Severe / Winter Weather FAQ

Click here for the Seasonal Climatology for Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

• Digital Garrison - Download the free app for your mobile device's app store, create an account, select Fort Campbell, and enable push notifications for information about delays or closures. Check out the announcements for weather alerts, road conditions, and more.
• ALERT! - Visit the ALERT! page on our website for information on how to sign up for the emergency notification system.
• Social Media - Follow Fort Campbell on Facebook.

Detachment 4, 18th Combat Weather Squadron. They are an Air Force unit of Battlefield Weather Airmen assigned to the support the 101st Airborne Division. They deploy with the 101st in support of Overseas Contingency Operations and day-to-day their mission focuses on supporting the 101st and the airfields/helipads at Fort Campbell.

It is not uncommon for alerts to be issued hours before severe weather is projected to take place and covering a longer time span than alerts from the National Weather Service. This is to allow units to secure equipment, such as aircraft, before a storm and to take precautions for the safety of personnel. Weather alerts for Fort Campbell may take place at different times than what is issued to our local communities by the National Weather Service. With Fort Campbell covering four counties over two states, information from the National Weather Service and from Detachment 4, 18th Combat Weather Squadron is used to localize the weather forecast for the installation. Information gathered by the airmen is also used by the National Weather Service.

In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. If you have medical issues that may be adversely affected by loss of power (i.e. you have a medical support device that requires electricity and does not have battery backup), please contact the Army Community Service EFMP Office at 270-798-2727 or email usarmy.campbell.id-readiness.mbx.acs-efmp@army.mil.

All residences on Fort Campbell are considered well-built structures and should be adequate as a tornado shelter. Residents should follow the national weather service guidance for selecting a location in their house to serve as a shelter: https://www.weather.gov/unr/Storm_Shelters. First choice being a basement, followed by a small internal, windowless room, on the lowest floor; usually a bathroom, closet, or hallway.

Even in the best-case scenarios you have about 10 minutes to take action during a tornado warning. Attempting to get to a different shelter on the installation will only put you at greater risk as you will be outside in a vehicle at the most dangerous time.

From the National Weather Service website on Tornado Safety -https://www.weather.gov/ama/severesafetytips - “Generally speaking, you should not leave your home in your vehicle when a tornado threatens. In most cases, you will have a better chance of surviving by staying put in your home. Every home is different - there is no absolute safe place in every home. Use the guidelines. Unless you are deep underground, there is no such thing as a 100% tornado-proof shelter. Freak accidents can happen.”

Even in the best-case scenarios you have about 10 minutes to take action during a tornado warning. Attempting to get to a different shelter on the installation will only put you at greater risk as you will be outside in a vehicle at the most dangerous time. Moving a large amount of people in a short amount of time would create more of a risk.

The bunkers also have been closed due to findings of radon gas as well as to slow the spread of white-nose syndrome amongst bats; there are multiple bat species located on the installation including several endangered species.

Buildings on post should have an emergency action plan (EAP) with severe weather shelter locations marked. This is the responsibility of the building owner/manager. If you are in a large building like a hangar or motor pool and there are no small or sturdy internal rooms, it is best to seek shelter in a nearby facility. This is especially true if you work in a trailer or one of the modular buildings that are scattered around the installation.

The Directorate of Public Works plows roads, focusing on main roads first, across the installation except for those within housing. Campbell Crossing is responsible for the roads within housing. Campbell Crossing can plow all roads within housing in approximately 6 - 12 hours, depending on weather conditions.

• Emergency Employees. These are employees critical to operations in dismissal or closure situations. Employees in this category are expected to report or remain at work in dismissal/closure situations unless otherwise directed. This includes weather situations, furloughs, or other closure periods. Supervisors use discretion on Emergency Employees with regard to getting to work or leaving early. If this situation happens, Emergency Employees will stay in contact with their supervisor as to their particular situation; circumstances will drive the decision.
• Mission Critical Emergency Employees. These employees are expected to remain in contact with their supervisors at all times during any closure situation, and may be called to work. Examples would include weather situations or a furlough. Supervisors make decisions on the requirement to come to work based on ongoing operations and circumstances.
• Emergency Essential Employees (E-E). These employees carry the designation as a condition of employment and the condition involves deployment situations.
• All Other Employees. All other Employees will take guidance from supervisors, or post announcements, on closures/dismissal situations.

• Limited Operations-Delayed Reporting. When conditions warrant, employees may be authorized a delay in reporting to duty. The intent behind this concept is to provide employees additional time to deal with the conditions that may affect their ability to report to their work site, and to stagger the number of employees on the roads and at the gates. Delayed reporting will normally be announced in terms of the amount of additional time an employee is allowed to report, from their normal reporting time (for example: employees are authorized a two-hour delay in reporting). This type of announcement means employees have an additional two hours, from their normal reporting time, to negotiate the conditions that warranted the announcement. Employees are expected to report to work within the announced time frame; it is not intended to mean begin their commute after the announced time of the delay.
• Limited Operations-Emergency Personnel Only. When conditions warrant, employees may be directed not to report to work (normally expressed in announcements as "only emergency personnel are required to report''). The intent behind this concept is that the situation is such that requiring other personnel is too much of a risk to accept or that their presence would compound the efforts to mitigate the situation.
• Limited Operations-Early Release. When conditions warrant, employees may be authorized an early release from the workplace. The intent behind this concept is to provide employees additional time to deal with the conditions that may affect their ability to leave their work site, and to stagger the number of employees on the roads and at the gates. Early release may not be authorized to all organizations at the same time and may be staggered by unit or supervisor discretion.

