Electricians and engineers have been called to power outages at Schofield Barracks. (U.S. Army photo)
U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii
Public Affairs Office
WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii -- The unscheduled power outages that fully frustrated residents and workers in west Schofield Barracks may have come to an end.
U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii's Directorate of Public Works, or DPW, initiated an emergency contract to assess the problem and assist with repairs. The system at Menoher Substation was then re-energized and has been holding with no additional unscheduled outages since June 27. DPW believes the work is complete. As of this time, according to DPW, the issues have been resolved.
The numerous power outages were disruptive and unpredictable. Each time the main circuit breaker at Menoher was tripped, a high-voltage electrician was called out to check the electrical line and to reset the system and breakers in a safe and expeditious manner. With the recent repair using the emergency contract, only scheduled outages -- which are generally announced weeks in advance -- will be needed to upgrade equipment.
Island Palm Communities residents and Garrison employees deserve to have reliable power. USAG Hawaii's DPW is responsible for oversight of electricity, so if another unscheduled power outage should possibly occur, residents or workers may call the maintenance line at (808) 787-1275 to get an electrician or engineer on the job right away. If an unscheduled outage happens after hours, between 4 p.m. and 6 a.m., call the Military Police desk at (808) 864-0855.
Claims
If family members have experienced power outage related damages, they should not call or make an appointment at the Schofield Barracks Claims Office. Instead, the Claims Office in Fort Knox, Kentucky, assists with reimbursements. Claims are considered personnel claims and are adjudicated at Fort Knox.
Here is the proper contact information:
CENTER FOR PERSONNEL CLAIMS SUPPORT
50 Third Avenue, Suite 307
Building 1310 (Pike Hall)
Fort Knox, KY 40121
Call (502) 626-3000.
Visit usarmy.knox.hqda-otjag.mbx.cpcs@mail.mil.
An info paper on the process is linked here: https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/Sites/jagc.nsf/0/81B3D969669C51148525814D00618137/$File/Unusual%20Occurrence%20Events.pdf. Also, more information can be found here: https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/Apps/PCLAIMS/PCLAIMSPublic.nsf/xpPersonnel_Claim.xsp.
Food Safety
If you're unsure about food safety, the Food and Drug Administration provides guidance:
- Your refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours, if unopened.
- Your freezer, if full, will be good for 48 hours; a half-full freezer is good for 24 hours - both if unopened.
Scheduled Power Outages
Scheduled power outages are regularly listed on the USAG Hawaii website. Visit https://home.army.mil/hawaii/index.php/my-fort/calendar/scheduled-power-outages-calendar to find out the dates of future outages. The next scheduled outages this month are July 11 and July 25 to upgrade equipment.