Energy Resilience Readiness Exercises (ERRE): What You Need to Know

Energy resilience is essential to Joint Base Lewis-McChord's mission and the well-being of our community. Our efforts focus on ensuring the installation can maintain critical operations during emergencies while empowering service members, families, and staff to be prepared for power outages and other challenges. This page provides key information about our Energy Resilience Readiness Exercises (ERRE), preparation tips, and resources to help you stay informed and resilient.

ERRE Dates

  • Jan. 16, 2025 (between 9 a.m. and noon)
  • March 19, 2025
  • April 16, 2025
  • May 14, 2025
  • June 12, 2025
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Why Energy Resilience Matters

  • Strengthening Operations: Energy resilience ensures JBLM can continue critical operations during prolonged outages or emergencies.
  •  Enhancing Preparedness: Testing our systems and preparing the community ensures that JBLM is ready for any challenge.
  • Protecting Our Community: By building energy resilience, we reduce vulnerabilities and improve our ability to respond to natural disasters, infrastructure issues, or external threats.

How to Prepare for Power Outages

  • Create or Update Your Emergency Kit: Stock essential items like flashlights, batteries, water, non-perishable food, and first-aid supplies. For help, visit https://www.ready.gov.
  • Register for JBLM ALERT! Notifications: Get real-time updates before, during, and after power outages. 
  • Charge Devices: Ensure phones, laptops, and other essential devices are fully charged before the exercise.
  • Review Power Outage Safety Tips: Learn how to stay safe and reduce risks during a power outage.
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What to Expect

During the scheduled ERREs, there will be a planned power outage in select areas on the installation. Although these exercises are carefully controlled, unintended outages or extended impacts may occur.

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Stay Informed

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Related Resources

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ERRE News around the Army

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Frequently Asked Questions

With the base-wide Energy Resilience Readiness Exercises on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, there are some specific questions you may have. Here's several Frequently Asked Questions we hope help provide the answers you need. 

General Questions

Q: Why do these exercises require a power outage?
A: These outages simulate real-world scenarios, helping us test and improve JBLM’s readiness for emergencies.

Q: How long will the outages last?
A: Planned outages typically last two hours, but unintended impacts may extend beyond this time.

Q: What should I do if my power is still out after the exercise?
A:
Contact:

  • DES: 253-967-7112
  • DPW: 253-967-3131
  • Liberty Military Housing: 888-578-4141
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Emergency Service and Installation Access

Q: What 911 services are impacted?
A: 911 services will not be impacted. There will be no degradation or change to response of emergency services to include police, fire and EMS.

Q: Will traffic lights be working?
A: Some traffic lights will be affected. Please treat all intersections as a four-way stop if traffic lights aren’t working.

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Housing and Facility Concerns

Q: Who is going to pay for my spoiled food?
A: If you keep refrigerator/freezers closed you should not experience spoilage. However, check with your renter’s insurance for policy coverage as neither Liberty Military Housing nor Housing Services will provide reimbursement for spoiled food, given the advance notice. Contact the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate with additional questions.

Q: Is there anything I can do to reduce the chance of damage to my personal property?
A: Just as in the case of power outages due to a storm or other incident, there is slight risk to sensitive electronic devices when power is reestablished. We recommend unplugging sensitive electronic devices and plugging them back in only after power is restored.

Q: What other Liberty Military Housing services will be affected?
A: The ERRE exercises are not going to affect any of the Liberty Military Housing offices, so their phone lines shouldn’t be affected.

Q: What number do I call for maintenance issues in my residence during the power outage?
A: Liberty Military Housing: 888-578-4141 ​​​​​​.

Q: I keep calling the DPW help desk and the line is busy, what can I do?
A: They may be experiencing a large volume of calls. Please be patient, try again and the next available operator will take your call.

Q: Are we going to lose access to water?
A: No. We do not anticipate losing access to water.

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Communications

Q: Will phone lines work during the power outage?
A: We do not anticipate any impact to official government or personal landlines. If a phone requires power, it will not work.

Q: Will cellphones work?
A: Yes. Cell towers on the installation are on back-up power, however, service may be degraded.

Q: Will home internet (commercial) be affected?
A: Possibly

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Exceptional Family Member Program

Q: What do I do if I have concerns about a family member who has medical equipment in quarters that could be affected by a power outage?
A: EFMP Family Support can assist with getting in contact with providers and home health agencies. Please reach out to them at 253-967-5797 or usarmy.jblm.imcom.list.afcs-efmp-support-services@army.mil with questions.

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Personnel Services

Q: Will PCS moves still occur?
A: Yes. PCS movement of household goods will not be affected.

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MWR Facilities

Q: Will CDCs/CYS facilities be open?
A: Yes. All CYS facilities to include installations schools will be open during each ERRE. There will be little to no disruption to those operations.

Q: What MWR facilities will be open?

  • Open: All MWR facilities will remain open until power outages.
  • Closed: Only the MWR facilities losing power will be closed during the ERRE; they'll reopen as soon as the power is restored.
  • MWR Headquarters will lose power (Bldg. 2013), but they won’t be closed for business for the duration. There will be signs posted inside facilities.
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Dining Facilities

Q: Will dining facilities be open?
A: Yes, but they may have alternate feeding plans. Inquire with unit chain of command for additional details.

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AAFES

Q: Will the Lewis Exchange and McChord Field Exchange remain open?
A: No, all facilities will be closed. Facilities will reopen once power is restored.

Q: Will gas stations be open?
A: No, with the power outage, the pumps will not operate. Facilities will reopen once power is restored.

Q: What Express Shoppettes/Food Courts be open?
A: Other than AFFES inside of Madigan Army Medical Center, all facilities will be closed. The Madigan AAFES location will only operate if Madigan's generators allow for it to operate. Facilities will reopen once power is restored.

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Commissaries

Q: Are the Lewis Main Commissary and McChord Field Commissary going to be open?
A: Yes.

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Other FAQs

Q: Can my guests and I still get on/off base during the power outage?
A: Yes. The Installation Access Control Points are on generators and guards can visually inspect DOD IDs if necessary.

Q: Will financial institutions be open?
A: Yes. Armed Forces Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union and Harborstone Credit Union will be open.

Q: Will this exercise impact deploying/redeploying service members?
A: No. Deployment and redeployment activities will not be impacted during the exercise.

Q: Will this effect on- or off-base schools?
A: No. schools will not be affected.

Q: Will the Post Offices on Lewis Main and McChord Field be open?
A: Postal operations will continue as normal.

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