If you are unsure of your ability to drive safely due to road conditions, contact your supervisor for further guidance.

Your supervisor determines if your position requires you to report to work when there is a post closure. Please reach out to your immediate supervisor to determine the expectations aligned with your position.

All inpatient and emergency services are open 24/7. If the post is closed, outpatient services will either be closed completely or running consolidated services with very limited personnel.

If there is a delay, there is no impact for Child and Youth Services (CYS). Employees should report as scheduled, taking into account safety. For closures (i.e. mission essential days) CYS operates with a roster of teams and all care is consolidated to one Child Development Center and one School Age Center.

If there is a delay, there is no impact for Child and Youth Services (CYS). For closures, only those individuals designated as mission essential and whose children are enrolled in care can use childcare.

Yes, unless the pos has limited operations for mission essetional personnel only. Then care is consolidated for mission essential personnel only at one School Age Center.

DoDEA schools make a concerted effort to continue the educational endeavor for students.

• DoDEA doesn't follow the local communities' schedules because students and buses are on Post. Since buses are housed on-post, DoDEA can delay schools, when necessary, instead of closing them.
• Schools close when Fort Campbell is closed or when a problem occurs with facilities or the ability to transport due to weather conditions.

Yes, you may travel in your privately owned vehicle to and from your place of employment on or off the installation at your own risk. Please keep in mind, entry and exit times at the gates may be delayed due to accumulation of snow/ice or while clearing operations are underway.

Atmospheric differences between northern and southern states leads to more freezing rain than snow. The quick snow, thaw, and freeze cycles lead to large amounts of black ice. There is also the infrequent nature of wintry episodes in the region and many motorists do not have experience driving in winter weather. Vehicles in the region are not typically winter prepped (snow and studded tires vs. warm weather tires) and most areas do not have a large fleet of equipment to treat roadways.

Campbell Crossing recommends keeping your heat at 68 degrees or higher, opening cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warmer air flow, and turning interior faucets to dripping during freezing weather. Never turn your heat or air conditioning off when you go out of town or leave your home overnight.

Each brigade staff duty has access to a van to transport Soldiers to open Warrior Restaurants. Coordinate ahead of time with your brigade staff duty in order to have a ride.

The Directorate of Public Works provides a self-help salt bin for government facilities and family housing on Fort Campbell. The salt bin is located at the corner of 1st Street and Tennessee Avenue, across the street from Fire Station #1. Customers must bring their own containers and shovels. Salt is available 24/7, but it is not replenished after duty hours.

Campbell Crossing encourages residents to follow the following cold weather tips:

• Remove all water hoses from outside spigots. Leaving hoses attached can cause leaks and pipes to burst in the home.
• Securely close and lock all windows to keep the cool air out, and warm air in.
• Ensure all interior doors are open to allow heat to distribute evenly throughout the Caution-home.
• If a home has a garage, it is important to close garage doors when not in use.
• Keep water dripping in their sinks and open cabinet doors, especially cabinets under sinks and against outside walls.
• Ensure the heater is working properly. If going out of town, please set thermostat no lower than 68 degrees.
• Check seals around all doors and windows.
• Ensure you install a new air filter every 30 days so the heating system can work properly.
• Additionally, please be prepared to shovel and salt porches, steps, driveways and sidewalks in front of your home after an accumulating snow event per our Resident Guide, https://winnmilitary.entrata.com/media_library/12710/5ea896c4d33d19.24150002316.pdf.

The Directorate of Public Works requests that all facility occupants perform an inspection of their facilities and take corrective actions in advance of these cold temperatures to ensure that water and plumbing systems do not freeze. Ensure exterior doors and windows are shut and the heat is working. Open cabinet doors beneath sinks to allow warm air to circulate around piping. Check access doors to crawl spaces beneath facilities are closed. If there is no option available to cover these access points, please call in a work request to the DPW at 270-798-1200 so DPW personnel can correct this.

After cold temperatures subside, please take notice for any plumbing leaks that appear and call in a work order at 270-798-1200.

DO NOT prop open exterior doors to buildings during cold weather advisories. This can freeze the fire suppression sprinkler lines.

A damaged exterior door that doesn’t close and a burst fire suppression line are considered emergency repairs and should be reported by phone at 270-798-1200.

The most significant damage that occurs is from the water flowing into the hallways and rooms in the barracks. This damages sheetrock and can create a mold issue. If the pipes are located on the 2nd floor or higher, damage can occur to ceilings, drop ceilings, electrical light fixtures, cabinetry, and personal belongings.

If repairs are required to be performed on sprinkler lines due to customer negligence, these repairs will be categorized as "Non-Fair-Wear-And-Tear" (NFWT) and charged to the individual responsible and their unit/organization.

The Ready Army website, https://ready.army.mil/, and Ready website, https://www.ready.gov/, have lots of information on what to do during disasters such as severe weather and more.