too closely are major problems during, and after, inclement weather. Safety is every driver’s responsibility.
If the installation commander implements base-wide mission essential reporting, travel on Hill AFB will be limited to only those required to by their commander and/or director to report for duty or responsible for security and lifesaving response are authorized to drive on base. Drivers must exercise extreme caution and should reduce speeds up to 20 mph or more for the entire installation, and up to 10 mph for housing and parking areas.